Food Science and Nutrition (AAQ) - Level 3 Alternative Academic Qualification

Applications Open: 21st November 2025 (9.00am)

Applications Close: 13th February 2026 (4.00pm)

How to apply:

- All INTERNAL applicants MUST apply via Applicaa using this link (coming soon!)

- All EXTERNAL applicants MUST apply via Kent Choices using this link https://www.kentprospectus.co.uk/login

- All correspondence between learners and the school after an application is made will be via Applicaa.

- All applicants (internal and external) will be invited in for a 1-1 guidance meeting.

- Those who have a successful guidance meeting will be offered a place to study at St John's Sixth Form from September 2026.

Course Details

This qualification is designed for students who are interested in food science, nutrition and health, and are considering pursuing graduate careers in these fields. It is ideal for learners with a strong interest in the science behind food production, dietary health, and the broader impact of nutrition on well-being.

Upon completing this qualification, you will be able to:

• Demonstrate factual, procedural, and theoretical knowledge in food science and nutrition to complete tasks and solve problems that may be complex and non-routine.

• Interpret and evaluate relevant information and ideas.

• Understand the nature of the food science and nutrition field.

• Recognise different perspectives within the field and apply appropriate cognitive and practical skills, methods and procedures to address well-defined, but complex, problems.

• Use appropriate investigations to inform your actions.

• Review and evaluate the effectiveness of methods and actions.

Modules Studied

Learners are required to complete three mandatory units and a fourth unit from a choice of two.

Unit Mandatory/Optional Assessment Weighting

Unit 1: Nutritional needs across the life stages Mandatory External – written exam. 25%

Unit 2: Developing practical food production skills Mandatory Internal – a scenario-based task to a range of theory and practical based tasks. 25%

Unit 3: Principles of food hygiene and food safety in food production Mandatory External – written exam. 25%

Unit 4: Experimenting to solve food production problems Optional Internal – a scenario-based task with a range of theory and practical based tasks. 25%

Entry Requirements:

A minimum of 5 subjects at GCSE Grade 4/BTEC Level 2 Pass or higher:

Including

• Grade 4 in GCSE English Language or Literature.

• Grade 4-4 in combined Science or 4-4-4 in Triple Science (Biology/Chemistry/Physics).

• If BTEC Hospitality and Catering or GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition has not been studied at BTEC or GCSE level, a practical food preparation skills test will be required to gain admission to the course

What can I do after I have completed this course?

Possible further education courses you may wish to study after the completion of this course include:

• BSc Food and Nutrition

• BSc Food Science

• BSc Human Nutrition

• BSc Nutrition and Dietetics

Industries and job roles suited to those who study this course include dietetics, food science, nutrition, nutrition consultancy, public health, or food product development.