COURSE CONTENT
The course is based on designing and making products in the area of Food Technology. Throughout the course you gain the understanding and skills necessary to design and make good quality products for differing markets. You learn how to think up ideas for solutions to problems, communicate your ideas to other people, and choose and develop ideas through research, planning, evaluating and making. The emphasis at this level is to develop motivated learners and to build on skills acquired at GCSE or Intermediate GNVQ level. This is a course that provides you with:

• An excellent progression from GCSE Design and Technology: Food Technology. 
• The opportunity to develop your own creativity, capability and entrepreneurial skills in promoting innovation and self motivation.
• The opportunity to apply knowledge and understanding to a range of technological activities.
• The opportunity to develop a critical understanding of the influences of the processes and products of design and technological activity from a historical perspective to present day. 
• The opportunity to develop critical thinking and collaborative skills.
• The opportunity to follow a broad-based product design course specializing in Food Technology. 
• The opportunity to experience work related activities that link to the industrial and commercial world. 
• The opportunity to develop as discerning consumers able to make informed choices.
• An excellent vehicle for developing and demonstrating Key Skills. 

ASSESSMENT
The course is divided into four units of study:
 
Unit 1 Portfolio of Creative Skills
 This unit is a coursework based unit in which you are given the opportunity to develop your creative and practical skills through a series of investigative, designing and making activities. For this project you are expected to display skills you have learnt related to Designing and Making. This should include clarifying tasks, generating and developing ideas, solving problems, detailed designing, communicating ideas and information, planning evaluating, using ICT and working with materials and components. You will produce one portfolio with three distinct sections which will demonstrate your creativity and flair when making a product or products. This unit is worth 60% of the total AS marks and 30% of the total A2 level mark.

Unit 2 Design and Technology in Practice
This unit looks at:

• The classification of materials and components.
• The working properties of materials and components related to preparing, processing, manipulating and combining foods.
• Industrial and commercial practice.

Quality At the end of this unit, you will sit a written examination of 1½ hours. The examination is worth 40% of the total AS mark and 20% of the total A2 level. Units 1 and 2 must be passed to be accredited with an AS award. The next two units are covered in the second year. You will only study units 3 and 4 if you successfully pass Year 12.

Unit 3 Food products, Nutrition and Product Development
In this unit, students will develop a knowledge and understanding of a range of food commodities, aspects of nutrition, product development and food innovation. A sound knowledge of nutrition and its influence on the diet is important for food technologists. Similarly consumer behavior, demographics, modern lifestyles and sustainable issues have an influence on new product development and a sound understanding of these will also be developed. Students will also need to be aware of new technologies and materials on the development of products. This unit leads to an external examination of two hours. The examination is worth 20 % towards the total A2 level mark.

Unit 4 Commercial Product Design
This unit is a ‘design and make' coursework project as in Unit 1, except that you will be expected to show a greater level of sophistication, quality and depth of knowledge and understanding. Students are expected to liaise with their client/user group to develop a commercial product. A client or user group is defined as any third party ideas identified by a student that is referred to and who gives feedback at various stages in the design process. A key feature of this unit is that students should consider issues related to sustainability and the impact on the environment. This unit is worth 30% of the total A2 level mark.

THE REQUIREMENTS
Ideally students should have studied Food at GCSE and have attained a minimum grade C.

THE FUTURE
Useful for a career in Food Technology, Food Management, Health Studies, Consumer Studies, Hospitality and Catering.
FURTHER INFORMATION
See Mr T Woodman, Subject Leader for Design and Technology or Mrs S Bromley, Head of Food, Child Development and Textiles, Deputy Subject Leader for Design and Technology