Hospitality and Catering

Ethos and Aims

Food Technology is a crucial life skill which provides students with the opportunity to learn how to feed themselves affordably and well. Students learn how to apply principles of hygiene, safe storage, nutrition and healthy eating. The practical nature of lessons encourages students to develop a range of cooking skills and an understanding of cooking for others, taking needs into consideration, as well as giving them a clear idea of where food comes from. Confidence is developed through carefully considered recipes that support and develop understanding of theory. Students could choose to progress to Hospitality and Catering Level 1/2 Vocational view to pursuing a career in the Hospitality and Catering trade. 

Pupils will be taught to understand and apply the principles of nutrition and health. They will cook a repertoire of predominantly savoury dishes so that they are able to feed themselves and others a healthy and varied diet. They should become competent in a range of cooking techniques, for example, selecting and preparing ingredients; using utensils and electrical equipment; applying heat in different ways; using awareness of taste, texture and smell to decide how to season dishes and combine ingredients; adapting and using their own recipes. They will be taught to understand the source, seasonality and characteristics of a broad range of ingredients. 

The Vocational Award in Hospitality and Catering gives students the knowledge and practical skills needed to gain an insight into the vocational sector and the potential it can offer them for their careers or further study.  

Staffing

Mrs D Ransom – Hospitality and Catering Teacher

Mrs L Abel – Hospitality and Catering Technician

Intention

Hospitality and Catering will encourage students to have knowledge of issues related to nutrition and food safety and how they affect successful hospitality and catering operations. They will also develop their food preparation and cooking skills as well as important transferable skills of problem-solving, organisation and time management, planning and communication essential in the work place.   

Implementation 

KS3 

In Food Technology students are guided through set tasks based around learning and improving practical food skills with theory lessons as well as practical, with an emphasis on practical work.  Practical lessons will enable pupils to feel confident in recognising different pieces of equipment, understanding the basics to cooking and being able to identify the hazards around the kitchen. This will provide pupils with an increased sense of independence.  

(Limitations due to only a maximum of 9 double lessons in years 7 and 8) 

KS4 

In Hospitality and Catering students build on prior knowledge to demonstrate effective and safe cooking skills by planning, preparing and cooking a variety of food ingredients whilst using different cooking techniques and equipment. Manufacture and evaluate a range of high skilled dishes building on skills used in Food Technology. They will develop knowledge and understanding of the functional properties of food as well as a sound knowledge of the nutritional content of food. They will learn about relationship between diet, nutrition and health, including the physiological and psychological effects of poor diet and health. They should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of functional and nutritional properties, sensory qualities and food safety considerations when preparing, processing, storing, cooking and serving food.  They will understand and explore the Hospitality and Catering industry, the job roles and the different types of equipment use to support the industry. 

Impact

After completion of years 7 and 8 students will have covered basic aspects of Food Technology and practical cooking skills. They should Have knowledge of a healthy diet, be able to use and adapt recipes in simple design tasks. They should be able to work safely with regard to themselves and others in a practical food lesson. Practical skills should have progressed over the two years enabling students to start to make informed and further skilled recipe choices. 

Students’ workbooks should show evidence of progressing knowledge and by use of a skills audit, practical skills covered. 

Year 9 prior to final options students’ practical skills will improve and widen in preparation for undertaking the Vocational Level 1/2 in Hospitality and Catering. 

The Vocational qualification continues to allow students to improve and learn new practical skills and use them in recipes that fit into a relevant commercial setting.  

Students will have developed a robust knowledge of the various Threads within the Food Preparation industry. This will be evident in the course work folders, classroom books and also their meals they prepare.  

The student’s will have developed and built-up resilience though out the year, by regularly challenging themselves both in and out of the classroom, to further their enquiry about the subject content. This will also enable them to access future pathways in the Food Preparation industry. They will also have shown a passion for their subject and have demonstrated their success in the summative assessments throughout the year.