Catering

"To build safe, independent lives for autistic young people through support, understanding and enablement"

 Implementation:

The Catering Department aims to train and assess students in a realistic working environment in order for them to achieve nationally recognised qualifications and the life skills to cook healthy and nutritious meals.

The courses we offer are tailored to suit the individual needs of our pupils and demonstrate their progression and attainment. All aspects of Health and Safety, within catering, are covered within the course.

springfields academy hospitality learning journey final draft.pdf

The Catering Department ensures a kinaesthetic learning environment where pupils are taught how to safely prepare, cook and serve foods using various pieces of equipment and utensils in order to successfully complete the NVQ and Entry Level units.

Adapted recipes, using colourful diagrams, are used to aid learning as well as a large array of kitchen equipment and utensils for pupils to identify and use.

By training students to the correct standards required for the catering industry, we are giving them the opportunity and skills to be able to work successfully in the community and therefore ensure their economic future.

When our pupils leave school, having studied in the Catering Department, they should have the skills, knowledge and confidence to follow a recipe, be able to identify and use basic cooking equipment and enjoy safely cooking healthy food for themselves and others. This important life-skill will also save them money and help them avoid obesity, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.

Pupils also access a personalised work -related learning and experience program to prepare them for life beyond Springfields.  

Pupils’ personal well-being, ability and special needs are prioritised throughout the course in order to ensure they gain maximum benefit.

Examples of Moral lessons in Catering:

• Promote fair play and team work in lessons
• Respect with equipment
• Following instructions and decisions made by staff.
• Respect for their facilities and the environment they are active in
• Listening to teacher and peer feedback on particular catering skills
• Promote trust with peers
• Using students as team leaders
• Taking part in fund raising activities

 Students in Catering can use of a range of social skills in different contexts, including working and socialising with students from different religious, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. The willingness to participate in a variety of social settings, cooperating well with others and being able to resolve conflicts effectively. An interest in and understanding of, the way communities and societies function at a variety of levels.

 Examples of Social lessons in Catering:

• Creating a sense of community in lessons
• Encourage students to recognise and respect social differences and similarities
• Celebrate catering success both in and out of school
• Use of team leaders to lead groups of pupils in lessons
• Promoting team work throughout lessons supporting one another to develop their skills in a cooperative situation.

The Catering department can encourage a willingness to participate in catering opportunities that will help to develop positive attitudes towards different religious, ethnic and socio-economic groups in the local, national and global communities.

Examples of Cultural lessons in Catering:

• Learning about the developments of catering in different countries
• Conversations and activities around different catering events around the world i.e. The Olympics, Wimbledon etc.
• Gaining an understanding of different styles of cooking and their foundations
• Use of well-known chefs and examples of different styles and their achievements

Measuring the Impact of the Catering Curriculum

The Catering curriculum is evaluated through regular curriculum review which is informed by:

• Progress Frameworks - autism, knowledge and skills bespoke to cohort pathway. 
• Progress towards EHCP outcomes 
• Accreditation achieved 
• Pupil progress and attainment cycle 
• Pupil voice
• Staff curriculum evaluation 
• Parent voice 

.

Impact of the Catering Curriculum:

Springfields pupils will leave the academy with the knowledge and skills to lead a safe independent life. This will be evident in pupils opting for the Catering pathway achieving the following qualifications:

• City and Guilds NVQ Level 1 Certificate Food Preparation & Cooking
• Level 2 award Food Safety in Catering
• Entry Level 3 Awards/Certificates in Hospitality and Catering
• AQA - Personal presentation, attitude & behaviour
• AQA - The Egg: Culinary use
• AQA - Guest service in hospitality
• AQA - Introduction to food business
• Hospitality and Catering AQA unit Level 2
• AQA – Customer service & preparing and cooking international dishes
• AQA- Setting a table & designing & creating a menu using a computer
• AQA – Participating in a catering project & producing food to sell
• AQA- Preparing simple meals