WELCOME TO SPEYSIDE HIGH SCHOOL’S HOME ECONOMICS DEPARTMENT
Mrs H Barnes Rm 21
Miss E Wood Rm 22
Subjects Taught
Home Economics (S1 to S2)
Practical Cookery (S3 to S6)
Health & Food Technology (S3 to S6)
Home Economics
Home Economics
S1: Introduction to the kitchen; weighing, measuring, hygiene, safety, equipment and food safety. Nutrition, Sewing, Foods of the World.
S2: Scottish Dietary Advice, Product Development – Pizza, Baxters Soup Challenge (IDL Project), REHIS Food Hygiene Exam
S3 Practical Cookery
(Previously known as Hospitality)
Practising a wide range of cookery skills, techniques and processes. Time planning, costing recipes, storing, categorising and characterising ingredients, sustainability. (Candidates also work towards a unit of NPA Bakery level 4).
National 4/5 Practical Cookery
The course, which is practical and experiential in nature, develops a range of cookery skills and food preparation techniques, as well as planning, organisational and time management skills, in hospitality-related contexts. Through emphasis on safety and hygiene, the course instils an understanding of the need to follow safe and hygienic practices in many cookery contexts. It also develops the thinking skills of remembering, understanding and applying, and aspects of numeracy.Candidates will enhance their cookery skills, food preparation techniques and ability to follow cookery processes in the context of producing dishes.
Candidates’ knowledge and understanding of ingredients, and their characteristics, will be developed. The importance of sustainability, responsible sourcing of ingredients and current dietary advice are also addressed.
Candidates develop planning, organisational and time management skills by following recipes; and by planning, producing and costing dishes and meals. They also extend their ability to carry out an evaluation of prepared dishes.
Made up of three (unassessed) units:
1. Cookery skills, techniques and processes
2. Organisational skills for cooking
3. Understanding and using ingredients
As well as three units, candidates also undertake a written assessment whereby they have to complete a time plan, equipment list and service details for a three course SQA set exam. They then complete a 2 and a half hour practical exam under exam conditions as well as a 30 mark written exam paper within the schools exam diet.
National 4/5 and Higher Health & Food Technology
The course allows candidates to develop and apply the knowledge and skills of research, analysis and evaluation in order to make informed food and dietary choices. Candidates develop their understanding of the properties of food in relation to food production, processing and the development of food products.
The course uses an experiential, practical and problem-solving learning approach and promotes independence in learning. It uses real-life situations, and where appropriate, takes account of local, cultural, and media influences and technological innovations.
The course has five broad and inter-related aims that enable candidates to:
– analyse the relationships between health, nutrition and food
– develop and apply skills, knowledge and understanding related to the functional properties of food
– investigate contemporary issues affecting food and consumer choice
– use research, management and technological skills to plan, make and evaluate food products for a range of dietary and lifestyle needs
– prepare food using safe and hygienic practices to meet specific needs
Three Units:
1. Food for Health: Nutrition, individual dietary needs, current dietary advice, diet-related diseases, balanced diet
2. Product Development: Product development process, functions of ingredients, bacterial growth
3. Contemporary Food Issues: factors influencing food choice, technological developments in food production, consumer protection.
As well as three units, candidates undertake a project from a given SQA brief (50% of total marks) as well as a 60 mark written exam at the end of the course).
Senior Phase Wider Achievement: Survival Cookery
Completion of the cookery skills, techniques and processes unit from National 5 practical cookery course to prepare senior phase pupils for life beyond school.
Students prepare a variety of recipes to practise a wide range of cookery skills, techniques and processes before a two dish assessment at the end of the course. Planning recipes and costing also elements in the course.
Useful Links:
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes (BBC Good Food Recipes)
https://www.nutrition.org.uk/ (British Nutrition Foundation)
http://www.sqa.org.uk/pastpapers/findpastpaper.htm (SQA past papers)
https://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/ (Food Standards Scotland)
