Newry High School

Teaching Staff

Mrs L McGrath - Head of Department
Mrs C Dunn
Miss C Willey

There are two teachers and one technician in the Department.
There are two Home Economics rooms and an IT suite which all have interactive white boards.

Aims


Room 18 used by Mrs Dunn	Home Economics Computer Suite	Room 19 used by Mrs McGrath

Home Economics is included within the area of Learning for Life and Work at Key Stage Three; where the inter-relationships between diet, health, family, home and resources are addressed in both practical and theoretical contexts. This involves pupils in the study of nutrition, food choice, diet and health within the context of home and family.

At both Key Stage 3 & 4, the course offered is designed to encourage pupils 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.

Curriculum

Key Stage 3

The KS3 Home economics programme of study contains three interrelated strands of experience.

1. Home and Family life

Exploring home and family life provides opportunities to understand the importance of the family as a caring unit.

Young people should have opportunities to:-;

Explore the roles and responsibilities of individuals within a variety of home and family structures
Develop awareness of parenting skills
Investigate some of the changing needs of family members at each stage of the lifecycle
Explore strategies to manage family scenarios

2. Healthy Eating

Exploring healthy eating provides opportunities to develop understanding required in the choice, planning, and storage, preparation, cooking, and serving of food.

Young people should have opportunities to:-

Develop practical skills in the safe, hygienic, healthy, and creative use of foods to plan, prepare, cook and serve a range of healthy meals
Develop the practical skills in the safe use of a range of utensils and appliances in the preparation, cooking, and serving of a variety of dishes
Investigate the impact of storage, preparation and cooking on food
Explore ways to achieve a healthy diet

3. Independent Living

Exploring independent living provide opportunities to understand the importance of becoming discerning consumers and effective managers of resources.

Young people should have opportunities to:-

Develop a range of skills to promote independence through planning, managing and using resources
Investigate a range of factors that influence consumer choices and decisions
Investigate consumer rights responsibilities and support available in a range of scenarios

By the end of Year 10 it is expected that all pupils will have a good knowledge of food and nutrition and how it relates to individuals.

Pupils then have the option to choose Home Economics as a subject option for GCSE.

GCSE

This course builds upon the work students have been involved with in KS3. Emphasis is placed on the diet and health.

Through studying this specification, students develop knowledge and understanding of:

practical home economics skills;
diet and health;
how to be a discerning consumer;
issues that affect the quality of human life;
human needs within a multicultural society; and
relevant technological and scientific developments.

This GCSE specification encourages students to adopt a critical and analytical approach to decision-making and problem-solving in relation to home economics. It also encourages them to develop as effective and independent learners.

Unit 1:

Diet & Health and Consumer Awareness
(External Assessment)
One Written Examination (1 hour 30 mins),
includes short-answer, structured extended writing questions.

What’s on the Plate?

What’s in Food?

What’s on the Label?

Ages and Stages

Dietary Disorders

Special Diets

The Facts Behind the Issues

Keeping Food Safe

Creativity and Food

Being an Effective Consumer

What Influences Shopping?

Money Matters

Wiser Buyer.

Unit 2:

Diet and Health (Controlled Assessment)
Plan, prepare and evaluate a three course meal with accompanying dishes.

Planning activity;

Practical activity; and

Evaluation activity.

Unit 3:

Consumer Awareness (Controlled Assessment)
Investigate and evaluate a current consumer issue.

Identification of issues;

Research-based activity;

Primary investigation; and

Conclusions and evaluation.

40%

25 hours
40%

20 hours
20%

Assessment

Controlled assessment: 60%
External assessment: 40% - One written examination

Careers

Career possibilities:

Consumerism
Leisure
Dietetics
Nutritionist
Environmental Health Officer
Public Health Nutritionist
Food Management and Supply
Quality Management
Food Technology
Trading Standards Officer
Hospitality Management
Teaching