Food Science and Nutrition
We want our students to leave Townsend with a life-long love of food, and having developed a deep understanding of theoretical knowledge to help advance their practical skills.
Students will develop transferable and subject specific skills that will help them in their career development, such as; skills required for independent learning and development. The competence to ensure their own dietary health and wellbeing. The ability to solve problems. The skills of project based research, development and presentation. The capability to apply mathematical and ICT skills. The proficiency to work alongside other professionals, in a professional environment the ability to apply learning in vocational contexts.
Programmes of Study
Unit 1: Meeting Nutritional Needs of Specific Groups
The purpose of this unit is for learners to develop an understanding of the nutritional needs of specific target groups and plan and cook complex dishes to meet their nutritional needs.
Unit 2: Ensuring Food is Safe to Eat
Learners will develop an understanding of hazards and risks in relation to the storage, preparation and cooking of food in different environments and the control measures needed to minimise these risks. From this understanding, learners will be able to recommend the control measures that need to be in place, in different environments, to ensure that food is safe to eat.
Unit 3: Experimenting to Solve Food Production Problems
The aim of this unit is for learners to use their understanding of the properties of food in order to plan and carry out experiments. The results of the experiments would be used to propose options to solve food production problems.
Unit 4: Current Issues in Food Science & Nutrition
Through this unit, you will develop the skills needed to plan, carry out and present a research project on current issues linked to issues related to food science and nutrition. This could be from the perspective of a consumer, food manufacturer, caterer and/or policymaking perspective.
Assessment
Unit 1: Meeting Nutritional Needs of Specific Groups (Compulsory)
Internally assessed project (25%): The purpose of the internal assessment is for learners to develop an understanding of the nutritional needs of specific target groups then plan and cook complex dishes to meet their nutritional needs.
External exam (25%): 90 minute paper plus 15 minutes reading time
Three sections on each paper:
Section A: Short answer questions
Section B: Extended answer questions
Section C: Relates to a case study
Unit 2: Ensuring Food is Safe to Eat (Compulsory)
It is an eight-hour timed, controlled assessment which will involve the learner in bringing together and making connections between the knowledge, understanding and skills learned throughout the unit and applying these by responding to information provided in a scenario. The scenario will relate to a food safety situation. It will require learners to analyse the information and make judgements regarding the potential food safety risk.
Externally assessed.
Optional choice between Unit 3 or 4
Unit 3: Experimenting to Solve Food Production Problems
The aim of this unit is for learners to use their understanding of the properties of food in order to plan and carry out experiments. The results of the experiments would be used to propose options to solve food production problems.
This is an internally assessed project.
Unit 4: Current Issues in Food Science & Nutrition
Through this unit, you will develop the skills needed to plan, carry out and present a research project on current issues linked to issues related to food science and nutrition. This could be from the perspective of a consumer, food manufacturer, caterer and/or policymaking perspective.
This is an internally assessed project.
Home Learning
Students will have a variety of home learning activities including:
· Researching current issues in the news and feeding back to the class
· Exam questions
· Research related to an area of interest
· Complete quizzes to check understanding of a topic
Where can Food Science and Nutrition take you?
Higher education courses such as:
• BSc Food and Nutrition
• BSc Human Nutrition
• BSc (Hons) Public Health Nutrition
• BSc (Hons) Food Science and Technology
Exciting career opportunities in many industries, such as:
• Care providers and nutritionists in hospitals use the food science and nutrition knowledge, as do sports coaches and fitness instructors.
• Hotels and restaurants.
• Food manufacturers and government agencies also use this understanding to develop menus food products and policies that that support healthy eating initiatives.
How can parents support their child’s learning
- Parents can encourage the practising of practical skills at home.
- Parents can encourage their children to study and read around the subject area.
- Parents can regularly check Google classroom to check homework and any other notices.
- During completion of the controlled assessments parents can monitor their child’s progress and encourage them throughout its completion.
Useful links
www.thefatduck.co.uk/Heston-Blumenthal
For more information contact Mrs Moore, teacher of Food Science and Nutrition, Townsend Church of England School.
