Food

The Food curriculum at Excelsior Academy equips pupils with the knowledge, understanding and practical skills needed to make informed food choices and lead healthy lifestyles.

Using guidance from the Eatwell Guide and Food Standards Agency, pupils develop an understanding of nutrition, balanced diets and the impact that food choices can have on health and wellbeing. 

Our curriculum empowers pupils to prepare nutritious, affordable meals for themselves and others, both now and in later life. Alongside developing practical cookery skills, pupils gain a strong understanding of food hygiene, safety and responsible food preparation. Through a supportive and creative environment, pupils build confidence, resilience and independence while taking pride in their achievements. 

Pupils learn to follow and adapt recipes, select appropriate ingredients and make informed decisions based on dietary requirements, allergies, ethical choices and healthy eating principles. The curriculum also encourages pupils to become responsible consumers by exploring wider issues such as food waste, sustainability, food provenance and food security. 

Aims of our Key Stage 3 curriculum 

Key Stage 3 begins by introducing pupils to the fundamentals of food preparation, health and safety, and kitchen organisation. Pupils develop core practical skills, including knife skills, food preparation techniques and the safe use of kitchen equipment, laying the foundations for increasingly independent and complex cooking. 

Throughout Key Stage 3, pupils develop their understanding of nutrition, healthy eating and the relationship between diet and health. They explore the functions of key nutrients, evaluate food choices and consider how balanced diets contribute to overall wellbeing. Learning progresses from understanding healthy eating principles in Year 7 to applying this knowledge to recipe modification, takeaway alternatives and a range of British and international cuisines in Year 8. 

In Year 9, pupils build upon their previous learning through the study of food commodities and food provenance, introducing concepts that form part of the GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition course. They further develop their practical skills, investigate the scientific and nutritional properties of ingredients, and gain experience using more advanced equipment and techniques. By the end of Key Stage 3, pupils have developed a broad understanding of food, nutrition and cookery, providing a strong foundation for further study. 

Aims of Key Stage 4 curriculum  

At Key Stage 4, pupils follow the GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition course, building upon the knowledge and skills developed during Key Stage 3. The curriculum combines theoretical understanding with practical application, enabling pupils to deepen their knowledge of nutrition, diet and health, food provenance, food choice, menu planning, food science, and health and safety legislation. 

Throughout Year 10, pupils develop their subject knowledge and examination skills while refining a wide range of practical techniques. Learning is designed to prepare pupils for both the written examination and the non-examination assessment components of the course. 

In Year 11, pupils apply their knowledge, understanding and practical expertise through examination board-set assessment tasks. These assessments require pupils to draw upon the full breadth of learning from Key Stages 3 and 4, demonstrating their ability to investigate, plan, prepare and evaluate food products independently. The course prepares pupils for further study, employment and everyday life by developing valuable life skills, critical thinking and informed decision-making. 

Subject leader: Phyllis.Carlisle@excelsiornewcastle.org.uk  

Food-1.pdf