Guideline 4 Managing Practical Classes
Some Tips for the inexperienced

Don’t be too ambitious in the early days: Choose dishes where you yourself feel confident,
and you know they can be completed within the allocated time

Try simple dishes in the early days that do not have too many ingredients or stages. This will
give you time to get to know the pupils and establish routines without other pressures

Try not to have back to back practical lessons and above all, try to avoid having 5 practical
lessons in one day. Plan your lessons so that you have for example – a practical lesson,
followed by a theory lesson, followed by a food tasting session etc.

Don’t underestimate how long it takes for washing up and putting away

Don’t underestimate pupils lack of skills in measuring and preparation, such as peeling –
allow plenty of time

Practice your demonstrations beforehand. Try to think of all the possible mistakes pupils
could make, so that they can be forewarned as you demonstrate, and you can be prepared
for their mistakes

Always make sure that necessary equipment and ingredients are to hand for any practical
lesson. Valuable time can be lost and cause endless problems, through looking for pieces of
equipment or ingredients

Be meticulous in your timings when planning your lessons. Make sure your pupils are aware
of how long they have for each task. Give them regular time checks

Have strict routines for pupils in practical lessons. Enforce these routines from the very
beginning. Trying to introduce them after sloppy habits have crept in will be very difficult

Value your technician and support staff. Include them at the lesson planning stage. Give
them detailed information, so they are fully aware of what is required of them

Have strict Health & Safety rules, which must be adhered to by everyone

Choose recipes that are proven to work in a class situation and simplify them so that there
are fewer stages to follow, and use pictures so that pupils are more likely to be able to
follow them independently. Save yourself time by signing up to the Food Teachers Centre
Resource Bank of shared resources developed by current teachers, and using websites such
as Food a Fact of Life (particularly their scheme of work) and Licence to Cook.

Be aware of common mistakes your pupils might make: see the following chart for some
examples.
1
Handout for May 13th 2017 Food Teacher Professional Portfolio Course, with materials adapted from Teach Food
Technology 2010
Anticipating Problems and Resurrecting Disasters
At some stage, things will go wrong in the Food Technology room, despite your best plans and
warnings. Food can be overcooked, undercooked, over-seasoned, watery, thick or simply burnt to a
crisp. Sometimes starting over from scratch is the only real solution, but there is rarely time for that
in a 1 hour lesson. However, if things haven't fallen apart completely, you can still salvage an edible
meal from the ruins. Below are a few ideas of how to turn a problem into a success.
Common errors
Resultant problem
Possible remedy
Turning up the oven
temperature to speed up
cooking time
burnt on the outside, uncooked
on the inside.
Do keep a check as you move
around to ensure pupils aren’t
doing this. Often your nose will
tell you something is cooking
too quickly!
Not cooking sauces over a
sufficiently gentle heat
lumpy sauces
Pass through a sieve, or use a
liquidiser
Sticky pastry
Add a little extra flour
Adding too little liquid
Over dry crumbly pastry –
difficult to roll out
You will need to assist in the
rolling out and placing in the
baking tin.
Adding too much salt
Unpleasant salty taste
If in a sauce or soup, try adding
sliced raw potato to the mix.
Allow slices to become
translucent – they should
absorb SOME of the salt.
Discard potato slices
Not stirring sauces throughout
the cooking process
Adding too much liquid to
pastry
Burnt sauces/soups etc due to
too high heat
Stop stirring – or the burnt bits
will permeate the whole sauce.
Pour off the unburnt sauce into
a separate saucepan
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Handout for May 13th 2017 Food Teacher Professional Portfolio Course, with materials adapted from Teach Food
Technology 2010
A combination of flour and
butter (beurre manié) will often
thicken up sauces if added in
small batches.
Sauce too thin
Add more liquid – a little at a
time
Sauce too thick
Adding cheese to a cheese
sauce at the start of the
procedure
Cheese becomes rubbery
There isn’t one! – They have to
start over again, so check that
pupils don’t make this mistake.
Quite often there will be a pupil
who has made his/her sauce
too thick – this has to be
thinned down with extra liquid
resulting in too much sauce.,
which can be shared with a
pupil whose sauce has gone
completely wrong.
Don’t add the cheese until the
end.
Opening the oven door before
a cake mixture has had chance
to set following the rise.
Sunken cake
Scoop out the soggy middle and
fill with fruit.
This is a useful baking website on what can go wrong commonly http://fabflour.co.uk/fabbaking/what-went-wrong/
3
Handout for May 13th 2017 Food Teacher Professional Portfolio Course, with materials adapted from Teach Food
Technology 2010
Useful Checklist
Curriculum Planning
Have I consulted with the HoD on:
 The D&T curriculum
 Departmental Policy
 Food Technology Policy?
Do I have a suitable Scheme of work
Have I prepared appropriate lesson plans,
which include:
 Detailed timings of activities
 Equipment & resources needed
Have I shared my plans with my technician
and any support staff?
Demonstrating:
Have I…….
Practised my demonstration beforehand?
Considered all the things that pupils may do
wrong?
Made notes of the key skills I am
demonstrating so I can emphasise them to
the pupils?
Made notes to remind pupils of Health &
Safety points?
Got ALL the ingredients I need?
Ensured the room is clean and ready for use
Made sure all the equipment I need is to
hand?
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Handout for May 13th 2017 Food Teacher Professional Portfolio Course, with materials adapted from Teach Food
Technology 2010
Guideline 4.1, 4.5 and 4.7 Use effective systems
Manging the room:


How many pupils will work in each area?
o Which pupils will use each cooker?
o Which sinks will pupils have access to?
o Where will basic equipment be stored?
The cleaning routine and responsibilities
o Cleaning of fridges and freezers
o Checking on temperatures
o Checking equipment
o Maintenance of storage areas
All there are additional requirements for cleaning a food room above a standard classroom,
discussion with school contracted cleaners will involve:



Deep cleaning at end of term/half term
Daily cleaning/sanitising of floors, sinks, worktops and cookers, and other areas that may
harbour bacteria such as window ledges.
Daily disposal of food waste, re-cyclable items and other rubbish
Equipment stored in each area:
Many schools ensure each drawer and cupboard, contain exactly the same equipment. Lists and
pictures should be attached for pupils to check at the end of each lesson, to ensure everything is
back in place. Some schools use colour coded or themed areas of the kitchen(Jamie kitchen, Gordon
kitchen) to emphasise responsibility for a specific area.
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Handout for May 13th 2017 Food Teacher Professional Portfolio Course, with materials adapted from Teach Food
Technology 2010
Designated storage cupboards and shelves
Some schools designate certain cupboards for certain equipment. E.g. all saucepans are found in
Cupboard 1. All baking trays are found in cupboard 2. etc. These cupboards should be clearly
labelled.
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Handout for May 13th 2017 Food Teacher Professional Portfolio Course, with materials adapted from Teach Food
Technology 2010
Trolley system
Other schools use a trolley system, whereby all equipment required for the lesson is put out on
trolleys – to which they are returned after use. Equipment is checked in by the technician or pupil
monitor at the end of each lesson. This method is particularly useful, where there is a shortage of
storage space around the room. It also means that equipment can be shared between more than
one Food Technology room. In addition, it may stop pupils hiding dirty equipment in a cupboard.
Whichever method the Food Technology teacher chooses to adopt, it most important that the
storage space for each piece of equipment is clearly labelled. Photographs of the cupboard or
drawer and its contents help all pupils.
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Handout for May 13th 2017 Food Teacher Professional Portfolio Course, with materials adapted from Teach Food
Technology 2010
Health & Safety
There are very strict regulations regarding Food Safety, to which all teachers of Food Technology
subjects must adhere.
When planning and conducting design and technological activities, trainees and teachers must give
due regard to the health and safety of their pupils, themselves and other adults. They must be aware
of current relevant health and safety responsibilities, legislation and liability.
It is crucial that teachers and support staff can identify the hazards and assess the risks, and
determine how to remove or control the risks within an educational environment. The Food Teacher
Professional Portfolio Guideline 1.1 Ensure that they meet national standards for their subject, such
as Accreditation in Secondary Food Health and safety Standards) and Guideline 9 Implementing good
food safety and hygiene provide a sound professional framework so that staff can feel confident in
carrying out their work in a professional manner, and be able to show evidence of meeting that
requirement.
The DATA Health and Safety Training Standards cover the subject, including minimum expectations
for trainees and qualified design and technology teachers.
HSE
www.hse.gov.uk/services/education/information.htm
CLEAPSS
www.cleapss.org.uk/
Basic rules
The following basic rules should be followed by everyone in
the Food Technology room:
Hygiene






All food teachers and
technicians are
expected to have
obtained Food Hygiene
qualifications
Always wash your hands before handling food – failure to do so could cause cross
contamination and food poisoning.
Wear a clean apron, remove rings and nail polish and tie back long hair
Use separate chopping boards when preparing foods that could get cross contaminated.
Store food at the correct temperature.
Check the sell by date on any food you are using.
Store raw meat away from cooked meat on the bottom shelf of the fridge, as Juices may drip
and cause cross contamination.
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Handout for May 13th 2017 Food Teacher Professional Portfolio Course, with materials adapted from Teach Food
Technology 2010



Throw out old and out of date equipment.
Wash tea towels and dish cloths regularly, as dirty ones could transfer bacteria onto clean
appliances.
Wash your hands after touching high risk foods such as poultry and raw meat.
Safety







Do not touch electrical appliances with wet hands.
Mop up all spills immediately
Do not leave saucepan handles sticking out on the cooker.
Always use oven gloves when handling hot equipment.
Do not leave wires/cables trailing across a surface.
Take care when using sharp knives.
Do not overload sockets with electrical appliances.
Be aware of the problems of cross contamination




Prevent raw and cooked foods touching each other:
o Do not allow meat to drip onto other foods as this will contaminate the food.
o Prevent bacteria from being transferred on hands, chopping boards, surfaces and
other utensils.
The Danger Zone is between 5°C and 63°C. This is the temperature zone in which bacteria
reproduce fastest.
There are various ways of killing bacteria:
o extreme temperature,
o no moisture and
o no air
Food should be cooked thoroughly and defrosted properly or bacteria may not be killed.
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Handout for May 13th 2017 Food Teacher Professional Portfolio Course, with materials adapted from Teach Food
Technology 2010
Guideline 3.6 Articulate and justify the resources that will be required to teach the
curriculum
Policy for provision of ingredients for those pupils entitled to FSM
The new Food Technology teacher should ask for the school’s policy on provision of ingredients for
pupils receiving free school meals. If there is no such policy available, a new policy will need to be
written in line with other school policies, for example, equal opportunities, Every Child Matters, FSM
provision and administration, supporting SEN, voluntary contributions for lesson activities and so on.
The School Food Plan website is helpful as this appears in the OFSTED and headteachers checklist as
an action.
“… in many schools, some pupils often do little cooking because they cannot afford, or will not bring
to school, ingredients for practical cookery. This is a form of social exclusion linked to the unique
method of funding food teaching, whereby parents have to pay for or supply the food cooked by their
children in food lessons in schools and then taken home.” (OFSTED 2006)
Pupil Premium is frequently used to support those that cannot afford to bring their ingredients.
Your policy should state clearly

The policy on who provides ingredients for lessons

Expectations of pupil’s voluntary contribution if food is provided and then taken home to
form part of a meal eaten by the family

How the money is collected and administered

What the money collected is used for

The procedure for when a pupil forgets their ingredients (one off and persistent)

Process for identifying and supporting those pupils who are unable to provide ingredients

How to ensure those pupils are not identified and are supported sensitively
OFSTED School food plan checklist
10
Handout for May 13th 2017 Food Teacher Professional Portfolio Course, with materials adapted from Teach Food
Technology 2010
At What cost report can be found here
11
Handout for May 13th 2017 Food Teacher Professional Portfolio Course, with materials adapted from Teach Food
Technology 2010
Budgeting for your ingredients –
It is important to consider and work out the cost of your scheme of work and have the total costs
and per pupil readily available to bid for required funding in your school.
This will depend on the school policy of providing ingredients
 some schools provide all ingredients for all pupils
 some schools provide basic ingredients and ask pupils to bring additional ingredients
 some schools ask pupils to bring all ingredients
 in all cases the school will need to budget and provide demonstration ingredients and
ingredients for science experiments, sensory testing etc
 some schools reduce costs by asking pupils to work in pairs for some activities and dividing what
is made to take home – this works well for example if pupils make 12 muffins to split
 all schools should have a policy of providing ingredients for pupils eligible for free school meals,
and those who may have forgotten so that they can take a full part in the lesson. It is good
practice to develop a system that does not identify pupils on free school meals.
 all schools should have a policy about charging or not charging for ingredients. Some schools
have asked for a voluntary contribution towards the cost. It is time consuming at the start of the
lesson for the teacher to be responsible for collecting money and an alternative should be
sought, for example - where possible for administrative staff to assist, or on-line using systems
such as parent pay
Policy
Advantages
Disadvantages
School provides
ingredients for all pupils
 Able to choose healthier versions
or ingredients and recipes
 Pupils try new foods
 Cost effective for families
 School may be able to use same
ordering system as the school
catering system
 Sustainable
 Designing and making
assignments easier to manage
 Sensory evaluation, product
analysis and tasting easier
 Food Science experiments
resourced
 Does not matter if a pupil is
absent and is not prepared for




Shopping time
Storage area
Technician time
More expensive for school
budget
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Handout for May 13th 2017 Food Teacher Professional Portfolio Course, with materials adapted from Teach Food
Technology 2010
the lesson
School provides some
ingredients/ Pupils
provide some
 This can be advantageous where
unusual or different foods are
being used – parents can provide
basic ingredients and school
provides the less common ones.
Or school can provide basic
ingredients and parents provide
extras (ie pizza topping)




Pupils provide all
ingredients
 Cheaper
 Less shopping time
 Less technician time
 Good storage facilities
needed – as well as plenty
of refrigeration prior to
lesson.
 Some parents may find the
more unusual ingredients
expensive or difficult to
obtain.
 Some may object to having
to pay for foods which are
not of their choice.
 Can be difficult in sensory
testing or experimental
work
Pupils provide all
ingredients except those
on FSM
 Cheaper
 Easier for parents of pupils on
FSM
 Identifies pupils – a system
would be required to
ensure that pupils are not
identified or bullied as a
consequence..
 Good storage facilities
Shopping time
Storage area
Technician time
Good storage facilities
needed – as well as plenty
of refrigeration prior to
lesson.
 Some parents may not be
able to afford the
ingredients.
 Some families do not have
what Food Technology
teachers may consider
‘basics’ in their store
cupboards.
 A reminder system for
pupils and absent form last
lesson pupils will need to
be in place to ensure all
pupils know what to bring.
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Handout for May 13th 2017 Food Teacher Professional Portfolio Course, with materials adapted from Teach Food
Technology 2010
needed – as well as plenty
of refrigeration prior to
lesson.
 Will cause difficulties for
those on FSM
 Parents may not like the
chosen recipes and object
to paying for ingredients.
Pupils contribute towards
the cost of provided
ingredients
 FSM parents may have difficulties
 Good for sensory testing and
experimental work.
 Useful if school provides unusual
ingredients – and ingredients
such as ‘a pinch of herbs’
 Difficulties for FSM pupils.
 More technician time
needed for shopping.
 Voluntary contributions
add administrative time to
the lesson, pupils who
refuse to pay or dislike
what they are being asked
to pay for, can result in
conflict with the teacher
 On-line systems such as
parent pay can make this
simpler to administer
FSM pupils do not pay
Other pupils pay
contribution towards:
 Probably would suit most families
most of the time.
 Doesn’t require too much
shopping for the technician.
 Not too much storage space
required
 Pupils do not pay for other
lessons
 Pupils on FSM can be
identified unless a system
is in place
 sensory testing; and
experimental work;
 Small ingredients such
as:
 Salt & pepper; herbs,
spices
 fragile ingredients
such as eggs.
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Handout for May 13th 2017 Food Teacher Professional Portfolio Course, with materials adapted from Teach Food
Technology 2010
Guideline 4.10 Manage Support staff effectively
Good support staff are invaluable in the Food Technology area and every effort should be made to
ensure that the subject enjoys its share of access to support staff.
Food Technology Technician:
The technician is an important and necessary member of the department and it will be the new Food
Technology teacher’s responsibility to organise their routines and activities
Day-to-day tasks will include:






preparing food and equipment for pupils to use during lessons
preparing for demonstrations, food tastings, experimental work and sensory analysis lessons
maintaining stock and equipment – including appropriate stock rotation
supporting and assisting the Food Technology teacher in practical lessons
ensuring health and safety regulations are met
promoting healthy eating
Making your case for a dedicated food technology technician


Technicians have a vital role in supporting effective practical education and managing
lessons. Teachers are being used ineffectively in some schools for tasks such as shopping
and washing tea-towels. Many teachers use their own time to shop for their classes and
inefficient financial systems are in place.
A lack of technician, in addition to large class sizes and short lessons, leads to low staff
morale, energy and enthusiasm for teaching the subject, and perhaps contributing to staff
turnover.
SMT do not always appreciate what is involved in setting up each practical lesson, for
example, teachers report that they are asked to cover and do break duty when they have to
set up their lessons. They also report they are rarely able to use their non teaching lessons
for preparation of teaching materials, assessment or planning as they are usually engaged in
other non teaching tasks such as clearing up.
D&T Technicians do not always provide food support.

There is further advice in the Food Teachers Centre Resource Bank


OFSTED reports, (such as OFSTED Report ‘Education for a Technologically Advanced
Nation Design and technology in schools 2004–07’) refers to many examples of good practice
augmented by the effective use of a technician – both for the management of lessons and
supporting the learning and progress of pupils.
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Handout for May 13th 2017 Food Teacher Professional Portfolio Course, with materials adapted from Teach Food
Technology 2010
“In the schools visited, managing students’ behaviour and ensuring health and safety in design and
technology were usually good. ... Relationships between adults and students were also generally
good. ... Teachers, and, increasingly, technicians and learning mentors, gave careful guidance on
coursework, individual coaching and, frequently, significant opportunities for students to strengthen
their achievements through after-school activities.”
“Year 9 students worked in an excellent, well equipped catering room, using a recipe to make a
chicken or vegetable curry. They were very interested in cooking but the behaviour of some students
in this low set was potentially challenging. Firm, well-organised teaching controlled this effectively,
as did support from the technician who had bought the necessary ingredients and had laid them out
carefully. This overcame the frequent problem of students failing to bring them.”
Boys perform almost as well as girls in the GCSE examinations. ……..Their progress through projects
is aided by their division into manageable parts. Much of the learning is practical. Additional
technician help is given to those in need, especially when making complex or precision components.
“All the equipment was in good order and students used it productively, safely and skilfully, with
support from a technician.”
“……subject technicians were often instrumental in enabling students to make progress.”
D&T Association Subject Leader Handbook Section 4.3 extract
Technicians
Technicians are a vital part of the design and technology team, and for many years workshop
technicians, food technicians and ancillary support staff have supported design and technology
teaching in schools.
The demands of learning and teaching in design and technology are great and to offer the best
support to students departments need to be maintained, serviced and well managed by
appropriately qualified and experienced technical support.
As a technician you will commonly take responsibility for:






preparing equipment and teaching areas for practical classes;
maintaining equipment and teaching areas;
ensuring a safe environment;
supporting teachers in practical classes;
helping students to get the most of out learning experiences;
carrying out administrative and other functions related to the smooth running of the
department.
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Handout for May 13th 2017 Food Teacher Professional Portfolio Course, with materials adapted from Teach Food
Technology 2010
During a normal teaching week a secondary D&T teacher will typically be teaching between 150 and
200 students on individual project work. This is an immense task when combined with teaching the
appropriate skills and knowledge and cannot realistically be achieved without support.
You have an important role in providing this support and making sure that the environment,
processes and equipment being used conform to health and safety requirements. These include:





a safe, clean and healthy working environment;
safe tools, equipment, machinery and systems of work;
safe arrangements for the use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substances;
sufficient information to avoid hazards and contribute positively to users’ own health and
safety;
provision of materials in a usable form for students.
Many activities that ensure a safe working environment often take place outside normal school
hours or during school holidays. These include repair and maintenance of tools and equipment,
checking and maintaining services and furniture, stock checks of materials, tools and equipment, and
general cleaning of facilities such as sinks and cookers.
The number of technicians required
The size of the department and the areas that may need to be covered (including food, textiles,
resistant materials, IT, electronics and pneumatics) will determine how many technicians are
required and whether they should be full or part-time.
In the past, the number of technicians needed has been calculated in a variety of ways, including the
number of teaching periods, number of staff and number of rooms. However, factors such as class
size, amount of teacher contact time and complexity of the room and its equipment which must also
be taken into account in risk assessments. If class sizes rise above 20 students for Key Stage 3 and 18
for Key Stage 4, then technician support can significantly reduce risks and improve the quality of
teaching and learning, and if the teacher has little non-contact time then more technician time will
be needed.
The following models are based on typical class sizes and contact time with technicians being fully
deployed in D&T. The calculations also try to gauge the amount of preparation of equipment and
materials that may be required.
Model 1: Based on the number of hours per room per week under normal teaching conditions
Workshop
16 hours
Food room
12 hours
Electronics/Technology room
12 hours
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Handout for May 13th 2017 Food Teacher Professional Portfolio Course, with materials adapted from Teach Food
Technology 2010
Textiles room
8 hours
IT Area
8 hours
Graphics room
5 hours
Model 2: Based on the number of teaching periods in D&T, similar to the formula used for science
NFTET
Number of full time equivalent technicians
TDTTP
Total design and technology teaching periods
n
Number of periods in the week
2.4
Service factor determined from job analysis


NFTET
=
TDTTP
2.4
x
n
If class sizes increase or decrease then the service factor ‘2.4’ will change. If the average
class size is 2 above the norm (i.e. 22 at Key Stage 3 and 20 at Key Stage 4) then the factor
should be reduced to 2.2.
It is assumed that the technician will work for 37 hours per week throughout the year.
Model 3: Similar to Model 2 but using a formula that calculates the number of technician hours
Number of technician hours =
number of D&T teaching hours x 0.6
The 0.6 is the service factor and, as in Model 2, it will change depending on a number of factors,
such as an increase in class size, complexity of the activity, etc.
The above need and level will depend on several factors, in particular:








students’ approach to individual and group design-based activities;
need to meet the National Curriculum design and technology requirements;
health and safety policy requirements;
the approach to assessment of students’ performance;
resources available within each working area;
layout and location of facilities;
direct technician support during practical activities;
development of visual aids and other preparation to ensure appropriate and safe
applications.
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Handout for May 13th 2017 Food Teacher Professional Portfolio Course, with materials adapted from Teach Food
Technology 2010
Roles and responsibilities
In practice the technician’s role can range from supporting learning and teaching to spending vast
amounts of time working as a school handyperson. The Design and Technology Association sees the
technician as a key part of D&T staffing, with increasing importance in raising standards in the
subject. You provide major support for teachers’ work of managing learning and teaching, and
should therefore be involved in most aspects of departmental management. This team approach is
fundamental given the multi-disciplinary way in which much design and technology work takes
place. You need to know what teachers are trying to achieve and how they can offer support to
students in their learning. You should be trained both in elements of safety and in maintenance of
equipment, supporting teaching and learning, preparing materials and carrying out risk assessment.
Where necessary, and if appropriately trained, you should also assist students in technical activities.
Subject leaders should identify and define technicians’ duties and responsibilities and draw up an
appropriate job description. This should be structured to indicate the main areas for which the
technician is responsible, who the line manager is and, if appropriate, who is under his or her
authority. A good job description should also form the basis of a performance review.
Formal meetings with support staff can help overcome any communication problems and encourage
wider involvement from all concerned. Regardless of the particular roles a technician normally
performs, it is also possible that you may have other useful contributions to make, to, for example:





extra-curricular activities;
support for open parents’ evenings;
attending exhibitions with teaching staff;
contact with industry which will allow students to relate their design-based projects to the
real world;
contacts with industry which enable surplus materials to be acquired for school use.
Your role as a design and technology technician obviously varies according to school organisation,
subject, level of work, the way in which lessons and practical work are organised, your levels of skill
and experience, and the expectations of the teaching staff.
Technicians’ tasks can be divided into four main categories:
1. Main activity related to the practical work


preparing materials for design based work;
arranging tools, fixtures, materials for focused demonstrations;
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Handout for May 13th 2017 Food Teacher Professional Portfolio Course, with materials adapted from Teach Food
Technology 2010




ensuring that all hand tools are available and in good, safe condition for use by students;
tidying up and checking that all tools are in their racks after the practical sessions;
in food rooms, cleaning tables and surfaces, cleaning cookers;
cleaning and disinfecting sinks.
2. Assisting with special lessons and practical sessions



demonstrations to aid teacher delivery for example, preparation of a sand mould;
dealing with students’ difficulties during a making task activity;
modifying apparatus for those with physical disabilities.
3. Repairs and general maintenance







safety checks;
sharpening hand tools;
servicing and cleaning machine tools and equipment;
repairing tools and equipment;
maintenance of units, for example, checking vices for damage and serviceability;
cleaning fridges, cleaning and disinfecting tools;
ensuring student work storage areas are tidy.
4. Administrative tasks


photocopying, printing and duplicating;
stock control: keeping records, ordering material, sorting out invoices and receipts,
inventory checks.
The subject leader will need to give guidance on:
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working with teaching staff;
confidentiality of some work within school (student circumstances and assessments);
supporting teaching and learning and helping students with their practical work;
safe working procedures and the approach to risk assessments;
setting up and maintaining displays;
working in other parts of the school;
working outside school with the community and industry.
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Handout for May 13th 2017 Food Teacher Professional Portfolio Course, with materials adapted from Teach Food
Technology 2010
Guideline 2 Taking a whole School approach
The first years for the new Food Technology teacher, is likely to be quite overwhelming, with so
much to establish and so much to remember. However, once the teacher has become more
comfortable in the new role, it is time to look outwards and begin to show the rest of the school,
that the Food Technology area is an important aspect of school life and has much to contribute.
OFSTED expect to see consistent approaches to the teaching on nutrition and healthy eating across
the school, and a whole school food approach.
Under Ofsted’s Common Inspection Framework, inspectors assess how “children and learners keep
themselves healthy, including through healthy eating”.
The School Food Plan has worked with many expert organisations to produce practical guidance to
help school leaders adopt a whole school approach to food and create a culture and ethos of healthy
eating. The guidance is designed to be used alongside other School Food Plan resources including
the Headteacher Checklist and What Works Well Website. http://www.schoolfoodplan.com/ and
http://whatworkswell.schoolfoodplan.com/
To a great extent, the new teacher will be helped by the enthusiasm of the pupils. It is rare to find a
pupil who doesn’t enjoy practical lessons in food and they will be your ambassadors in ‘selling’ the
subject to the rest of the school.
There may be some scepticism from other members of staff, who have one or two misconceptions
as to whom ‘cookery’ lessons should be aimed, and indeed what is actually learnt in these lessons,
so its important to raise the profile of the subject in the school. This can be gradually done in a
variety of ways:
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Ask for a half hour slot on an in-service training day, to explain to staff what the new subject
entails. There is a training presentation on the School Food Plan website.
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Invite staff (especially SMT) down to the area, to see what is happening.
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Organise a Food Festival/Cultural Food evening – and enlist the help of other staff.
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Liaise with other departments and discuss the topics you are covering, so that the wider
curriculum becomes more relevant to the pupils (e.g. with Science; PE)
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Get involved with national School Food initiatives
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Many towns/areas run ‘celebrity chef’ type competitions for pupils – take some of your
pupils along.
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Remember to involve other areas of D & T in out-of-school-time projects
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Consider projects in which the whole department can become involved
21
Handout for May 13th 2017 Food Teacher Professional Portfolio Course, with materials adapted from Teach Food
Technology 2010
22
Handout for May 13th 2017 Food Teacher Professional Portfolio Course, with materials adapted from Teach Food
Technology 2010