S1-S2 Home Economics Report Comments (Scotland)

Home economics covers practical food skills and a growing range of dishes, food safety and hygiene, nutrition and healthy eating, food choices, labelling and sustainability, designing and making food or textile items to a brief where taught, and planning, managing time and evaluating dishes.

Below are 13 sample sentences for S1-S2: two strengths and one next step for each of the 4 comment levels (Secure / Consolidating / Developing / Beginning), plus a tip for families. They are a small selection from the 288 home economics sentences in the full pack. Copy one, then add a detail only you know about the student.

Jump to: Secure · Consolidating · Developing · Beginning · Writing tips

Student name Pronouns

Fills in the name and pronouns on this page. Nothing is sent anywhere.

Secure S

Strengths

Building on primary learning, [Name] explains accurately why the body needs carbohydrate for energy, protein for growth and fibre for healthy digestion.
Using sensory testing, [Name] evaluates dishes in precise detail, describing appearance, aroma, taste and texture and justifying specific improvements.

Next steps:

Working out the nutrients in a family recipe and suggesting healthier swaps would help [Name] apply nutrition knowledge to everyday cooking.

Consolidating C

Strengths

Protein, carbohydrate and fat are among the nutrients [Name] can name, and [he/she/they] can explain what most of them do for the body.
[Name] evaluates dishes using sensory words for appearance, taste and texture, and can usually suggest a sensible improvement.

Next steps:

Sorting the ingredients of each dish made in class into the Eatwell Guide groups in the jotter would help [Name] judge how balanced a meal is.

Developing D

Strengths

[Name] recognises some nutrients, such as protein and carbohydrate, and is learning what each one does for the body.
When describing a dish, [Name] comments on how it looks and tastes and, with a word bank, is learning to use more precise sensory words.

Next steps:

Learning one key nutrient each week, such as protein for growth and repair, and finding foods that contain it would help [Name] build knowledge.

Beginning B

Strengths

Helped by a word bank, [Name] is starting to name some nutrients, such as protein and carbohydrate, and the foods that contain them.
After a practical, [Name] is starting to describe how a dish looks, smells and tastes, using a word bank of sensory words.

Next steps:

With a word bank, [Name] could learn the names of three nutrients and one food that contains each.

Support at home

When putting the shopping away, you could ask your child where each item belongs, such as raw meat on the bottom shelf of the fridge, and why.

How to write home economics comments for S1-S2

Name the practical skill: using the bridge and claw knife grips, weighing and measuring accurately, or using the hob and oven safely. A specific skill tells parents and carers what the pupil could try at home.
Describe food safety and hygiene habits, such as tying hair back, washing hands and avoiding cross-contamination, as part of the learning. A next step such as following a time plan for the whole practical is concrete.
For nutrition work, note whether the pupil can explain the Eatwell Guide or what a nutrient does in the body. Keep the comment on the learning and never on the pupil's own eating or body.

Watch out: Avoid comments about a pupil's own diet, weight or eating habits, and avoid judging only how the finished dish looks. Describe the skills and knowledge shown, such as safe knife work or explaining what a nutrient does.

The four levels describe how secure, accurate and independent the learning is in what has been taught, never a CfE level. Secure suits detailed, accurate work applied to unfamiliar tasks; Consolidating suits a sound grasp with occasional guidance; Developing suits sometimes, or with a model or worked example; Beginning names what is starting to show and the support that helps. Show the level through the work rather than writing the level word.

What Home Economics covers

In these comments, home economics covers these behaviours:

prepares and cooks dishes using a growing range of practical skills
works safely and hygienically with food and equipment
understands nutrition, healthy eating and dietary needs
considers food choices, labelling, sustainability and where food comes from
plans, manages time and evaluates dishes, including textile and design tasks where taught

More Scottish secondary subjects comments

How these sentences were made, and what has been checked: About these comments.