Food and Nutrition
We are delighted to introduce GCSE Food and Nutrition following the opening of the brand-new QA Cookery Room, a completely refurbished space with all new equipment.
AQA GCSE 8585
This qualification is linear. Linear means that students will sit their exam and submit all their non-exam assessment at the end of the course.
Subject Content
Food preparation skills – these are intended to be integrated into the five sections:
1. Food, nutrition and health 
2. Food science
3. Food safety
4. Food choice
5. Food provenance
- Paper 1: Food preparation and nutrition
Written exam 1 hour 45 minutes 50% of GCSE Multiple choice questions (20 marks) Five questions each with a number of sub questions (80 marks)
Theoretical knowledge of food preparation and nutrition from Sections 1 to 5. - Non-exam assessment (NEA)Task 1: Food investigation (30 marks)
Students’ understanding of the working characteristics, functional and chemical properties of ingredients
Practical investigations are a compulsory element of this NEA task.
Task 2: Food preparation assessment (70 marks)
Students’ knowledge, skills and understanding in relation to the planning, preparation, cooking, presentation of food and application of nutrition related to the chosen task
Potential career paths for those that continue to study food and nutrition include:
- Animal nutritionist
- Community education officer
- Food technologist
- Health improvement practitioner
- International aid/development worker
- Nutritional therapist
- Nutritionist
- Catering manager
- Chef
- Dietitian
- Health service manager
- Personal trainer