How long are your GCSE food tech lessons?

[Ellybellyboo]

DD, year 11, is doing GCSE food tech.

Their lessons are 50 minutes, they don't have any double lessons, and none are just before break/lunch/last lesson of the day. In that time they're expected to prep, cook, serve and clear/wash up

They're doing a lot of cooking this term and they're expected to produce 'high skill' stuff. DD is struggling as 50 minutes doesn't seem long enough for the stuff they're expected to do.

For example, she had to make a panacotta this week. She used the quickest setting recipe she could find - but got marked down because it hadn't set enough to turn out.

The whole class are struggling with this, they're all in school for a whole day today to try and catch up a bit.

Their teacher is quite firm with the stuff she expects them to make, but not very realistic about what can be achieved in the time they have.

Anyone else having problems with this? How are you getting round it?

DD2 is in y8, so not doing the GCSE (yet).

Standard lessons at school are 1 hour long.

A year and a half ago some of the GCSE subjects requested to have at least one double teaching period, so I know that was factored into the timetable. Apparently it was successful so it has been repeated this year. I kind of assume that Food tech would be one of the subjects requesting it.

For our school, time tabling would mean that if you want to give food tech a double lesson then all the other subjects in the same option block would have to have one at the same time.

Incidentally, our school has 2 lessons, break, 2 lessons, lunch, lesson, home so there is always time to start early or finish late if needed. (Helpful for class tests where a child qualifies for extra time).

Thanks!

DD does art as well and both teachers have been asking for double lessons for the last 2 years to no avail. Art is always last lesson so DD can stay late if she needs to

Food Tech is always first lesson, but they have tutor time first and they’re not allowed in the food tech class room before school opens without supervision

When they did the panacotta DD asked if she could go in early, get it made and in the fridge before tutor time (they had to make a dish with pasta made from scratch in the same lesson) but was told no.

They’re doing a lot of controlled assessments so can’t prep stuff at home/go in early/stay late - she got bollocked for using pre-chopped bacon, ready grated Parmesan cheese - she was trying to save herself some time

That sounds crazy, I assumed all tech subjects would have a double lesson.
DD is looking at food & nutrition for GCSE starting in September - it’s a new syallabus apparently with less tech and more cooking skills. The timetable will be a single lesson (60 minutes) for theory and a double lesson (120 minutes) for practical, which seems sensible.

That sounds daft. Had others in the class managed it?

Ours are an hour but subjects like food tech and art have mornings blocked off when doing exam work.

Complain, complain, complain.
Is your daughter achieving her target grades? As schools are increasingly focused on targets and progress it should be in their own interest to facilitate double lessons!

50 minutes is very short for a practical lesson

A million years ago (ok about 2000) when I did my food tech gcse at a bog standard comprehensive school that hailed itself as a technology college, we had a double lesson for practical and I had it last thing so often ended up staying late to finish (I was a swot though). And I think we had a single lesson separately which was for theory, but I may be misremembering. A single was 50 minutes, a double 1 hour 40 minutes. In fact I’m sure we had a double for technology all through the school.

50 minutes is no time at all to get started, prepare and cook a dish and clean up, never mind any analysis of techniques or comparison or whatever else is needed.

Thanks all!

She’s had a whole day at school today and managed to complete all the high skilled assessments that hadn’t worked out in the lesson times (meringue, set panacotta, etc, etc). She says she’s now up to date and on target.

The whole class have been struggling with it.

The teacher is planning a couple more Saturday sessions.

Will speak to school on Monday, it’s ridiculous

OP, please do complain. It's not fair on the students or the teachers. These new GCSEs were a bit 'rushed through' but anyone glancing at the new food specification would have seen the need for at least 2 hours practical three years ago.

As a food teacher I can guarantee the class teacher will be equally stressed by this short lesson. Lessons such as English, Maths and Science are prioritised when timetabling because they are worth more to the school, then followed by history, geography and languages. Unfortunately subjects such as food just aren’t worth as much to the school and therefore not thought about as much, I had to fight to be allowed the 3 hours practical exam during school time as the head didn’t want to take students out of other subjects, they wanted me to do it after school however I refused. The only way things like this will change is if parents ring up and voice their concerns, I would advise focussing on the issue being timetabling though instead of the teachers high expectations because as over the top it seems it sounds like she is really pushing to get the kids the grade they deserve. I doubt she is paid for going in on a Saturday so it would benefit her alongside the students. There also seems to be issues with class sizes, for students to be adequately prepared for their exam they would benefit from having an oven each during practical lessons.