DT / Food
DT / Food Curriculum Overview
Subject: Technology (DT/Food)
Key Stage(s): KS3 - KS4
Head of Department: Matt Rogers
Date last reviewed: January 2026
1. Curriculum Intent
The Technology curriculum at Pool Academy is designed to foster innovation, individual creativity, and practical independence, merging the rich heritage of Cornish craftsmanship in both food and construction with modern sustainable practices.
Through a dual focus on Food Technology and Design & Technology, the curriculum equips students with vital life skills—from understanding nutrition, home cooking and the catering profession, to mastering planning, working with resistant materials skills and iterative design processes.
By engaging in hands-on projects which emphasise following a project brief, problem-solving, and workshop health and safety, we prepare students to be capable, resourceful citizens who appreciate the value of creating bespoke sustainable products or a range of food offerings from raw materials - whether that be food ingredients or timber.2. Curriculum Implementation
Through Key Stage three, groups are on rotation through technology offering them dedicated time on each individual aspect of the subject across each academic year.
Design and Technology:
Year 7 - The focus is on a wood based project and instilling the design / make / evaluate process. Students will plan, mark-out, cut and construct a wooden light box integrating electronics into their final product.
Year 8 - Here we extend the development process with a second scheme of work which introduces working with plastics alongside wood, in a project which focuses on structural integrity and aesthetics.
Year 9 - Students will design and build their own ‘steady hand game’ integrating metal with wood alongside some more advanced electronics and design features.
Food and Nutrition:
Year 7 - Introduction to food hygiene and safety and how to use different parts of the cooker and a wide range of general competencies, including; knife skills, baking, using pastry and cake making.
Year 8 - Students will develop advanced cooking skills by preparing various savory and sweet dishes while learning how to keep food safe from contamination.
Year 9 - Students will master advanced techniques such as pastry making, bread enrichment, and the creaming method while refining their knife and hob skills. Throughout these practical tasks, learners will also deepen their knowledge on food hygiene and how to prevent food poisoning in the kitchen.
In Key Stage 4, students can opt to study the Level 1/2 Vocational Award in Hospitality and Catering. This equips students with a professional understanding of the industry's operation, blending theoretical mastery of nutrition and food safety with advanced practical culinary skills. By rooting learning in Cornwall’s thriving tourism and farm-to-table culture, we prepare students for vocational success through rigorous menu planning and kitchen simulations, fostering the resilience and craftsmanship needed for a career in this vital local sector.
3. Curriculum Impact
At Pool Academy, successful learning is defined by an iterative, empathy-led approach where students evolve from passive consumers into resilient problem-solvers who can seamlessly navigate both traditional hand tools and modern design processes. Assessment is ongoing ensuring technical skills are built incrementally and with increasing complexity from Year 7 through to Year 9 using peer support and real-time verbal feedback to guide and extend learning.
All projects are graded (/20) to produce summative data and this framework ensures that all students are aware of their strengths and knowledge/skill gaps in all technology subject areas in each year of study. By the end of Key Stage 3, Pool Academy students are not just practical makers and budding young chefs; they are independent problem solvers equipped with the technical vocabulary and practical grit to navigate a rapidly changing technological landscape within Cornwall and further afield.
4. Enrichment and Wider Opportunities
Projects selected in both Food and Design and Technology offer strong links to everyday living and practical skill development. Schemes of work are taught to challenge thinking and link both to everyday problems they will face in later life and courses for further study.
We embrace opportunities such as the future chef competitions and house competitions and have had one of our own on junior master chef! We are developing links with Cornwall college and will be involved with an exciting initiative through the ‘bite back’ programme, making meals with families in the local community.
5. Quality Assurance and Review
Our technology curriculum is undergoing continuous review with teachers evaluating its effectiveness focusing on preparation for life as well as our Key Stage 4 option choices. Staff engage in professional development to update their skills and teaching approaches, ensuring the curriculum remains relevant, challenging, and supportive of student progress.
This overview reflects Pool Academy’s commitment to a coherent, ambitious and inclusive curriculum aligned with the Ofsted Education Inspection Framework.
