Home Economics offers National 4 and 5 Practical Cookery.
These courses enable learners to develop cookery-related knowledge, understanding and skills, and to use them at home, in the wider community and, ultimately, in employment. The course lays foundations for lifelong learning.
Practical cookery will develop successful learners who achieve through participating in engaging, motivating and relevant learning experiences in real-life hospitality contexts; and confident individuals who derive satisfaction from being able to produce dishes and meals and from having their achievements and skills recognised.  It will also develop responsible citizens who actively participate in the work of the class, develop awareness of issues affecting society, such as seasonality of produce, and take on organisational tasks; and effective contributors who share their views with others and support their peers whenever appropriate.
The courses also develop a range of skills for learning, skills for life and skills for work, which include aspects of numeracy and thinking skills.
Practical Cookery aims to develop learners’ life skills and enhance their personal effectiveness in terms of cookery and to provide a set of skills for those who wish to progress to further study in the hospitality context. In preparing learners for life, the Course anticipates their future needs in that it enables them to learn how to prepare and cook food for themselves and others. It also develops their organisational skills, which have an application in a variety of contexts.
- use a range of cookery skills, food preparation techniques and cookery processes when following recipes
- select and use ingredients to produce and garnish or decorate dishes
- develop an understanding of ingredients and their uses and an awareness of responsible sourcing
- develop an awareness of current dietary advice relating to the use of ingredients
- work safely and hygienically
- plan and produce meals and present them appropriately
Practical Cookery contains a significant practical component, which involves experiential learning, and is supported by related theory. It uses real-life hospitality contexts, which makes it relevant to the world of work.
