Home Economics

What the subject is about:

GCSE Home Economics: Food and Nutrition provides opportunities to develop knowledge, understanding and skills, necessary for providing healthy diets and apply these skills to real life contexts. This has implications on a personal level, but it is also provides good background knowledge, if a student is interested in pursuing work in a range of medical/health professions.

Students develop their knowledge and understanding of human needs in a multicultural society and get to examine issues that affect the quality of human life, including an appreciation of diversity. There will also be opportunities to evaluate decisions so that they develop as informed and discerning consumers.

This new specification will enable students to develop a wide range of practical food skills which develops confidence in the handling and preparation of food, whilst also promoting a sense of creativity and resourcefulness in the use of ingredients.

 

Course content and assessment schedule:

Content	Assessment	Weighting
Component 1: Food and nutrition Food provenance Food processing and production Food and nutrition for good health Energy and nutrients Macronutrients / Micronutrients Dietary fibre and water Nutritional and dietary needs Priority health issues Being an effective consumer when shopping for food Factors affecting food choice Food safety Resource management	2 hour external exam	50%
Component 2: Practical Food and Nutrition Food preparation, cooking and presentation skills	One controlled assessment task	50%

 

Possible careers:

Dietetics, Human Nutrition, Food Design & Nutrition, Food Product Development, Food Management & Marketing, food manufacturing, environmental health, Consumer Business Management, Sports Studies, Medical professions and many more.

Some facts:

• Food and drink is the bedrock of NI industry
• Food and (health issues) are never going out of fashion
• Food industry plans to create 15,000 jobs by 2020
• Home Economics (Food & Nutrition) is a science for life – you will always use the knowledge and skills acquired.

Dept success rate:

2016 – A* – C 100%
2015 – A* – B 100%
2014 – A* – C 100%

– Information coming soon –

Each year group has a careers talk at least once during the year. We also invite guest speakers in whenever possible, to discuss their career paths and showcase relevant skills. The pictures below showcase two cookery ‘Master classes with GCSE students. Other guest speakers include personnel from Santander, Mental Health Organisations, Environmental Health Department and Past Pupils.