1. GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition: our accredited specification
Gemma O’Brien,
Qualifications Developer
April 2016
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2. Why choose AQA? High quality assessment materials
Clarity of our specification
Flexibility
High quality resources and support
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3. Assessment structure NEA (Non exam assessment)
Single examination paper
1 hour 45 minutes duration
Section A (20 marks) MCQ – structured to reflect the sections of the specification.
Section B (80 marks) – 5 questions varying in styles of approach and content.
NEA (Non exam assessment)
Two tasks
The Food Investigation (15%) Recommended time 10 hours
Task released: 1 September
The Food Preparation Assessment (35%)
Recommended time 20 hours (including 3 hour period)
Task released: 1 November
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4. Our specification layout
Content
What students need to know and understand.
Additional information
The content then is broken down into more specific information
Suggested application and food preparation skills
Skills are highlighted and some possible recipes stated.
The design of the specification highlights the key areas of focus and how the technical skills have a direct correlation to the subject content.
Use protein as an example. Go through how to use the specification.
Page 13 of the specification
To know and understand:
• the functions / main sources / effects of deficiency and excess / related dietary reference values.
Additional information
• low and high biological value proteins / protein complementation / protein alternatives e.g. textured vegetable protein (TVP), soya, mycoprotein and tofu.
Suggested application and food preparation skills
Modify recipes for vegetarian diets/ Knife skills – meat, fish or their alternatives (S2) / How acids denature and coagulate protein (S9)/ Make sauces – making a reduction sauce to demonstrate how evaporation concentrates flavour and changes the viscosity of the sauce (S8).
This format is similar throughout the specification and it has been well received by teachers.
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5. Our specification New content Design Organised into sections
Flexible – can be taught in any order. We’ve produced SOW to help you with this
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6. Food Preparation Skills (Section 3.1)
Students must know how and when these food preparation skills can be applied and combined to achieve specific outcomes. The choice of recipes to exemplify the skills will be at the discretion of the school or college, although some recipe suggestions have been included as suitable examples.
- The key is that students must know how and when these skills can be applied. Our proposed approach is that we will not compel students to demonstrate all these skills, however we will require them to have an understanding of how and when to apply these techniques appropriately. Where possible the majority of skills should be practised throughout the duration of the course. It would for example be acceptable to have a workshop session on fish and or chicken and have a demonstration by a chef?  Hyperlink for portioning a chicken.
The specification reflects the subject content as put together by the DfE which has a focus on nutrition and healthy eating. As with KS3 and the Food Plan we should be encouraging healthy choices. At its core this is a practical qualification which will give students the opportunity to showcase their skills and be creative when creating different dishes (particularly in the Food Preparation NEA task). There will be opportunities for students to cook both savoury and sweet dishes to meet the requirements of the subject content.
Some of the schools we have consulted with have informed us that cost is an important consideration. As an examination board we have thought very carefully about this issue. You will see on the AQA website we have produced a list of possible recipes aligned to the Food Preparation Skills. In terms of equipment, we envisage if schools currently teach Food Technology, Home Economics or Catering the requirements for equipment will be very similar for the new GCSE.
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7. NEA Task 1: Food Investigation
Students will investigate and evaluate the working characteristics, functional and chemical properties of ingredients.
One task to be selected from three tasks set by AQA.
The tasks will be released on the 1 September in the academic year in which the qualification is to be awarded. 
Group work.
This task is focused on assessing students’ knowledge, learning and understanding in relation to the scientific principles underpinning the preparation and cooking of food.
Students will investigate and evaluate the working characteristics, functional and chemical properties of ingredients.
They will produce a written report documenting their investigation.
Practical investigation is a compulsory part of this task
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8. NEA Task 1: Food Investigation
Guidance section
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9. NEA Task 2: Food Preparation Assessment
In this task, students will prepare, cook and present a final menu of three dishes to meet the needs of a specific context. Students must select appropriate technical skills and processes and create 3 – 4 dishes to showcase their skills. They will then produce their final menu within a single period of no more than 3 hours, planning in advance how this will be achieved.
A menu is a selection of three dishes that are produced to meet the demands of the chosen task.
Students will produce a concise portfolio with photographic evidence. This is not to exceed 20 sides of A4 or A3 equivalent.
The tasks will be released on the 1 November in the academic year in which the qualification is to be awarded.
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10. NEA Task 2: Skills
Excellent performance is characterised by demonstrating a complex skill to an excellent standard. In
many instances, what constitutes a 'complex' skill will be determined in part by the ingredients used,
processes and techniques carried out, and the dish selected by the student. The complexity and
challenge of the dishes is linked to the skills involved in producing the dishes.
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11. Support and resources
We have a number of resources already available and more are being added all the time
Coming soon:
NEA exemplar material
GCSE schemes of work
Textbooks from Hodder and Illuminate
NEA advisers
Please our subject team: to commit to teach.
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12. Teaching resources
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13. Support and resources – Student guide
A resource for your students – great to use at options evenings!
Provides guidance for students:
Why choose this subject?
Where can this take me?
What will I study?
How will I be assessed?
What skills will I learn?
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14. Video resources Free to use Available from the AQA website
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15. Key dates for the new GCSE
Last assessments of current AQA Food GCSEs:
Summer 2017
First teaching
Summer 2016
First exam for the new GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition:
Summer 2018
NEA Task 1 release date
1 September 2017
NEA Task 2 release date
1 November 2017
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16. Get in touch We’re here to support you! Visit aqa.org.uk/8585
Call
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17. Q & A session Please type your questions to receive a response
Any questions which can’t be answered during the session will receive an answer after the session
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