In Year 7 Food and Nutrition, students will learn several key concepts about food safety, including:
1. Personal Hygiene: Understanding the importance of handwashing, wearing appropriate clothing, and maintaining cleanliness to prevent contamination.
2. Food Storage: Learning how to properly store different types of food to maintain freshness and prevent spoilage, including refrigeration and pantry organization.
3. Cross-Contamination: Recognizing how bacteria can transfer from raw to cooked foods and how to avoid this through proper handling and separation of ingredients.
4. Cooking Temperatures: Understanding the safe cooking temperatures for various foods to ensure they are cooked thoroughly and safe to eat.
5. Food Labels: Learning how to read food labels for expiration dates, storage instructions, and ingredient lists to make informed choices.
6. Safe Utensil Use: Understanding the proper use and cleaning of kitchen tools and equipment to avoid contamination.
By exploring these topics, students will develop essential skills to ensure food safety in their cooking practices.

In Year 7 Food and Nutrition, students will learn several key concepts about food safety, including:
1. Personal Hygiene: Understanding the importance of handwashing, wearing appropriate clothing, and maintaining cleanliness to prevent contamination.
2. Food Storage: Learning how to properly store different types of food to maintain freshness and prevent spoilage, including refrigeration and pantry organization.
3. Cross-Contamination: Recognizing how bacteria can transfer from raw to cooked foods and how to avoid this through proper handling and separation of ingredients.
4. Cooking Temperatures: Understanding the safe cooking temperatures for various foods to ensure they are cooked thoroughly and safe to eat.
5. Food Labels: Learning how to read food labels for expiration dates, storage instructions, and ingredient lists to make informed choices.
6. Safe Utensil Use: Understanding the proper use and cleaning of kitchen tools and equipment to avoid contamination.
By exploring these topics, students will develop essential skills to ensure food safety in their cooking practices.

In Year 7 Food and Nutrition, students will gain valuable knowledge about kitchen equipment, including:
1. Types of Equipment: Identifying various kitchen tools and appliances, such as knives, cutting boards, mixers, and measuring devices, and understanding their specific functions.
2. Safe Usage: Learning about safe handling techniques, including how to properly use sharp tools and electrical appliances to prevent accidents and injuries.
3. Maintenance and Care: Understanding how to clean and maintain kitchen equipment to ensure longevity and proper hygiene.
4. Measurement Techniques: Mastering the use of measuring cups, spoons, and scales to accurately measure ingredients for recipes.
5. Cooking Methods: Exploring different cooking appliances, such as ovens, stovetops, and microwaves, and learning how to use them effectively for various cooking methods.
6. Equipment Selection: Gaining insights into selecting the right equipment for specific tasks, enhancing both efficiency and safety in the kitchen.
By engaging with these topics, students will build confidence and skills that are essential for successful cooking and food preparation.

In Year 7 Food and Nutrition, students will explore several important concepts related to nutrition, including:
1. Food Groups: Understanding the different food groups (fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins, and dairy) and their roles in a balanced diet.
2. Nutrients: Learning about essential nutrients, including carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals, and how they contribute to health and energy.
3. Balanced Diet: Exploring the concept of a balanced diet and how to create meals that meet nutritional needs for growth and development.
4. Portion Control: Understanding serving sizes and how to manage portions to maintain a healthy diet.
5. Healthy Eating Habits: Discussing the importance of regular meals, healthy snacking, and hydration, as well as the impact of lifestyle choices on nutrition.
By exploring these topics, students will develop a comprehensive understanding of nutrition that will help them make healthier choices in their daily lives.

In Year 7 Food and Nutrition, students will learn several key concepts about seasonality and the food journey, including:
1. Understanding Seasonality: Recognizing which fruits and vegetables are in season at different times of the year and how this affects their taste, availability, and price.
2. Local vs. Global: Exploring the benefits of sourcing food locally versus importing, including environmental impacts and supporting local economies.
3. Farm to Table: Tracing the journey of food from farms to our kitchens, learning about the processes involved in growing, harvesting, processing, and transporting food.
4. Sustainable Practices: Understanding sustainable farming practices and how they contribute to environmental health and biodiversity.
5. Nutritional Value: Learning how seasonal produce tends to be fresher and more nutritious, enhancing the quality of meals.
6. Cooking with Seasons: Gaining practical experience by cooking with seasonal ingredients, enhancing culinary skills while promoting healthy eating.
By engaging with these topics, students will develop a deeper appreciation for food, its origins, and the importance of making informed choices that benefit both their health and the environment.

By the end of the unit, Year 8 students should be able to:
• Identify the role of carbohydrates in a balanced diet and explain their importance in energy production.
• Differentiate between types of carbohydrates, including simple sugars, starches, and fibre.
• Understand the impact of carbohydrate intake on health, including how different types of carbohydrates affect energy levels, blood sugar, and overall well-being.
• Explore food choices to understand where we get carbohydrates from.
• Wheat processing understand how we turn wheat into flour and then into baked goods.

By the end of the unit, Year 8 students should be able to:
Understand What Street Food Is:
• Define street food and its place in global food culture.
• Discuss how street food is typically sold (e.g., from stalls, carts, trucks, or markets) and its accessibility.
Explore the Origins and Diversity of Street Food:
• Investigate street food around the world, with a focus on popular regions such as Asia, Latin America, Africa, and Europe.
• Learn about the history and evolution of street food in different countries.
Cultural Significance of Street Food:
• Understand the role of street food in different cultures, how it provides affordable meals, and how it reflects local traditions, flavors, and ingredients.
• Explore how street food has adapted to modern food trends, such as fusion cuisine.
Practical Cooking Skills:
• Learn to prepare simple street food recipes from various regions (e.g., tacos, bao buns, samosas, crepes, or satay skewers).
• Develop food handling, cooking, and presentation skills specific to street food.
Food Safety and Hygiene:
• Discuss the importance of hygiene and food safety, especially when preparing food in outdoor or mobile settings.
• Learn basic food safety principles, including how to avoid cross-contamination, correct storage, and safe cooking practices.
Nutritional Considerations:
• Examine the nutritional content of popular street food dishes and discuss ways to make them healthier by using fresh, local ingredients and reducing fat, salt, and sugar content.

By the end of the unit, Year 8 students should be able to:
Understand the Factors That Influence Food Choices:
• Personal preferences, taste, culture, lifestyle, and availability.
• Emotional, social, and environmental influences on food choices (e.g., peer pressure, advertising, convenience).
Identify Different Types of Ready Meals:
• Understand what ready meals are (pre-packaged, frozen, chilled, and takeaway options).
• Examine the range of ready meals available (from microwaveable meals to restaurant takeaways).
Evaluate the Nutritional Impact of Ready Meals:
• Analyze the pros and cons of ready meals (e.g., convenience vs. nutritional content).
• Identify key nutrients in ready meals and discuss whether they provide a balanced diet.
• Look at the impact of added preservatives, salt, sugar, and fats in ready meals.
Make Healthier Food Choices:
• Learn how to read food labels and understand nutritional information.
• Explore alternatives to ready meals, such as homemade meals, meal prep, and healthier quick recipes.
Examine the Environmental and Economic Impact of Ready Meals:
• Consider the environmental footprint of ready meals (packaging waste, transportation).
• Discuss the cost-effectiveness of ready meals compared to homemade meals.

Explore Global Food Cultures:
• Study the food traditions of specific regions or countries, such as Italy, India, Japan, Mexico, China, and Morocco.
• Learn about the historical, geographical, and social influences on food choices and cooking methods in these regions.
Identify Key Ingredients and Dishes:
• Recognise staple ingredients in global cuisines (e.g., rice in Asia, corn in Mexico, pasta in Italy).
• Identify famous dishes from different countries and regions, understanding their significance to the local culture.
Investigate Cooking Techniques:
• Learn about traditional cooking methods used in different cuisines (e.g., stir-frying in China, slow-cooking in Morocco, grilling in Mexico).
• Explore how ingredients are prepared, cooked, and served in different culinary traditions.
Develop Practical Skills:
• Prepare dishes from a selection of countries, practicing techniques such as chopping, sautéing, steaming, and baking.
• Learn to adapt recipes to create healthier or more sustainable versions while maintaining authenticity.
Examine the Globalisation of Food:
• Understand how food from different cultures has spread around the world and been adapted in other regions (e.g., sushi in the U.S., pizza in Japan).
• Discuss the impact of food globalization on local food cultures, health, and sustainability.

Understand the Nutritional Issues with Takeaways:
• Examine the high levels of salt, sugar, fat, and calories commonly found in takeaway meals.
• Identify specific health risks associated with frequent takeaway consumption (e.g., obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure).
Create Healthier Alternatives (Fakeaways):
• Learn how to recreate takeaway favorites at home using healthier ingredients and cooking methods (e.g., baking instead of frying, using lean meats, adding more vegetables).
• Understand how modifying portion sizes and using fresh, natural ingredients can make a big difference to the nutritional content of a meal.
Evaluate the Environmental Impact of Takeaways:
• Discuss the environmental concerns with takeaway packaging and food waste.
• Explore how cooking at home with fresh ingredients can reduce waste and be more environmentally friendly.
Modify Takeaway Recipes for Health and Sustainability:
• Learn to modify traditional takeaway recipes by reducing unhealthy ingredients (e.g., cutting down on salt or sugar) and adding more nutritious alternatives.
• Consider using local, seasonal ingredients to improve sustainability.
Explore the Economic Aspect of Takeaways vs. Fakeaways:
• Compare the cost of takeaways to cooking meals at home and evaluate the financial benefits of preparing fakeaways.

Understanding of different nutrients (macronutrients and micronutrients) and their role in maintaining health. The impact of nutrition on health, including diseases linked to poor diets.

In-depth knowledge of food science principles (e.g., Maillard reaction, gelatinization, emulsification) and how they apply to food preparation.

Understanding of food safety systems (e.g., HACCP). Knowledge of temperature control, cross-contamination, and food handling to prevent foodborne illness.

In-depth understanding of the diverse factors that influence food choice (e.g., cost, dietary requirements, ethical and environmental concerns). Exploration of food trends, sustainability, and cultural influences on eating habits.

Mastery of advanced cooking techniques (e.g., blanching, sautéing, making sauces). Development of skills for accurate and efficient preparation of complex dishes.

Understanding the journey of food from production to consumption. Knowledge of food labelling laws, the environmental impact of food production, and issues around food sustainability.
Exploration of innovative food production techniques, such as lab-grown meat, and the influence of social, environmental, and technological changes on food production.

Students apply food science principles to a real-world food investigation. They research, experiment, and analyze how different factors (e.g., cooking methods, ingredients) affect a dish.

Application of skills and knowledge to create a three-course meal. Students will need to demonstrate advanced practical skills, time management, and presentation, as well as consider nutrition and sustainability.

Development of skills for critical evaluation, reflection on practical work, and how to identify areas for improvement. Understanding how to assess the success of their outcomes against the initial brief.

In-depth review and revision of all units. Practice with exam-style questions, past papers, and time management. Revision of key terms and concepts. Focus on exam technique and confidence-building.