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Established in 1641

SQA Certificated Practical Cookery

Why study Practical Cookery?

Healthy, tasty food is crucial to our wellbeing. The course will suit you if you love food and cooking and want to develop your skills in this area.

Being able to cook for yourself and others is a valuable life skill and can lead to a range of careers, including working in hotels and restaurants, the health sector and the food industry.

What will I study?

This course is practical and relevant to the world of work. You will develop your skills in choosing ingredients, preparing dishes and presenting them appropriately. You will learn more about the importance of safety and hygiene when preparing and presenting food.

The course comprises three areas of study.

Cookery Skills, Techniques and Processes     • Enhance your cookery skills, food preparation techniques and ability to follow cookery processes     • Develop your understanding of the importance of safety and hygiene and your ability to follow safe and hygienic practices at all times Understanding and Using Ingredients      • Enhance your knowledge and understanding of ingredients from a variety of different sources     • Learn about the importance of sustainability, the responsible sourcing of ingredients and of current dietary advice     • Develop your ability to select and use a range of appropriate ingredients in the preparation of dishes and to do so safely and hygienically. Organisational Skills for Cooking     • Extend your planning, organisational and time management skills     • Develop your ability to follow recipes; to plan, produce and cost dishes and meals; and to work safely and hygienically     • Gain more experience in evaluating the product.

How will I be assessed?

Course Assessment for N4

Assessment is continuous.

Pupils complete 4 separate formal assessments during school time.

Each assessment requires pupils to complete a written theory paper and a practical task which is marked by the teacher and kept as evidence of capability.

Course Assessment for N5

Assessment is at the end of the course

The course assessment has three components totalling 130 marks: • Component 1: question paper – worth 30 marks      • Component 2: assignment – worth 18 marks     • Component 3: practical activity – worth 82 marks.

Component 2 and component 3 are inter-related and will be assessed using one activity. You will carry out one task — planning and producing a meal — which will provide evidence for both components. Both the assignment and the question paper will be set and externally marked by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).

The practical activity will be set by SQA and will be assessed internally, with external quality assurance by SQA.

The grade awarded is based on the total marks achieved across all course assessment components. The course assessment is graded A-D.

Study Materials

SQA Past Papers Hospitality: Practical Cookery National 5  SQA Specimen Paper Hospitality: Practical Cookery National 5 SQA Understanding Standards Hospitality: Practical Cookery BBC Bitesize National 5 Hospitality: Practical Cookery Nationals in a Nutshell – Hospitality: Practical Cookery (National 5) Recipes To Try