Home Economics GCSE

At Key Stage 4, Home Economics involves students in the study of nutrition, food choice, diet and health within the context of home and family. It encourages knowledge and understanding of current nutritional advice, the nutritional needs of family members throughout the life cycle and of diet-related conditions such as cancers and coronary heart disease. The course seeks to encourage students to think critically, make informed choices, develop practical food skills and manage resources so they are enabled to lead effective lives as individuals and family members as well as members of the wider community.

COURSE CONTENT

The subject content is organised into three teaching and learning sections, namely, FAMILY LIFE, DIET AND HEALTH, and CHOICE AND MANAGEMENT OF RESOURCES. Pupils will study all three sections of subject content.

FAMILY LIFE
Pupils are provided with opportunities to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of diet and health through the context of the family. Content includes:
the concept of the family;
the contribution of the family to personal and social development;
the importance of strengthening and developing family relationships.

DIET AND HEALTH
This GCSE course is essentially a study of food and nutrition. The majority of teaching time is devoted to this section of the syllabus.

Content includes:

the classification, sources and functions of the main nutrient groups;
nutritional needs of individuals;
energy from foods;
current nutritional advice;
planning healthy diets;
special diets;
the effect of storage, preparation and cooking on nutrients;
convenience foods;
food safety.

CHOICE AND MANAGEMENT OF RESOURCES
Pupils are encouraged to recognise how choices can be influenced by personal, social, economic and environmental factors. Content includes:
shopping and marketing;
factors influencing consumer choice;
consumer information.
consumer protection and legislation

ASSESSMENT

TERMINAL EXAMINATION (50%): One exam paper (2 hrs).

INTERNALLY ASSESSED ASSIGNMENT (50%): One piece of coursework which has two aspects:
Part A: research based activities.
Part B: practical food preparation activities.

Six to eight weeks of class time are allocated to the coursework assignment.