GCSEGeniusFood and Nutrition

GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition

GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition: the specification

Five content sections. One written paper for half the grade, and two non-exam tasks for the other half.

Weeks before the written exam
Hours a week for this course
Section 1: Food, nutrition and health
Section 2: Food science
Section 3: Food safety
Section 4: Food choice
Section 5: Food provenance

26 weeks, 104 hours in all

Start with Section 1

Food, nutrition and health: 24 of your hours. It is 5 of the 20 questions on our timed checks, 25%.

Hours per section
SectionYour hoursShare of a timed check
Section 1: Food, nutrition and health2425%
Section 2: Food science2425%
Section 3: Food safety19.220%
Section 4: Food choice14.415%
Section 5: Food provenance14.415%

Week by week

  1. Week 1Section 1: Food, nutrition and health
  2. Week 2Section 1: Food, nutrition and health
  3. Week 3Section 1: Food, nutrition and health
  4. Week 4Section 1: Food, nutrition and health
  5. Week 5Section 1: Food, nutrition and health
  6. Week 6Section 1: Food, nutrition and health
  7. Week 7Section 2: Food science
  8. Week 8Section 2: Food science
  9. Week 9Section 2: Food science
  10. Week 10Section 2: Food science
  11. Week 11Section 2: Food science
  12. Week 12Section 2: Food science
  13. Week 13Section 3: Food safety
  14. Week 14Section 3: Food safety
  15. Week 15Section 3: Food safety
  16. Week 16Section 3: Food safety
  17. Week 17Section 3: Food safety, Section 4: Food choice
  18. Week 18Section 4: Food choice
  19. Week 19Section 4: Food choice
  20. Week 20Section 4: Food choice
  21. Week 21Section 4: Food choice, Section 5: Food provenance
  22. Week 22Section 5: Food provenance
  23. Week 23Section 5: Food provenance
  24. Week 24Section 5: Food provenance
  25. Week 25A timed check and two longer written questions, then review every lost mark
  26. Week 26A timed check and two longer written questions, then review every lost mark

Check your sections with the free test

Paper 1Written exam, 1 hour 45 minutes, 100 marks, 50%
Non-exam assessmentTask 1 (30 marks) and Task 2 (70 marks), 50%
TiersOne paper for everyone
Grades9 to 1

The five sections

  • Food, nutrition and health: nutrients, energy needs and diet.
  • Food science: why food is cooked, heat transfer, and what happens to ingredients as they cook.
  • Food safety: spoilage, microorganisms, and buying, storing, preparing and cooking food safely.

The practical skills run through all of it

Twelve groups of food preparation skills, from weighing and measuring to setting a mixture, are woven into the five sections. Students must know how and when to apply and combine them, and Task 2 assesses them in the kitchen.

Try 2 questions

Question 1
Which is a function of vitamin A?
Question 2
What is the main reason raw chicken must be cooked thoroughly before it is eaten?

Next step

Take the free testTake the course tour

Questions people ask

Is there a foundation and a higher tier?

No. Everyone sits the same paper and can reach any grade from 9 to 1.

How much of the grade is the written exam?

Half. The other half is the non-exam assessment: Task 1 and Task 2.