Cooking Curriculum Statement 2025
Intent
To give learners the knowledge, skills and confidence to enjoy cooking meals at home and to introduce them to the skills they need to support further education and a career in cooking. Pupils gain understanding of how to economise when planning meals to cook at home. Pupils are encouraged to transfer skills learnt to other recipes to continue cooking for themselves and their families and to inspire others by passing on their knowledge. In addition to supporting transition and post 16 options, the is passed on and encouraged that being able to cook is an essential life skill which empowers people to make changes that have benefits to health and wellbeing. Being able to cook is an essential life skill. Learning to cook used to be passed down through the generations, but this is no longer necessarily the case. It is apparent that many people do not have the skills to cook meals from scratch and lack food knowledge, creating a reliance on pre-prepared or ready-cooked food. Lack of time and money are also considerable issues. These have had a significant impact on the health of young people. Combining the ability to develop their cooking skills by exploring recipes for nutritious meals and then aiding knowledge of nutritious helps to support healthy eating habits and routines going forward in life.
Implementation
Pupils follow an accredited level 2 BTEC qualification. Pupils are taught to cook a range of different meals and each recipe is underpinned with knowledge about planning and sourcing food, hygiene and food safety. How to cook different elements of a meal to serve them at the same time are considered in the course. The importance of presenting food well and how this contributes to its enjoyment is reflected. Pupils are also shown ways to economise when shopping for ingredients and cooking meals at home are significant aspects of course. Sessions are organised with recipes which require pupils to develop their cooking skills by increasing the number of components in the meals; for example from a simple menu with a cold starter such as goat’s cheese salad followed by chilli con carne and crusty bread; up to a menu of roast chicken, roast vegetables and gravy and stewed fruit. Success is demonstrated by following recipes, which includes selecting ingredients, measuring ingredients and using correct cooking temperatures and timings.. Each practical session includes discussions about planning nutritious meals, food sourcing, shopping and cooking economically and food presentation. For example, a practical session about cooking meatballs and pasta with accompanying green salad includes discussion about how the meal is nutritionally balanced, buying lean, low fat mince, the economics of buying and cooking in bulk to freeze, different types of pasta (for example, fresh, whole-wheat), selecting salad leaves, and serving and presenting the meal. The culmination of the development of knowledge and skills is celebrated and recognised in an end of course meal. Pupils design a menu and invitation, set out a mock restaurant, invite significant others in and cook for them. Pupils use their skills by selecting recipes for a nutritious two course meal and follow the recipes to prepare, cook and present the meal. Pupils are exposed to a wide range of knowledge throughout the course and develop a number of practical cooking skills. This is underpinned with theoretical knowledge and the completion of written work in different areas of nutrition, hygiene, preparing and sourcing food
Impact
Pupils leave with the skills and confidence to enjoy cooking meals at home, to be able to apply these skills to new recipes in the future which enables them to continue cooking for themselves and their families in the future. Pupils develop a strong knowledge of nutrition, and these health benefits are linked to other areas in which pupils are educated to help embed healthy, lifelong habits. Pupils have a strong foundation in cooking by the end of the course and develop the basic skills that will support further training, education, or employment in cooking. Pupils leave with an accredited qualification in cooking that further supports post 16 transition.