Professional Focus Paper
Course: Practical Cake Craft
1.
Level: National 5
Who is this paper for and what is its purpose?
This paper is for teachers and other staff who provide learning, teaching and support as learners work towards
Practical Cake Craft National 5.
Curriculum for Excellence is a unique opportunity to raise achievement and to ensure that all learners are better
prepared than they have been in the past for learning, life and work. This is because the new curriculum gives real
scope to build learning 3–18 in a joined-up, seamless way. As a result, progression in learning can be much
stronger with a clear focus on attributes and capabilities, skills (including higher-order thinking skills), and
knowledge and understanding. These are delivered through the experiences and outcomes of the 3–15 Broad
General Education (BGE) and, at the senior phase, through programmes that build directly on the BGE leading to
qualifications. Because of a strengthened focus on the nature and quality of learning experiences, self-motivation is
likely to be increased and learners consequently more engaged and enthused. To ensure continuity and
progression, qualifications at the senior phase have been designed to embrace this unambiguous focus on highquality learning.
Curriculum for Excellence has the flexibility to meet the needs of all learners in their local circumstances, enabling
each to achieve their very best. For example, some centres may take the opportunity to offer qualifications over two
years which might involve learners bypassing qualifications at a given level, whereas others may enable learners to
work towards qualifications within one year. In both cases, the advice in this paper is relevant to the learning and
teaching approaches that learners will encounter. This paper, then, is intended to stimulate professional reflection
and dialogue about learning. It highlights important features of learning which are enhanced or different from
previous arrangements at this SCQF level.
How will you plan for progression in learning and teaching, building on the Broad General Education?
2.
What’s new, and what are the implications for learning and teaching?
Practical Cake Craft National 5 consists of two Units.
 Cake Baking
 Cake Finishing
To achieve Practical cake Craft National 5, learners must pass both Units and a course assessment.
HEALTH AND FOOD TECHNOLOGY
What are the key aspects of Practical Cake Craft National 5
Integrated approach to skills development
The nature of the course lends itself well to an integrated approach combining outcomes from both the Cake
Baking and Cake Finishing Units. Learning experiences will have an emphasis on skills development and the
application of skills. These include:
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practical skills in baking and finishing a range of cakes and other baked items
creatively applying finishing techniques to cakes and other baked items
using specialist tools and equipment with dexterity and precision
interpreting a design brief including analysis of the brief
carrying out a practical activity to meet the requirements of a design brief including evaluation of the product and
process
 organisational and time management skills.
Wider range of evidence of learning
There is a focus on assessment as an integral part of learning and teaching. It should be an on-going dialogue with
learners to ensure they are clear about where they are in their learning and what they need to do to progress.
There is scope for using a wide range of approaches to evidence learning and this should facilitate greater
personalisation and choice in learners’ experiences and allow staff to use the method that best meets the needs of
the task and the learner. Verbal or written feedback, portfolios, photographic/DVD evidence, presentations,
observational checklists are all valid examples of ways in which evidence could be generated to meet the
necessary outcomes and standards.
Course assessment
To gain the award of the course, learners must pass all the Units as well as the Course assessment. The purpose
of the Course assessment is to assess added value as well as confirming attainment in the course and providing a
grade. The added value for the course will focus on challenge and application in the context of a practical activity
requiring learners to bake and finish a cake according to a given design brief. Learners will be expected to draw on,
extend and apply the knowledge, skills and creative techniques they have developed and consolidated throughout
the course, in the production of the finished cake.
What are the key features of learning in Practical Cake Craft National 5?
Active learning
Learners will benefit from regular active learning experiences that promote creative techniques. This will help them
to develop and consolidate the important skills of analysis, creativity and reflection. Learners will be expected to
gain these skills through problem-solving activities and approaches, therefore staff will want to provide learners
with opportunities to engage and challenge their thinking. For example, learners could be encouraged to use
ingredients not normally associated with cake baking, try out non-traditional methods of baking their cakes and/or
experiment with cake finishing ingredients and techniques.
How will you encourage self-motivation and resilience in your group of learners?
Learning independently
Learning will focus more on skills and applying learning and offer greater scope for personalisation and choice.
Learners, therefore, have the opportunity to experience a wider range of learning and teaching approaches in
different contexts that can better meet their needs and build on their experience and achievements in the BGE.
HEALTH AND FOOD TECHNOLOGY
Effective self-management is an essential independent learning skill that can be developed through formal timed
plans of work.
To develop independent thinking skills and learning, teachers will want to reduce the focus on teacher-led activities
and place a greater emphasis on learners’ experiences within which choices are made, by the learner, based on
their expertise and skill level. There are opportunities to develop confidence and self-motivation as well as for
greater personalisation and choice as learners can select from a wide range of cake baking and cake finishing
techniques depending on their interest, level of skill and future development needs.
To further promote personalisation and choice, teachers will want to embrace learning and teaching approaches
that encourage learners, for example, to investigate the latest trends in cake baking and cake finishing.
Investigating the health impact of ingredients used in cake baking and cake finishing will give learners the
opportunity to apply their learning in different practical contexts.
Responsibility for learning
Practical tasks should encourage learners to take personal control of their own learning and opportunities for
learners to reflect on and discuss their own progress are likely to be routinely built into all planned learning
experiences. Learning and teaching approaches will also be developed that promote the development of learners’
skills in self- and peer-group evaluation. To ensure that learners are able to take full responsibility for their own
learning, learning intentions and success criteria will need to be explicit. Particularly when tackling the more
advanced cake finishing techniques, staff will want to demonstrate the high standard and intricate detail required, to
ensure that learners are confident of the standard expected at this level.
How will you ensure that learners are making informed decisions about where they are in their learning and what
they need to do to progress?
Collaborative learning
Learning and teaching approaches should encourage and develop collaborative working. In order to be successful,
a group of learners would want to demonstrate how each member’s particular area of skill and expertise could best
be utilised to meet the needs of the group and the task. By including an enterprising approach to in learning
experiences, teachers will also ensure that learners are challenged appropriately across the four contexts for
learning. Group enterprise tasks, such as a charity cake-making activity, could offer suitable opportunities for
learners to work in partnership and to learn from each other.
How will you ensure that all learners take on roles and responsibilities, appropriate to their level of skill and abilities,
in group tasks?
Applying learning and skills development
Learning experiences will enable learners to develop, consolidate and demonstrate creative techniques in the
production of cakes and other baked items, and to develop higher-order thinking skills. Also, aspects of numeracy,
employability skills and the ability to work safely and hygienically are similarly developed. In both Units, learners will
develop specialist skills, techniques and processes and will gain an understanding of their value to the hospitality
industry. Staff will want to ensure that learners are open to new ideas and can develop the ability to think creatively
by ensuring design brief activities are challenging and support the development of flexible thinking.
How are you developing skills for learning, life and work across the range of learning experiences?
HEALTH AND FOOD TECHNOLOGY
3.
Qualification information
The SQA website provides you with the following documents:
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Assessment Overview
Course Specification
Unit Specification
Support Notes
Course Assessment Specification
Unit Assessment Support Packages
Full information on arrangements for this qualification is available at the SQA website:
Health and Food Technology National 4: http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/47393.html
4.
What other materials are available on the Education Scotland website which staff
could use?
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/learningteachingandassessment/curriculumareas/healthandwellbeing/principl
esandpractice/index.asp
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/learningteachingandassessment/curriculumareas/technologies/principlesandp
ractice/index.asp
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/resources/f/foodidl.asp?strReferringChannel=educationscotland&strReferring
PageID=tcm:4-615801-64 – Food for Thought poster and leaflet
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/resources/nq/h/nqresource_tcm4719407.asp?strReferringChannel=education
scotland&strReferringPageID=tcm:4-615801-64 – advice and guidance on learning and teaching approaches for
contemporary food Issues at National 4/5
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/resources/e/genericresource_tcm4207710.asp?strReferringChannel=educatio
nscotland&strReferringPageID=tcm:4-615801-64 – excellent link to NHS Eatwell site with a wide variety of
information on healthy eating, budgeting, eating disorders, food safety and much more
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/video/s/video_tcm4580626.asp – product development
Support materials have been produced over the last year to support Curriculum for Excellence and further support
materials and events are planned. This downloadable list is updated quarterly with the most up-to-date details
available from the page below.
Published and planned support for Curriculum for Excellence:
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/publishedandplannedsupport
T +44 (0)141 282 5000 E enquiries@educationscotland.gov.uk W www.educationscotland.gov.uk
Education Scotland, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way, Livingston EH54 6GA
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