Food Preparation and Nutrition GCSE

The Eduqas GCSE in Food Preparation and Nutrition equips learners with the knowledge, understanding and skills required to cook and apply the principles of food science, nutrition and healthy eating. It encourages learners to cook, enables them to make informed decisions about food and nutrition and allows them to acquire knowledge to be able to feed themselves and others affordably and nutritiously, now and later in life.

This specification has been designed to enable centres to concentrate on innovative delivery of the course whilst creating a balance between practical and theoretical knowledge and understanding. The layout of the content into six areas of content promotes flexibility of delivery and releasing two tasks for each of the assessments that constitute the non-examination assessment will ensure learners are able to complete assessments suitable to their needs and that of the centre. By studying food preparation and nutrition learners will: • be able to demonstrate effective and safe cooking skills by planning, preparing and cooking a variety of food commodities whilst using different cooking techniques and equipment.

  • develop knowledge and understanding of the functional properties and chemical characteristics of food as well as a sound knowledge of the nutritional content of food and drinks.
  • understand the relationship between diet, nutrition and health, including the physiological and psychological effects of poor diet and health.
  • understand the economic, environmental, ethical and socio-cultural influences on food availability, production processes, diet and health choices.
  • demonstrate knowledge and understanding of functional and nutritional properties, sensory qualities and microbiological food safety considerations when preparing, processing, storing, cooking and serving food.
  • understand and explore a range of ingredients and processes from different culinary traditions (traditional British and international) to inspire new ideas or modify existing recipes

Component 1: Principles of Food Preparation and Nutrition

Written examination: 1 hour 45 minutes

50% of qualification This component will consist of two sections both containing compulsory questions and will assess the six areas of content as listed in the specified GCSE content.

Section A: questions based on stimulus material.

Section B: structured, short and extended response questions to assess content related to food preparation and nutrition.

Component 2: Food Preparation and Nutrition in Action Non-examination assessment: internally assessed, externally moderated

Assessment 1: 8 hours

Assessment 2: 12 hours

50% of qualification

Assessment 1: The Food Investigation Assessment A scientific food investigation which will assess the learner’s knowledge, skills and understanding in relation to scientific principles underlying the preparation and cooking of food.

Assessment 2: The Food Preparation Assessment Prepare, cook and present a menu which assesses the learner’s knowledge, skills and understanding in relation to the planning, preparation, cooking and presentation of food.

These assessments will be based on a choice of tasks released by WJEC annually.

 

 

AQA Three-Dimensional Design

Three-dimensional design

Three-dimensional design is defined here as the design, prototyping and modelling or making of primarily functional and aesthetic products, objects, and environments, drawing upon intellectual, creative and practical skills.

Areas of study

In Component 1 and Component 2 students are required to work in one or more area(s) of three-dimensional design, such as those listed below:

  • architectural design
  • sculpture
  • ceramics
  • product design
  • jewellery and body adornment
  • interior design
  • environmental/landscape/garden design
  • exhibition design
  • 3D digital design
  • designs for theatre, film and television.

They may explore overlapping areas and combinations of areas.

Knowledge, understanding and skills

Students must develop and apply the knowledge, understanding and skills specified in the Subject content to realise personal intentions relevant to three-dimensional design and their selected area(s) of study.

The following aspects of knowledge, understanding and skills are defined in further detail to ensure students’ work is clearly focused and relevant to three-dimensional design.

Knowledge and understanding

The way sources inspire the development of ideas relevant to three-dimensional design including:

  • how sources relate to historical, contemporary, cultural, social, environmental and creative contexts
  • how ideas, feelings, forms, and purposes can generate responses that address specific needs be these personal or determined by external factors such as the requirements of an individual client’s expectations, needs of an intended audience or details of a specific commission.

The ways in which meanings, ideas and intentions relevant to three-dimensional design can be communicated include the use of:

  • figurative and non-figurative forms of representation, stylisation, simplification, exaggeration, the relationship between form and surface embellishment, constructional considerations and imaginative interpretation
  • visual and tactile elements such as:
    • colour
    • line
    • form
    • tone
    • texture
    • space
    • proportion
    • decoration
    • scale
    • structure
    • shape
    • pattern.

Skills

Within the context of three-dimensional design, students must demonstrate the ability to:

  • use three-dimensional techniques and processes, appropriate to students’ personal intentions, for example:
    • model making
    • constructing
    • surface treatment
    • assembling
    • modelling
  • use media and materials, as appropriate to students’ personal intentions, for example:
    • drawing materials
    • clay
    • wood
    • metal
    • plaster
    • plastic
    • found materials.

Component 1: Portfolio

What’s assessed:

A portfolio that in total shows explicit coverage of the four assessment objectives. It must include a sustained project evidencing the journey from initial engagement to the realisation of intentions and a selection of further work undertaken during the student’s course of study.

How it’s assessed:

  • No time limit
  • 96 marks
  • 60% of GCSE

Non-exam assessment (NEA) set and marked by the school/college and moderated by AQA during a visit. Moderation will normally take place in June.

Component 2: Externally set assignment

What’s assessed:

Students respond to their chosen starting point from an externally set assignment paper relating to their subject title, evidencing coverage of all four assessment objectives.

How it’s assessed:

  • Preparatory period followed by 10 hours of supervised time
  • 96 marks
  • 40% of GCSE

Non-exam assessment (NEA) set by AQA; marked by the school/college and moderated by AQA during a visit. Moderation will normally take place in June.

 

 

Level 1/2 Vocational Award in Engineering (Technical Award)

Our Vocational Award in Engineering will develop students’ knowledge and understanding of the engineering sector and provide them with opportunities to develop associated practical skills. It covers manufacturing engineering products, designing engineering products and solving engineering problems which focuses on how modern engineering has had an impact on modern day life at home, work and in society in general.

Sector overview

Engineering is a driving force in the UK’s economy, accounting for 21.4% (£1.2 trillion) of the UK’s £5.7 trillion turnover in 20181 . However, there is a considerable shortage of appropriately skilled workers in the engineering sector. One of the reasons for this is due to a lack of awareness among young people of the educational routes into engineering occupations, despite the fact that pursuing STEM subjects remains a priority for many young people, and, according to Engineering UK2 , the proportion of young people aged 11 to 14 who said they would consider a career in engineering was 54.7% in 2019.

Qualification objective

The Vocational Award in Engineering has been designed to support learners in schools and colleges who want to learn about this vocational sector and the potential it can offer them for their careers or further study. It is most suitable as a foundation for further study. This further study would provide learners with the opportunity to develop a range of specialist and general skills that would support their progression to employment

Summary of Assessment

Unit 1: Manufacturing Engineering Products

Controlled assessment: 20 hours

40% of qualification

80 marks

An assignment brief will be provided by WJEC that will include a scenario and several tasks available via the WJEC Secure Website.

Unit 2: Designing Engineering Products

Controlled assessment: 10 hours

20% of qualification

40 marks

An assignment brief will be provided by WJEC that will include a scenario and several tasks available via the WJEC Secure Website.

Unit 3: Solving Engineering Problems

Written examination: time of exam – 1 hour 30 minutes

40% of qualification

80 marks