Food Technology
Children participate in Food Technology lessons in our designated food technology room from Form 1 all the way through to Form 11. Learning about food, how to prepare it, and its implications to a healthy diet is important for every child, and a skill that each student will carry with them throughout their life. The tactile nature of food allows us to draw on the pedagogy of play as a learning process when working with younger students. As they progress through the school, students are gradually introduced to nutrition theory and food science to ensure higher levels of achievement at GCSE level. There are strong cross curricular links to science as we consider the functional properties of food, religious studies and food choices and geography as we look at seasonality and sustainability. We bring history to life in Forms 7 and 8 as the students explore World War 2 cooking and ingredients and cooking techniques used by the ancient Greeks and Romans. On top of Food Technology lessons, we host the ‘St Edmunds Bake-off’ every Easter and Christmas!
Students learn how to achieve a balanced diet of protein, vitamins and minerals, calcium, carbohydrates and fats and the role each nutrient plays in the body. We explore the nutritional needs of others and consider cultural influences, learning how to accommodate different dietary requirements for both health and religious reasons. There is a focus on foods from around the world, and their ingredients. There is a practical element to every lesson with demonstrations, taste analysis lessons and hands on cooking, with the aim of building a healthy relationship with food and introducing students to a wide range of ingredients and cooking techniques.
Students complete an essential cooking skills certificate with Leith’s school of Cookery, guided by the Leith’s chefs through digital devices. They learn 12 recipes which are designed to serve the whole family with a focus on modern family meals using seasonal and sustainable ingredients. Each student receives a personalised certificate at the end of the course which works alongside the Duke of Edinburgh bronze, silver and gold scheme.
