Aim:
You will be taught the science behind what makes food tasty in a new GCSE called Food Preparation and Nutrition from exam board AQA

This qualification will equip you with:-
An exceptional range of kitchen skills
An in-depth understanding of nutrition
At the heart of the qualification is a focus on developing practical cookery skills and a strong understanding of nutrition

Assessment:
50% Exam – split into 2 sections
1 hr 45 minutes  = 100 marks

Section A - 20 marks
Multiple choice questions

Section B - 80 marks
Contains five questions varying in styles of approach and content
50% Coursework or NEA – split into 2 parts
Food Investigation (15%) - Sept 1stin Y11
Based on food science e.g. investigate the best flour to make bread
Recommended time: 10 hours
Food Preparation Assessment (35%) - Nov 1stin Y11
Students will plan, prepare, cook and present a three course menu within 3 hours
Recommended time: 20 hours (inclusive of 3 hour practical period)

To also include a concise portfolio that:
Demonstrates your application of technical skills and your practical outcomes
Explains how you planned and carried out the preparation, cooking and presentation of your three final dishes
Includes an evaluation of cost, and the sensory properties and nutritional characteristics of each dish.

Year 10
In year 10, textile students can expect to complete a BTEC style project based on the theme of Butterflies. This is an introductory project which aims to develop skill in using a range of 2D and 3D techniques. Students will take part in a whole class trip to a butterfly zoo where they take a range of photos to work from as primary sources for further artistic exploration. These images can be edited and manipulated throughout a range of Photo editing workshops using software such as Photoshop. Students will develop their understanding of traditional drawing techniques in response to primary and secondary sources and will explore the formal elements such as tone, composition, line, pattern and texture. Visual recording work can then be translated into a range of textile samples using surface pattern and fabric manipulation techniques. They will explore ways in which they can combine and layer techniques to create imaginative decorative finishes. Their experimental work can then be used to help develop a strong selection of designs for a final piece. Students are allowed to select what they would like to make, whether it be an item for interiors or fashion or an accessory of some kind. Teachers will support students through personalised workshops which will enable students to produce the design they have envisaged. This allows for a lot of freedom and creativity for the students in Textiles.

The second project in year 10 follows a similar format but we use artistic movements through history as a starting point for the project. Students will research and explore various styles of art such as pop art, psychedelic art, cubism, surrealism, optical illusion art, etc. This project involves detailed studies of artwork and students will be taught how to write about artwork using the formal elements. Students can then choose a starting point for their own project and can begin to explore 2D and 3D techniques in response to their own specific stimulus. Students can make any textile item of their choosing and will be supported by Mrs Kaye and Miss Lawrence to develop the skills required to produce their final design

Year 11
In year 11 students continue their second project from year 10 into the first half term of year 11. This allows time for students to develop a high quality product. In January of year 11 students will be expected to prepare for and take part in a practical textile exam. This is a 10 hour exam over 2 days in which students will produce a final piece based on an externally set project brief. The brief will be presented to students in January. They will then have time to prepare research, 2D work, 3D work, samples, designs and time plans to help them with the practical exam. The main focus for this will be for students to know techniques in depth and be able to reproduce them independently as they won't be able to have support from teachers within the practical exam. They will also need to be able to manage their time well so that they are able to create an entire final piece within the 10 hour exam. Students will not be able to complete the work at home and must make their final piece independently under supervision in school. There will be time in the second half of the autumn term to develop these skills in preparation for the release of the brief in the new year.

Year 12
BTEC students taking level 3 textiles can expect a range of introductory projects which will aim to develop and refine practical skills. One of the units allows students to develop their visual recording skill using 2D techniques such as drawing, painting, collages, printing, paper manipulation, lamination, etc. This is followed by a similar skills based project in which students develop their understanding of materials, techniques and processes in textiles. This involves a lot of practical workshops in which students will produce samples and reflect on the outcomes produced. These two projects are excellent for helping to build confidence and for increasing awareness of techniques. This helps for those students who have not taken textiles at level 2 and also helps to refine skills for those who have. Towards the end of year 12 students will begin a project based on one of the optional units provided by BTEC. This is often done in negotiation with the students to best use the skills and ideas of the class. The units are all textile based and culminate in a final piece of the students choosing based on a specific source of inspiration. This project will continue into year 13.

Year 13
In year 13 students will initially complete their final pieces for the project they started before the summer holidays during their year 12 study. Following the completion of this project, students will take part in 2 additional projects which will each involve research, 2D visual recording, sampling, designs and a final piece. The projects will be based on the units provided by BTEC but will be selected based on the skills and interests of the group. Projects in the past have included a felting project based on natural forms and a surface pattern project based on marine life.

Useful websites:
http://www.technologystudent.com/prddes1/prddex1.html
http://www.technologystudent.com/joints/joindex.htm

'A' level Food Technology is an extension of GCSE Food Technology, where again we use the AQA specification. Many areas previously covered at GCSE level are revisited in greater detail. Both the AS and A2 courses have an element of coursework and written examination.

Y12 – 3 separate portfolios and 1 written exam
Y13 – 1 piece of work and 1 written exam

What does the course involve?
Analysing and tasting new products

Designing food based solutions to meet a specification
Researching relevant dietary aspects
Discussing topical food related issues
Visits into the food industry
Practical and experimental work
Gaining an understanding of ingredients, processing and functions
Considering mass production processes.

Coursework
This is an extension of the type of coursework covered at GCSE but in this case you design the brief to be answered and research, trial and develop solutions considering how your products meet the desired needs. The following is a list of possible coursework tasks although any area of interest can be studied:

Vegetarian Christmas lunch at a local restaurant
Foods children can help to prepare
Balanced foods on a budget for students
Children's birthday products using natural colours and flavours
School meals reflecting Jamie Oliver's advice
Duke of Edinburgh expedition foods for vegetarians
Soups reflecting a multicultural society
Restaurant standard delivered meals, which clients can put finishing touches to, for dinner parties
Breakfast foods for people on the move
Course Comments.

Students find this is an interesting and worthwhile course as so many aspects have a huge relevance in a changing society. All of the key skills of communication, application of number, information technology and problem solving are integral parts of the course and will help learning and performance

Career Pathways
Students who have studied this course elsewhere have used it to access higher education courses in food and retail management or hospitality and catering. The broad and varied course content also lends itself to courses in food science and recipe development for large organisations. There are a number of universities offering food based courses across the country.

Career Prospects
The food industry is an ever growing sector of our economy with hundreds of new food products being developed every year! Employment in the Food Industry is diverse and includes areas such as:

New Product Development
Sensory Testing
Marketing
Environmental Health
Consumer Services and Advice
Food and Environment Legislation
Dietician
Packaging and labelling
Resourcing ingredients
A buyer for a large supermarket

Resistant Materials develops students confidence when working with materials such as wood, metal and plastic. Resistant Materials is a practical based subject which encourages students to combine designing and making skills with knowledge and understanding of materials in order to make quality products. What makes this course really enjoyable is that you will learn how to do things through practical experience.

The coursework project is worth 60% of the course. Once students have decided what they are designing and making, they create a portfolio of research and design work before commencing with the practical. The final term of Y11 is spent preparing for the written examination which is worth 40% of the total marks. Resistant Materials provides excellent preparation for further studies such as A level Product Design, Apprenticeships and ultimately employment such as a career in engineering and construction.

Useful websites:
GCSE Bitesize
Technology Student

Becoming a parent is one of life’s major experiences as well as a huge responsibility. This qualification is for students aged between 14-16 who wish to develop applied knowledge and practical skills in child development.

The course has 3 units of which unit 1 is an external exam set by OCR which underpins all of the other learning in the qualification and covers the following topics:
reproduction
parental responsibility,
antenatal care,
postnatal checks
are of the baby/child,
conditions for development
childhood illnesses
child safety

The one hour and 30 minutes exam will be sat at the end of year 10 with a resit available in January the following year if required. This will help to reduce the number of exams which are sat by our students at the end of year 11.  The exam is worth 80 marks.

Unit 2:
This is an internally assessed unit where the students will gain knowledge of the equipment needs of babies and young children and they should understand what to look for when choosing equipment for this age group. Students also learn about nutrition, planning and cooking suitable healthy meals for children as well as learning about the necessary hygiene practices required when looking after babies and young children. This unit is worth 60 marks.

Unit 3:
In this unit students increase their knowledge and skills in developing activities to be able to observe developmental norms in children up to the age of 5 years old. This unit will involve researching, planning and carrying out activities with children and observing and evaluating these activities.  This unit is worth 60 marks.

Requirements 
Therefore it is a requirement of this course that students have access to a child aged up to 5 years old in order to complete unit 3 assessment which is internally moderated. Also there will be some practical work with food so students will be cooking some dishes in school so will need to be organised and bring in ingredients when required.

Progression
After studying this course students can progress on to GCE A levels in a variety of subjects , continue with  a Level 3  course in Children’s Development, play and learning at school or in further education or  obtain an apprenticeship. This course is beneficial to students who wish to progress onto a career in nursing, working in a nursery, teaching children or to increase their own knowledge and confidence when bringing up their own children.

Resistant Materials / Electronics
Students in year 9 are given a true taste of what life would be like for them if they were to continue to study Resistant Material or Electronic Products at GCSE level. This year is split into 2 projects, the first of which tasks the students to design and make a small amplifier speaker product to connect their iPod's, iPods and phones. The second project tasks the students to think of sustainability and incorporates the element of competition as students are placed into groups and design and make small water powered rockets to race.

Amplifier Project
This project involves students working independently within the electronic products studio to assemble a amplifier PCB and then to transfer to a multi-material workshop to build the speaker casing. Students love this project as they get to see instant results for all their hard work as soon as they connect their device. This project is specifically designed to challenge students to develop their knowledge of electronics and how to produce PCB's. Once students are confident that their amplifiers work, they are transferred into the workshop where they construct the speaker housing unit to make sure their music sounds even sweeter.

Water Rocket Project
This project is regarded as a teacher favourite as students are challenged to work in small teams and collaborate to produce a working prototype. Once the students have completed the construction of their rockets, the fun can begin. The class is taken outside and strap their rockets to the race track and the action begins.............

Textiles
In year 9, students research a range of psychedelic style artwork, which they use as inspiration for their own psychedelic themed t shirt. Students produce their own handmade sketchbook of 2D visual recording work and will be given opportunities to use digital manipulating software such as Photoshop to develop their own digital artwork inspired by psychedelic art. Students sample techniques such as tie dye (using paintbrushes and bottled dye), marbling with inks, string block printing and a range of surface embellishments. These samples are mounted within their handmade sketchbooks and the work is used to reflect on techniques when producing a range of designs for their final T-Shirt product. This project is designed to allow students to sample the style of lessons they should expect if they chose to take Level 2 BTEC Art and Design Textiles in year 10.

Food Technology
‘Food Glorious Food’
This scheme of work has been developed to enable pupils to learn how to cook a range of dishes safely and hygienically and apply their knowledge of nutrition. In addition, they will consider consumer issues, food and its functions and new technologies/trends in food, as well as food waste.

Pupils will have the opportunity to work through the following contexts:

Domestic and local (home, health and culture);
Industrial (food and manufacturing).

Aims
Pupils will extend their knowledge and understanding of food, diet and health;
Pupils will extend food preparation and cooking techniques;
Pupils will extend their knowledge of consumer food and drink choice;
Pupils will be able to apply their knowledge to make informed choices;
Pupils will develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently;
Pupils will build an apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high quality products for a wide range of users;
Pupils will evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others.

Learning Outcomes Overview
Through this Scheme of Work, pupils will:

Apply the principles of The Eatwell Guide and relate this to diet through life;
List and explain the dietary needs throughout life stages;
Investigate information and guidance available to the consumer regarding food labelling, availability, traceability, food assurance schemes and animal welfare;
Explain the characteristics of ingredients and how they are used in cooking;
Adapt and follow recipes to prepare and cook a range of predominately savoury dishes;
Demonstrate a range of food preparation and cooking techniques and independently apply the principles of food safety and hygiene;
Investigate and discuss new trends and technologies used in food production, processing and cooking;
Demonstrate the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an iterative process of designing and making;
Be given regular opportunities to demonstrate and apply their knowledge and understanding of food science;
Be given regular opportunities to consolidate their literacy and numeracy skills by using them purposefully in order to learn.
Track their progress using the My learning journey booklet (cooking, nutrition, ingredients and creativity).

Prior Learning
Pupils will build on the learning in Year 8 Design and Technology. Knowledge and skills include:
The Eatwell Guide; energy balance; macro and micronutrients; food choice and menu planning.
Knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an iterative process of designing and making in a range of contexts including home, health and food. 

Resistant Materials / Electronics
Year 8 students are taught two major projects throughout the year that involve many skills developed in the previous year but also adding new ones. The focus of year 8 is to train students to be autonomous learners and how they can follow guidelines to work independently within the workshop. 

Lego Box Project
This project tasks the students to work with a variety of woods to produce a lockable box that is in the style of a 6 stud Lego brick. Students are taught to focus on precision and efficiency throughout this project as each stage interlocks and relies on the next. This is a really engaging project that all students love to complete and often refer to it as their favourite project. 

Moving CAM toy
This project has been designed specifically for the tools and machinery within the multi-material workshops. Students all make an identical base for this project which teaches them to work from engineering drawings and to continue with their focus on precision and efficiency. Once students have completed the base of their moving toy, they then begin to experiment and design their own moving parts that will involve mechanisms and graphic design to produce the highest quality project possible.

Textiles
In year 8, textile students are introduced to a range of decorative textile techniques from across the world, such as starch resist dying, tie dye, aboriginal style printing and quilting. These techniques will be used to decorate squares of fabric which students will patchwork together to produce their own creative cultural cushion. Those students, who have lessons in both resistant materials and textiles during the same term, are given the opportunity to combine techniques from both subjects to incorporate a music speaker into their cultural cushion to create a unique 'i-cushion'!

Food Technology
‘Diet and Health around the World’
This scheme of work has been developed to enable pupils to learn how to cook a range of dishes safely and hygienically and to apply their knowledge of nutrition. In addition, they will consider the factors that affect food choice, food availability and food from around the world

Pupils will have the opportunity to work through the following contexts:
Domestic and local (home and health);
Industrial (food).

Aims
Pupils will deepen their knowledge and understanding of food and nutrition;
Pupils will further develop food preparation and cooking techniques;
Pupils will deepen their knowledge of consumer food and drink choice;
Pupils will be able to apply their knowledge to make informed choices;
Pupils will develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently;
Pupils will build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high quality products for a wide range of users;
Pupils will evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others.

Learning outcomes overview
Through this scheme of work, pupils will:
Recall and apply the principles of The Eatwell Guide and the 8 tips for healthy eating;
Explain energy and how needs change through life;
Name the main nutrients, sources and functions;
Adapt and follow recipes using appropriate ingredients and equipment to prepare and cook a range of more complex dishes;
Demonstrate a wider range of food preparation and cooking techniques;
Apply the principles of food safety and hygiene;
Explain the factors that affect food and drink choice;
Demonstrate the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an iterative process of designing and making in a range of contexts such as home, health and agriculture;
Be given regular opportunities to demonstrate and apply their knowledge and understanding of food science;
Be given regular opportunities to consolidate their literacy and numeracy skills by using them purposefully in order to learn.
Track their progress using the Y8 homework booklet (cooking, nutrition, ingredients and creativity).

Prior learning
Pupils will build on the learning in Year 7 Design and Technology. Knowledge and skills include:
The Eatwell Guide and the 8 tips for healthy eating; using and adapting recipes; using appropriate ingredients and equipment to prepare and cook a range of dishes;  source, seasonality and characteristics of a range of ingredients.
Developing the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an iterative process of designing and making. 

Resistant Materials / Electronics
In Resistant Materials, year 7 students are exposed to the multi-material workshops, some for the first time. This involves having specialist training with tools and key machinery to enable them to access the curriculum sufficiently. Year 7 is divided into 3 sections; a small introduction to the workshop project, a graphic design project and a product design project.

ID TAG / Pull strip
This project tasks the students to be introduced to the school workshops, identifying key tools and equipment and how to follow safety procedures within a workshop. As students are engaging with their environment they are taught about different types of plastic, the origins and the creation of plastic. By the end of the project students will have created a range of twisted acrylic key rings that they can proudly attach to their pencil cases or bags to truly show off their workmanship.

Road Sign Project
Students are not only taught about graphic design within this project but the morality and ethical issues within design. Each student engages in active lessons that involve difficult design tasks and complex problem solving. The project is themed about the work of Jock Kennier and Margaret Calvert who have all impacted on our lives through the outcome of a design challenge of re-designing the British road signs. Students are tasked to design and make a small bedroom door sign in the theme of the Highway Code.

Angry Bird Project
This is the more complex of the three projects that challenges the students to draw upon their numeracy and literacy skills to make a small angry bird toy that jitters across the table top. Students are taught about simple electronics, mechanisms and how numeracy works side by side with Design and Technology.

Textiles
In year 7 textiles, students design and make fabric juggling bags which are decorated with op art inspired patterns (optical illusion art). Students are encouraged to develop their drawing skills by producing their own optical illusions using a variety of media before being introduced to a range of decorative techniques such as foam block printing, bubble wrap printing and using fabric paint with masking tape resists. In year 7, students will be given the opportunity to pass their 'sewing machine driving test' which will ensure they know how to use equipment safely and helps to develop accurate control of a sewing machine. The combination of 2D work and samples will aid students in creating a range of personalised designs for their juggling bag/bags, which they will produce by the end of the project as a prototype of their design.

Food Technology
‘Finding Out About Food’
This scheme of work has been developed to enable pupils to learn where food comes from, how to cook a range of dishes safely and hygienically and to apply their knowledge of healthy eating.

Pupils will have the opportunity to work through the following contexts:
Domestic and local (home and health);
Industrial (food and agriculture).

Aims
Pupils will develop their knowledge and understanding of ingredients and healthy eating;
Pupils will develop food preparation and cooking techniques;
Pupils will develop their knowledge of consumer food and drink choice;
Pupils will be able to apply their knowledge to make informed choices;
Pupils will develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently;
Pupils will build an apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high quality products for a wide range of users;
Pupils will evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others.

Learning outcomes overview
Through this scheme of work, pupils will:
Recall and apply the principles of The Eatwell plate and the 8 tips for healthy eating, to their own diet;
Demonstrate a range of food preparation and cooking techniques;
Adapt and follow recipes using appropriate ingredients and equipment to prepare and cook a range of dishes;
Recall and apply the principles of food safety and hygiene;
Identify how and why people make different food and drink choices;
Demonstrate the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an iterative process of designing and making;
Be given regular opportunities to demonstrate and apply their knowledge and understanding of food science;
Be given regular opportunities to consolidate their literacy and numeracy skills by using them purposefully in order to learn.
Track their progress using the Y7 homework booklet (cooking, nutrition, ingredients and creativity).