Cooking Skills By Key Stage

Cooking Skills Early Years broadly cover:

  • Weighing and measuring – measure using spoons
  • Cutting skills: use a table knife to cut soft foods eg strawberries
  • Mixing: combine small amounts of cold ingredients in bowl, eg fruit salad
  • Shaping and assembling: use hands to shape dough in to simple shapes
  • Heating: preparing food for cooking eg cakes cases in a bun tray
  • Serving and garnishing: spoon cold food on to a plate
  • Food safety: take part in simple clearing up tasks eg clearing and cleaning tables
  • Recipes and ingredients: recognise familiar foods

Cooking Skills KS1 broadly cover:

  • Weighing and measuring – use measuring spoons for liquids, solids and dry ingredients
  • Cutting skills: use a serrated knife to cut soft foods eg tomato
  • Mixing: with help crack and egg and beat with a fork
  • Shaping and assembling: use hands to shape dough in to small ball shapes
  • Heating: prepare food for baking and frying eg greasing baking tins
  • Serving and garnishing: lightly sprinkle garnish on cold food
  • Food safety: take part in simple clearing up tasks eg clearing and cleaning tables
  • Recipes and ingredients: follow simple recipes instructions eg using picture

Cooking Skills lower KS2 broadly cover:

  • Weighing and measuring – use digital scales and measuring jugs
  • Cutting skills: use serrated knives to cut hard foods eg carrots, onions
  • Mixing: crack an egg and beat with a whisk
  • Shaping and assembling: knead and shaping dough into aesthetically pleasing products – eg bread rolls
  • Heating: begin to use a toaster and microwave
  • Serving and garnishing: begin to understand appropriate portion sizes
  • Food safety: know how to get ready to cook
  • Recipes and ingredients: recognise and name a broad range of ingredients

Cooking Skills upper KS2 broadly cover:

  • Weighing and measuring – accurately use scales and measuring jugs
  • Cutting skills: dice and cut food in to evenly sized pieces
  • Mixing: confidently crack an egg
  • Shaping and assembling: use a rolling pin to roll out dough to an accurate size and thickness eg pizza
  • Heating: with supervision begin to use the hob
  • Serving and garnishing: are able to plan and serve their own breakfast and a simple balanced cooked meal eg pizza and salad
  • Food safety: demonstrate good safety practices
  • Recipes and ingredients: identify how to change a recipe to improve a dish
  • Consumer awareness: are able to use food labels to inform choice