Guidance

GCSE subject-level conditions and requirements for food preparation and nutrition (2022)

Published 11 November 2021

This guidance was withdrawn on 9 July 2024

These documents are no longer in use, as they applied only to assessments delivered in 2022.

Applies to England

Introduction

About this document

This document is part of a suite of documents which sets out the regulatory requirements for awarding organisations offering GCSE qualifications (graded from 9 to 1) in 2022.

We have developed these requirements with the intention that GCSE qualifications (graded from 9 to 1) should provide:

• evidence of students’ achievements against demanding and fulfilling content

• a strong foundation for further academic and vocational study and for employment

• a basis for schools and colleges to be held accountable for the performance of all of their students, if required

Requirements set out in this document

This document sets out the GCSE Subject Level Conditions for Food Preparation and Nutrition (2022). These conditions will come into effect at 09:30 on 12 November 2021 for all GCSE qualifications (graded from 9 to 1) in Food Preparation and Nutrition for Learners completing the qualification in 2022, except where the General Qualifications Alternative Awarding Framework applies.

It also sets out our requirements in relation to:

• interpretation of the content document - an awarding organisation must comply with these requirements under Condition GCSE (Food Preparation and Nutrition) 1.1(c)

• assessment objectives - awarding organisations must comply with these requirements under Condition GCSE (Food Preparation and Nutrition)1.2

• assessment - awarding organisations must comply with these requirements under Condition GCSE (Food Preparation and Nutrition) 2.3

Appendix 1 reproduces the requirements in relation to subject content for GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition, as published by the Department for Education. Awarding organisations must comply with these requirements under Condition GCSE (Food Preparation and Nutrition)1.1.

With respect to all GCSE Qualifications (graded from 9 to 1) in Food Preparation and Nutrition in 2022, awarding organisations must also comply with:

• our General Conditions of Recognition, which apply to all awarding organisations and qualifications

• our GCSE Qualification Level Conditions

• all relevant Regulatory Documents

With respect to GCSE qualifications in Food Preparation and Nutrition taken by Learners completing the qualification in 2023 and after, an awarding organisation must continue to comply with the GCSE Subject Level Conditions and Requirements for Food Preparation and Nutrition

Subject Level Conditions

GCSE Subject Level Conditions for Food Preparation and Nutrition

Condition GCSE (Food Preparation and Nutrition) 1: Compliance with content requirements

GCSE (Food Preparation and Nutrition)1.1

In respect of each GCSE Qualification in Food Preparation and Nutrition which it makes available, or proposes to make available, an awarding organisation must -

1. (a) comply with the requirements relating to that qualification set out in the document published by the Secretary of State entitled ‘Food preparation and nutrition GCSE subject content’, document reference DFE-00040-2015,

2. (b) have regard to any recommendations or guidelines relating to that qualification set out in that document, and

3. (c) interpret that document in accordance with any requirements, and having regard to any guidance, which may be published by Ofqual and revised from time to time.

GCSE (Food Preparation and Nutrition)1.2

In respect of each GCSE Qualification in Food Preparation and Nutrition which it makes available, or proposes to make available, an awarding organisation must comply with any requirements, and have regard to any guidance, relating to the objectives to be met by any assessment for that qualification which may be published by Ofqual and revised from time to time.

Condition GCSE (Food Preparation and Nutrition) 2: Assessment

GCSE (Food Preparation and Nutrition) 2.1

Condition GCSE4.1 does not apply to any GCSE Qualification in Food Preparation and Nutrition which an awarding organisation makes available or proposes to make available.

GCSE (Food Preparation and Nutrition) 2.2

In respect of the total marks available for a GCSE Qualification in Food Preparation and Nutrition which it makes available, an awarding organisation must ensure that -

1. (a) 50 per cent of those marks are made available through Assessments by Examination, and

2. (b) 50 per cent of those marks are made available through assessments set by the awarding organisation that are not Assessments by Examination.

GCSE (Food Preparation and Nutrition) 2.3

An awarding organisation must ensure that in respect of each assessment for a GCSE Qualification in Food Preparation and Nutrition which it makes available which is not an Assessment by Examination it complies with any requirements, and has regard to any guidance, which may be published by Ofqual and revised from time to time.

Subject content requirements

Requirements in relation to subject content for GCSE Qualifications in Food Preparation and Nutrition

The subject content for GCSE Qualifications (graded 9 to 1) in Food Preparation and Nutrition is set out in the Department for Education’s Food Preparation and Nutrition GCSE subject content,1 document reference DFE- DFE-00040-2015 (the ‘Content Document’).

Condition GCSE (Food Preparation and Nutrition)1.1(c) requires awarding organisations to interpret the Content Document in line with any requirements, and having regard to any guidance, published by Ofqual.

We set out our requirements for the purposes of Condition GCSE (Food Preparation and Nutrition)1.1(c) below.

Skills and techniques

An awarding organisation must interpret the Content Document as if a Learner is not required to demonstrate all of the skills and techniques listed in the Content Document.

Assessment objectives

Assessment objectives - GCSE Qualifications in Food Preparation and Nutrition

Condition GCSE (Food Preparation and Nutrition) 1.2 allows us to specify requirements relating to the objectives to be met by any assessment for all GCSE Qualifications in Food Preparation and Nutrition.

The assessment objectives set out below constitute requirements for the purposes of Condition GCSE (Food Preparation and Nutrition)1.2. Awarding organisations must comply with these requirements in relation to all GCSE Qualifications in Food Preparation and Nutrition they make available or propose to make available.

Assessment objective	Description	Weighting
AO1	Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of nutrition, food, cooking and preparation.	20%
AO2	Apply knowledge and understanding of nutrition, food, cooking and preparation.	30%
AO3	Plan, prepare, cook and present dishes, combining appropriate techniques.	30%
AO4	Analyse and evaluate different aspects of nutrition, food, cooking and preparation, including food made by themselves and others.	20%

Assessment requirements

Requirements in relation to assessments for GCSE Qualifications in Food Preparation and Nutrition

Condition GCSE (Food Preparation and Nutrition) 2.3 allows us to specify requirements and guidance in relation to assessments which are not Assessments by Examination for GCSE Qualifications in Food Preparation and Nutrition.

We set out our requirements for the purposes of Condition GCSE (Food Preparation and Nutrition) 2.3 below.

Forms of non-examination assessment

The subject content for GCSE Qualifications (graded 9 to 1) in Food Preparation and Nutrition is set out in the document published by the Secretary of State entitled Food preparation and nutrition GCSE subject content,6 document reference DFE-00040- 2015 (the ‘Content Document’).

Condition GCSE (Food Preparation and Nutrition)2.2(b) states that an awarding organisation must ensure that of the total marks available for a GCSE Qualification in Food Preparation and Nutrition, 50 per cent of those marks shall be made available through assessments set by the awarding organisation which are not Assessments by Examination.

An awarding organisation must ensure that that 50% of marks is made available through tasks which assess a Learner’s knowledge, skills and understanding in relation to the planning, preparation, cooking and presentation of food as specified in paragraph 7 of the Content Document (the ‘Food Preparation Assessment’).

The Food Preparation Assessment

An awarding organisation must ensure that each Food Preparation Assessment comprises a single task, designed and set to -

1. (a) require each Learner to -

   1. (i) prepare, cook and present a menu of two dishes within a single period of no more than 3 hours,

   2. (ii) plan in advance how this will be achieved, and

   3. (iii) produce evidence which -

      1. (A) includes photographs and/or visual recordings which demonstrate the Learner’s application of technical skills and the final outcome(s), and

      2. (B) explains how the Learner has designed, executed and evaluated the preparation, cooking and presentation of the two dishes,

2. (b) be taken by each Learner in the academic year in which that Learner expects to be awarded the qualification, and

3. (c) be taken under conditions specified by the awarding organisation, including, in particular, conditions which ensure that the evidence generated by each Learner can be Authenticated.

An awarding organisation must ensure that the total marks available for a Food Preparation Assessment are comprised as follows -

1. (a) 30 per cent through marks available in respect of assessment objective AO3 (the Food Preparation Assessment will therefore assess assessment objective AO3 in its entirety), and

2. (b) 5 per cent through marks available in respect of assessment objective AO4.

Marking of assessments

Evidence generated by a Learner in an assessment for a GCSE Qualification in Food Preparation and Nutrition which is not an Assessment by Examination may be marked -

1. (a) by the awarding organisation or a person connected to the awarding organisation,

2. (b) by a Centre, or

3. (c) through a combination of (a) and (b).

In any event, the awarding organisation must demonstrate to Ofqual’s satisfaction in its assessment strategy that -

1. (a) it has taken all reasonable steps to identify the risk of any Adverse Effect which may result from its approach to marking the assessments (and to Moderation where appropriate), and

2. (b) where such a risk is identified, it has taken all reasonable steps to prevent that Adverse Effect or, where it cannot be prevented, to mitigate that Adverse Effect.

Appendix 1 – Subject content (published by Department for Education)

Please refer to the document ‘GCSE subject content for food preparation and nutrition’ published on the Department for Education website.