At Brookhaven, our Food Technology curriculum aims to give every student the knowledge, practical skills and confidence to make positive choices about food, health and wellbeing.
We believe that learning about food is an essential part of preparing young people for adulthood. Our curriculum goes beyond learning how to cook: it develops independence, creativity, resilience and an understanding of how the choices we make about food can influence our health and everyday lives.
Learning through doing
Food Technology is a highly practical and engaging subject in which students learn through meaningful, hands-on experiences. Students develop essential skills including food preparation, cooking techniques, food safety and hygiene, nutrition, meal planning and making informed choices. They learn to follow instructions, use equipment safely, manage their time and increasingly take responsibility for the food they prepare. As students progress, they are encouraged to become more adventurous and confident, experiencing a broad range of ingredients, recipes and foods from different cultures.
Our curriculum recognises that every student at Brookhaven has individual strengths, needs and aspirations. Learning is carefully adapted and sequenced so that students can experience success while being appropriately challenged. Food Technology provides valuable opportunities to develop communication, teamwork, problem solving, organisation and independence alongside subject-specific knowledge. These transferable skills support students across the wider curriculum and help prepare them for life beyond school.
Key Stage 3: building strong foundations
At Key Stage 3, students work towards the Brookhaven Steps Curriculum alongside an adapted National Curriculum. The focus is on establishing strong foundations and developing confidence in a practical environment. Students build their understanding of nutrition, food safety and hygiene while progressively developing their preparation and cooking skills. Learning is revisited and extended over time, enabling students to build on previous successes, become increasingly independent and recognise their own progress.
Key Stage 4: different routes, ambitious outcomes
At Key Stage 4, students move into one of Brookhaven's curriculum routes, allowing learning to reflect their individual needs, aspirations and plans for adulthood.
Whittle Brook Route
Students following the Whittle Brook Route work towards appropriate Entry Level to Level 2 qualifications through a curriculum combining academic learning with the development of practical independence skills. Within Food Technology, students continue to develop the skills required to prepare food safely and confidently, make healthy choices and manage everyday food-related tasks. Where appropriate, learning can also support progression towards further education, training and employment.
Castle Brook Route
Students following the Castle Brook Route have a greater focus on academic learning and can study a Food Technology GCSE, alongside learning that supports their individual EHCP outcomes. Food Technology provides opportunities for greater depth of knowledge and increasingly sophisticated practical skills, with students developing their understanding of areas such as nutrition, food science, food provenance and the processes involved in planning, preparing and evaluating food.
Preparing students for the future
Ultimately, our ambition is for every student to leave Brookhaven with greater confidence and independence around food than when they arrived. Whether using these skills at home, progressing to further education, accessing employment or exploring opportunities within food, hospitality and related industries, we want students to recognise that the knowledge and skills developed through Food Technology have genuine value beyond the classroom.
Want to know more?
Our Food Technology team are always happy to talk about the curriculum and how it supports your child.
