WJEC GCSE Food and Nutrition enables learners to have the knowledge, understanding and skills to create healthy balanced meals. Learners will need to apply the principles of food science, nutrition and healthy eating when deciding upon their food choices. Learners will be encouraged to cook a range of dishes, and the course will give learners the required knowledge and understanding to enable them to make informed choices about food and nutrition. With the knowledge acquired, learners will be able to feed themselves and others affordably and nutritiously now and later in life. Learners will need to bring in ingredients and learning materials when directed and will have the opportunity to cater for events.
The course is split into three-parts unit 1, unit 2 and unit 3. Practical skills and experimental work will form the backbone of learning.
Unit 1: Principles of Food and Nutrition: 40% of the qualification
This is a digital examination of 1 hour 30 minutes, this is set and externally marked by WJEC. This unit will be based on the following areas of content:
1.1 Food commodity groups
1.2 Nutrients for a balanced diet
1.3 Diet and health
1.4 Cooking food
1.5 Food spoilage
1.6 From field to fork
Unit 2: Food Investigation Non-examination assessment: 8 hours 20% of qualification
This unit is internally assessed non- examination unit and is set and externally moderated by WJEC. The purpose of this unit is to apply knowledge and understanding of the working characteristics, functions and chemical properties of ingredients in a recipe. The unit will involve practical experimental work and written work based on a specific food commodity e.g. bread, pastry. The unit will be based on the following areas of content:
2.1 The science of food
2.2 Planning food science experiments
2.3 Food science in action
Unit 3: Food and Nutrition in Action Non-examination assessment: 12 hours 40% of qualification.
This unit is internally assessed, non- examination unit and is set and moderated externally by WJEC. The purpose of this unit is to plan, prepare, cook and present food using appropriate skills and techniques. The unit will involve research to respond to a given brief plus planning, preparation, cooking (1 x 3-hour session) and presentation of three dishes plus accompaniments (where appropriate) to form a menu. The unit will be based on the following areas of content:
3.1 Factors affecting food choices
3.2 Food planning, preparation and cooking techniques
3.3 Cooking for an audience and purpose
Career Routes
There is a wealth of career opportunities within the food and nutrition industry, this qualification will build on subject content that learners would have previously been taught and will also provide a suitable foundation for further study of other food qualifications post 16. This qualification will introduce learners to a new way of thinking about food which could help to make informed decisions about a wide range of career pathways and provide learners with practical skills for lifelong learning.