Food Teachers Centre
Sept 2020 News
Back to School
Welcome back
Many of you will be concerned about the new few weeks back to school, so we hope that this newsletter will guide you to support and advice that you can get.  This is an incredibly challenging time in education, as policies, teaching and examinations continue to be discussed and may change as needed in the coming weeks.  We will try to stay as flexible as we can, as teachers we can only do our best.
We have published a great deal of advice and help over the past months, if you missed this you can find it here:
  • How to prepare for Exam series 2021
  • Health and Safety in food lessons – new requirements and guidance by CLEAPSS
  • Classroom based teaching – suggested lessons and resources
 

 

 
 
 
Teaching in Different Circumstances
Each head teacher has made difficult decisions to protect staff and students, and many are being cautious, as we would expect. In our recent group poll, we can see that some teachers are not working in their food rooms for the first few weeks of term, so will not be conducting any practical lessons.
 
CLASSROOM BASED lessons for Year 7,8,9, for GCSE/ Y10 and Hospitality and Catering, for Y11 GCSE and for Y11 H&C 
 

CLEAPSS have also published a guide on what should be considered prior to embarking on practical work in a general teaching room, rather than a food room.
You will also find new UNITS on ‘Teaching in Different Situations’ in our 360° training room and Top Marks H&C training room.
 
We have also create a dedicated folder in the Resource Bank for Home Study (Lockdown work) which may be useful.
 
GCSE Results 2020
You can get information about the results  based on Centre Assessed Grades on the OFQUAL webpages
 
National averages: 78.6% candidates were marked at Grade 4 and above compared to 64.5% in 2019, so these grades cannot be used for year of year comparison in the usual way as they are unmoderated (14 pt difference).
 
Well Done for surviving the grading process, we hope that you were able to use this to help improve your teaching for this year as we suggested in our presented in the NEA TOGETHER On Line training (recording still available). Be aware that you and your SLT should not use these % to set a target for 2021, as it would be unrealistic.
 
Candidates can ask for a resit in November. This would be based on a written paper only, no NEA would be used.
 
How were your school results?
Each year we ask teachers to complete a short survey. Over years we are comparing results and look for trends, for example – Do the best results come from schools that pay attention to class size, give adequate teaching time, and allow staff to attend training?  We intend to use the results to help EVERYONE gain better provision for teaching.
 
PLEASE COMPLETE THE SURVEY
 
Planning for 2020-21 Exams: GCSE and vocational courses 
As we reported in previous newsletters:
 
  1. Please look out for advice through your school exams officer and exam board, and NEA adviser if your board provides one. Particularly note any changes to the timing of hand in of NEA2 and the exam papers as these will influence your planning.
  2. There will be no GCSE NEA 1 this year, but the food science will be examined as usual in the written paper
  3. There are no changes to the written paper.
  4. NEA2 will be released earlier than 1st November. The NEA will count for 50% of the marks. There is not a requirement to cook 3 dishes, and candidates may do 2 dishes to take account of any difficulties schools may have during cooking restrictions.
  5. Vocational Courses – these are so diverse that it is best to email your exam board contact and read their newsletters and websites for updates
 
To help you through this difficult time we are offering a wide range of on-line training:
  • NEW NEA2 TOGETHER – virtual meet-ups from mid September £20 – more info
  • GCSE BOOST – aimed at grades 1-4, with Extra sessions £120 – more info
  • NEW Teaching for Higher NEA2 Grades  £120– more info
  • NEW Top Marks Hospitality and Catering £120 – more info
  • Food Science £90 – more info
  • FREE Fish Hero On- Line training more info

  • ALSO NEWBTEC Home Cooking Skills  £120 – more info
 
Press PAUSE before NEA2
We recommend most strongly that you DO NOT embark on NEA2 before your students are ready.
 
The exam boards have not released the tasks early with the intention of you starting early, but simply to allow you to have enough time to prepare. Remember that this task is now worth 50%, so be sure to prepare your students properly, BEFORE you start.  Hand-in dates are yet to be confirmed, but you will have at least until MAY 2021 to compete the task.
 
With recent time out of school, you owe it to your students to gain the best marks possible. Once you have issued the task, your role changes to examiner and assessor, you will not be able to guide the students once you have released the task. Be confident that they can work independently. Most students will not be ready to work independently to achieve their best in the next few weeks or even few months.
  • take time at the start of term to rebalance and refocus them
  • take time to understand where they are in the learning for the course and the gaps in skills they need for NEA2
  • take time to re-skill them and practice key NEA2 dishes as they have not cooked for some time, build their confidence
  • take time to examine previous tasks set, expectations and sections of the NEA2 so that students are clear about what they are required to do
  • If you can, have a mock NEA2. At least get the students to practice choosing and justifying dishes, and working to a time plan, cooking and evaluating, even if you have to split this over 2 x 1hr lessons, if a block of time is not possible.
 
Our training will help you and give you a great deal of support to get the best marks possible.
  • NEA2 TOGETHER – virtual meet-ups from mid September £20 – more info
  • GCSE BOOST – aimed at grades 1-4, with Extra sessions £120 – more info
  • Teaching for Higher NEA2 Grades  £120– more info
  • Top Marks Hospitality and Catering £120 – more info
 
Back to School Safely
You will understand that every school is different and has had to organise their classes in the safest way for the size and layout of the school. In our previous newsletters we have provided resources for those that will be based in classrooms this term.
 
We continue to monitor all the guidance given and work closely with CLEAPSS to provide the latest advice.  Please note that we have not allowed unqualified H&S suggestions in the Facebook group.  We welcome people describing what they are doing and how they are following CLEAPSS and government guidance. We remove comments that tell or advise others what to do and any comments that describe unsafe actions or interpretations of the guidance. Whilst this may be frustrating at time, we are committed to safety for everyone.
 
Your one port of call will be the CLEAPSS website and helpline.
 
We cannot emphasise enough how important it is for you to maintain your staff’s food safety accreditation. We offer training for all staff including Technicians, support staff and non-specialist teachers.   Our training is on-line and can be done at your own pace with 1 year access.
 
Are you teaching KS3 for the first time?
We have two new training programmes aimed at those teaching for the first time or reviewing their KS3 curriculum. We have even taken into account having to cope with different circumstances.
 
360 FOOD Training Room addresses best practice in Key Stage 3, 11 – 14 years food education including:
  • how to plan what to teach and why
  • what content to include
  • which resources effectively support the curriculum
  • exemplar teaching schemes and resources
  • safety and food room organisation
  • the effective use of success criteria in assessment
  • teaching in different situations (Cov19)
  • ongoing support via training room group
A one-stop shop for leading teachers of food, teachers in charge of KS3, part-time food teachers, and those new to teaching food.   more info
 
Cookalong is a series of live on-line skills development sessions.
The sessions are aimed at giving specific guidance and support so that you can deliver high quality KS3 practical lessons – even if you are a nervous non specialist.  More info coming soon 
 
Other places you can get help
Other places you can get help

Our mentoring programme   FREE more info
 
Download our full on line training and course brochure here
 
Resource Bank FREE but donations welcome more info
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Stay Safe
from
Food Teachers Centre team
 
Volunteer Associates  and Ambassadors throughout the UK with a passion for 'Better Food Teaching'.
 
 
 
The Food Teachers Centre is a place of:
 
  • creative and innovative ideas and action
  • practical solutions
  • learning and sharing

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