GCSE Hospitality and Catering
The GCSE Hospitality and Catering course is designed to equip students with practical and transferable skills in food preparation, design, and the hospitality industry. Students develop crucial abilities such as time management, problem-solving, and creativity, skills essential for both the food industry and for everyday life. The course structure combines a written exam with a non-examined assessment (NEA), requiring students to develop skills in planning, organizing, and executing various dishes. Personal responsibility and active participation in extracurricular clubs are key to success, as these allow students to apply their skills in real-world scenarios
The course is divided into two equally weighted components, each accounting for 50% of the overall grade.
Students will be studying the content necessary for the two main components:
Unit One (a single exam paper) and Unit Two (a single non-examined assessment, or NEA).
The NEA task involves a practical cooking exam where students are required to cook a variety of dishes that they have designed. Additionally, all students work on producing a portfolio of work to demonstrate their knowledge of Hospitality and Catering in action.
To support learning, Knowledge Organisers have been made available to all students, and revision guides can be purchased through the school (via Arbor pay).
The two course components, Unit One (exam) and Unit Two (NEA), are both equally weighted at 50% each. The NEA involves both the practical cooking exam and the creation of a portfolio. Success in the NEA requires students to take personal responsibility for their learning and to attend extracurricular clubs when asked to maximize their scores.
Formal exam assessment takes place in Year 11. Prior to the final exam, Year 11 students will undergo two main assessments—one in November and one in late February. Teachers may also set shorter topic tests. These assessment scores, along with current progress in the NEA coursework, are used to generate predicted grades. Useful resources for revision and information about the NEA include websites such as BBC Bitesize and WJEC.
The provided sources do not contain information regarding specific career pathways or progression opportunities following the completion of the Hospitality & Catering course.
Useful Websites
There are a number of useful DT websites:
For revision or information about the NEA BBC Bitesize: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zbtvxyc
Specification specific information and exam materials. WJEC: https://www.wjec.co.uk/qualifications/level-1-2-vocational-award-in-hospitality-and-catering/#tab_keydocuments
