Why Train to Be a Design and Technology (Food) Teacher?

You will have the opportunity to inspire the next generation and embed a love and understanding of food and nutrition. It is a hugely varied job, allowing you to teach skills that will stay with students for life. Some will go on to work in the catering and hospitality industry, while others will use the skills and knowledge you teach to lead healthy, fulfilling lives. You can be sure you are making a difference!

What is Life Like as a Design and Technology (Food) Teacher?

As well as creating lesson plans and schemes of work in your subject area, you will have to manage practical food classes. This means managing a complex range of simultaneous activities within time constraints of lessons, ensuring safe and successful dishes for all students. You will teach food preparation and cooking (equipment, ingredients, food sources, functional characteristics, processes and skills), ensuring that students across all abilities and engaged and building their confidence and independence.

You will be responsible for managing health and safety in the classroom (such as setting up systems for cleaning and storage of ingredients and cooked dishes, managing allergens). You will manage resourcing of practical work (such as shopping) and maintenance of equipment.

You will use a range of appropriate creative and innovative strategies to develop original menus, dishes and recipes with students, while also teaching them about the latest healthy eating guidance, the need for different diets, and cultural differences in food.

What Skills Do You Need to Be a Design and Technology (Food) Teacher?

The ability to inspire and engage with students is essential. This means being able to communicate effectively, as well as creating interesting lessons and assignments. You will usually be part of a wider team within the school, so being a team player is always an advantage. Above all else, you must be committed to supporting students to achieve their very best.

What Do We Cover in Design and Technology (Food) Teacher Training?

You will be trained to teach Design and Technology (Food) at key stages 3, 4 and 5.

This includes training in university, via STSA’s professional learning courses, and as part of your school placements, as detailed below:

At University

Our academic partner is Sheffield Hallam University, whose course is rated as ‘Good’ by Ofsted. At university, you will have the opportunity to hone your food technology skills via seminars, workshops, lectures, group work, directed tasks, written assessments and practical work. You are assessed through supportive, collaborative means, helping you to grow and improve.

In STSA Professional Learning Courses

We run a number of STSA professional learning sessions throughout the year. These days are a great opportunity for our trainees to come together, catch up and share their experiences. Our trainees tell us this is a highly valued part of our course.

Examples of topics covered include:

• The Professional Teacher
• Safeguarding
• Lesson/scheme design
• Assessment: marking and feedback
• Data collection and analysis
• Barriers to learning
• Organisation of self
• Knowledge of consecutive key stages
• Role of SENCO
• Behaviour management
• Building resilience
• Child development
• SEND and inclusion
• EAL and new arrivals
• Collaborative team teaching
• Communication with parents
• Planning for transition
• Careers

The STSA team are on hand throughout the course to help you with any issues or questions you may have.

During your School Placements

Our course includes high-quality placements in two of our partner schools, providing experience in contrasting settings – which is part of the Department for Education (DfE) regulations for Initial Teacher Training (ITT). Your main placement is approximately 24 weeks over the academic year, whilst your complementary placement is approximately 6 weeks. You also have a 2-day experience in a primary setting.

You will have your own mentor in each school, who will meet with you regularly and provide support and advice. They will also assess your teaching in school.

You can find out more about what to expect on our course here.

Career Development

You will always be developing as a teacher and could progress to a head of subject role, or even head of a department or faculty. Some teachers decide to specialise in pastoral work, taking on a head of key stage/year group role. From middle management, you could then progress into senior leadership as an assistant, deputy or head teacher. With multi-academy trusts growing in number, there are also new opportunities working across a number of schools, taking on responsibility for your particular subject.