Practical Skills and Project Work
Core concepts
Candidates must plan, carry out and evaluate a practical project, usually in food preparation or needlework. Know the parts of a project: aim, justification, plan of work with a time plan, list of tools and materials, costing, safety and hygiene precautions, method, product, evaluation and conclusion. In food work, understand weighing and measuring, correct use of equipment, knife safety, hob and oven safety, personal and kitchen hygiene, cooking methods (boiling, steaming, frying, baking, grilling) and their effect on food, and presentation and serving. In needlework, understand taking body measurements, choosing and preparing fabric, laying and cutting out a pattern, tacking, machining, pressing, finishing seams and evaluating the finished article. Evaluation must judge against the original aim, not merely describe what was done.
Traps in questions
Do not write a recipe when asked for a plan of work; a plan shows sequence, time and resources. Do not omit safety and hygiene, which carry marks. Do not describe the product in the evaluation; instead judge its fitness for purpose and suggest improvements. Remember costing must include all materials used, not just the main fabric or food item.
Worked example
A question asks for a time plan for making a simple meal for four. Rule of thumb: list dishes, break each into tasks, arrange tasks so that long-cooking items start first and foods are served hot together, then add hygiene and safety checks. Show clock times, tasks and equipment in columns so the examiner can see sequencing and dovetailing.