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Food Technology

Answer

The national curriculum is a framework setting out the content of what the Department expects schools to cover in each subject. The curriculum does not set out how curriculum subjects should be taught nor how much time should be spent on each subject. The Department believes teachers should be able to use their own knowledge and expertise to determine how they teach their pupils, and to make choices about what they teach.

Cooking and nutrition education is a discrete strand of the design and technology programme of study within the national curriculum. It is compulsory in state-maintained schools for all Key Stages 1, 2 and 3 (for pupils aged 5 to 14) and can be used as an exemplar for free schools and academies. The curriculum aims to teach children how to cook and how to apply the principles of healthy eating and good nutrition. It recognises that cooking is an important life skill that will help children to feed themselves and others healthy and affordable food. By the end of Key Stage 3, pupils should be able to cook a repertoire of predominantly savoury dishes and be competent in a range of cooking techniques. In September 2016, the Government also introduced a new GCSE in food preparation and nutrition. The new GCSE enables pupils to acquire a proper understanding of the scientific principles behind food and nutrition and use a number of practical techniques to prepare and cook food.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

148865

Session

2019-21

Subjects

Food technology

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.parliament.uk