Home Economics aims to develop knowledge, understanding and practical skills in relation to Diet and Health and Consumer Awareness.  Emphasis is placed on providing students with the opportunity to make informed decisions, evaluate choices and engage in activities that develop pupils as effective and independent learners.  Students complete practical food tasks approximately once a week in Year 11 and as preparation for the controlled assessment in Year 12.

Key Features

This course offers students the opportunity to build on skills and capabilities developed through Key Stage 3.

The specification is divided into three units:

Unit 1 – Subject content for Diet and Health, and Consumer Awareness

Unit 2 – Diet and Health (Controlled Assessment); one task to include planning activity, practical activity and evaluation activity:  40%

Unit 3 – Consumer Awareness (Controlled Assessment); one task to include a short research-based activity, primary investigation and evaluation:  20%. This is completed in Year 12.

Subject Content

Unit 1 of this course is divided into two components; students must study the content of both.  A summary of the content is outlined below:

Diet and Health Consumer Awareness
  • ‘Eat well Plate’
  • The Nutrients
  • What’s on the label
  • Ages and Stages
  • Dietary Disorders
  • Special Diets
  • Keeping food safe
  • Topical food issues
  • Creativity and food
  • Being an effective consumer
  • What influences shopping?
  • Money matters
  • Wise buyer

The full specification may be viewed at www.ccea.org.uk

Assessment

Assessment consists of:

  • one examination paper (1 hour 30 minutes) – the examination has two sections:
  • Section A: Diet and Health
  • Section B: Consumer Awareness.
  • and two internally assessed tasks:  60%.

 
GCSE Home Economics provides a suitable basis for further study at AS and Advanced GCE.