Skip to main content

Home Economics

Staff

  • Miss L Ellis (HOD)
  • Miss E Phair (AHOD)
  • Mrs C Eddy
  • Mrs G Fairley
  • Ms Y Mannus
  • Miss K McMillan
  • Mrs J Moore
  • Mr R Ritchie

Key Stage 3

Home Economics at Key Stage 3 is part of Learning for Life and Work and all students in Lagan College follow a course in Home Economics (Years 8 – 10) as part of the KS3 CCEA Statutory Curriculum. The central focus of the course is the consideration of the home and family in relation to the development of the individual and society. During the three years, they will address the areas of Diet and Health, Family Life and Choice and Management of Resources. A wide range of practical cookery is built into each unit of work, so that pupils can develop a range of important skills.

Key Stage 4

At Key Stage 4, students can opt to continue studying for GCSE in two areas – Food and Nutrition and Child Development. Both these subjects are relevant and important for students’ overall academic and personal development.

GCSE Food and Nutrition
Food and Nutrition is a very relevant and interesting subject which provides pupils with the opportunity to prepare them for the responsibilities, opportunities and experiences of adult life. The current specification contains two main components, Diet and Health and Consumer Awareness.

GCSE Child Development
Child Development enables students to study the social, physical, intellectual, communication and emotional development of young children from conception to the age of five years. This subject can provide a strong basis for those seeking employment in a wide range of childcare settings.

Occupational Studies
We also offer Occupational Studies options for our students in two areas – Food and Child Care. These modular study courses provide appropriate alternatives to the traditional GCSE subject studies. Students complete a varied specification with a focus on practical skills for 2 years. In the Food Option, Year 11 focus on a Patisserie and Baking Unit and Year 12 focus on a Contemporary Cuisine Unit. For students following the Child Care Option, Year 11 focuses on the Physical Care of Babies and Year 12 focuses on Child Care: the play environment.

Completion of our GCSE courses can lead students on to GCE Nutrition and Food Science, as well as linked courses, such as BTEC Hospitality and GCE Health and Social Care.

Post 16 Study

A Level Food & Nutrition

At Key Stage 5, students can opt to study GCE Nutrition and Food Science.

The central focus of Nutrition and Food Science education is the health and wellbeing of people in their everyday living. This involves enabling students to address increasingly complex challenges related to human needs and the management of resources to meet these needs. Students can use the knowledge, skills and attitudes developed in a study of Nutrition and Food Science to understand and challenge the way society impacts on health and wellbeing.

The study of GCE Nutrition and Food Science focuses on good nutrition as an important part of leading a healthy lifestyle. Eating healthy food can help to reduce the risk of chronic illness and promote overall health. The subject also examines consumer behaviour when making food purchasing decisions and explores securing a safe food supply from the primary producer to the consumer. There are four assessment units: three externally assessed (Principles of Nutrition; Diet, Lifestyle and Health; and Food Safety and Quality) and one internally assessed research project (the focus of which is selected by each student depending on their specific interests). There is no practical element to the course, it focuses on the theory of nutrition and food science. It complements the study of other science-based subjects at A-Level, or as an additional subject to help you gain important transferable skills.

Extra-Curricular Activities

  • 40th Anniversary NICIE Bake Off Competition
  • After-school Cookery Club
  • Mount Charles Whizz Kids Competition
  • Castlereagh Council’s Environmental Health Department Food Safety Competition;
  • Dairy Council Competition and the Seafood NI Competition.
  • Young Chef Competition

Career Pathways

  • Chef
  • Dietician
  • Nutritionist
  • Teacher
  • Nurse
  • Consumer Advisor
  • Home Economist
  • Environmental Health Officer
  • Nursery Assistant
  • Pre-school Early Years’ Co-ordinator
  • Classroom Assistant
  • Health Visitor
  • Child Minder
  • Early Years’ Assistant