The college offers students the catering opportunity and develop general vocational and specific employable skills. Students are place in the college’s kitchen to carry out a variety of tasks to contribute to the running of a working kitchen.

All first year students spend a session a week for half a term in the kitchen during their first year. This allows the student to experience catering and form a realistic opinion of whether they would like to pursue the full course during their time at Oakwood Court College. It also offers students the opportunity to practice and develop employability skills.

Students choosing the full vocational course as an employment option return for a kitchen placement for sessions that allows them to practice, develop and maintain their vocational skills.

The type of activities and frequency of the sessions are arranged according to specific needs and abilities. Students return to the classroom at the end of each term to discuss their performance and how this could be improved.
Informed about health and safety matters at the start of the course, students are regularly reminded of appropriate safe actions throughout the course as appropriate.

Overview:

The College uses it’s own kitchen to offer work placements to students.

Objectives:

• To develop general and specific employability skills.

• To develop vocational skills in catering.

  Anticipated Outcomes

  Students will improve their ability to demonstrate

• a number of key general employability skills.

• a number of specific employability skills.

• a number of key vocational skills in catering.

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Equality and Diversity and Every Child Matters

• Access to the course is open to all students who attend Oakwood Court College, providing they assessed as able to participate without compromising their health and safety or that of a colleague.

• The course is able to meet 22 of the 28 descriptors outlined within the Every Child Matters strategy.

Accreditation: follows two paths.

• In-house accreditation: -Students work towards objectives set by the College.
  
  

• External Accreditation:

  • NPTC’s Skills for Working Life (Catering) – Entry 2 and 3.

    • City and Guilds NVQ 1 in Catering.

    • City and Guilds NVQ 2 in Catering.

    • Embedded Functional Skills  - student’s identified SMART targets are addressed during the session through embedded practice alongside catering skills

      Detail:

    • In-house accreditation focuses on employability skills, which generally fall under the following sub headings:

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    • Punctuality. Appearance. Attitude to work. Effort.

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      Behaviour. Communication skills. Awareness of health and safety.

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      Relations with colleagues.Independence. Work rate.

    • External accreditation: NPTC’s Skills for Working Life (Catering and Dining Area Service at Entry 2):

      • Prepare Self to Handle and Prepare Food

      • Recognise Kitchen Equipment and Utensils

      • Clean a Work Area

      • Clean Vegetables

      • Store Bread and Ingredients

      • Greet a Customer(s)

      • Take an Order from a Customer

      • Clear a Service Area

      • Serve Food at a Counter

      • Serve Drinks

    External accreditation: NPTC’s Skills for Working Life (Catering, Cooking and Dining Area Service at Entry 3):

  • Handle Food Safely

  • Clean Work Areas

  • Clean and Prepare Vegetables

  • Prepare and Store Cold Bread Products

  • Clean Refrigerated Storage

  • Handle Food Safely

  • Frying Food

  • Grilling Food

  • Baking Food

  • Boiling Food

  • Respond to Customer Requests

  • Prepare for Restaurant Service

  • Prepare Dining Tables

  • Service Customers and Maintain a Dining Table

  • Clear a Dining Area
    

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External accreditation: Level 1 and 2 NVQ in Catering: