Thriving together
Festive food at Ivanhoe
16 December 2025
Festive food focus for the Ivanhoe learners in Christmas build up
This week in Food and Nutrition we have been extending our practical skills by making festive foods such as savoury cheese, tomato and basil Christmas tree pastries in Year 7. In Year 8 we made mini Christmas cakes which students enjoyed making and decorating. In Year 9 students developed skills in shortcrust pastry making using the rubbing in method to make mince pies and festive tarts. We have also made Yule logs in GCSE Food and Nutrition, using the whisking and aeration methods, discussing raising agents and food science too. We also made a rich ganache and decorated our Yule logs. Here are some of the great results achieved! We also made a communal Christmas dinner in Year 11 to showcase our skills!
GCSE Food and Nutrition students epic Christmas dinner efforts
GCSE Food and Nutrition students have recalled and applied prior knowledge and skills to make a Christmas dinner. Students worked as team to create the meal, focusing on time management, collaboration and delegation of tasks, handling raw meat and ensuring it was cooked properly, using a temperature probe to check this. Knife skills were also practiced when students were preparing and cutting the vegetables using techniques such as slicing and julienne to gibe a professional finish. Students also used a range of different cooking methods such as roasting, boiling and even frying. It was a great opportunity to practice presentation skills too in preparation for their GCSE practical exam sessions happening in the new year. The results were delicious and students enjoyed eating the fruits of their labour at the end of the session. It would be great experience to get your children cooking at home to support with the Christmas meal during the holidays to develop those practical life skills.
Jen Steere (Headteacher)
North Street
Ashby de la Zouch
Leicestershire
LE65 1HX
Tel: 01530 412756
Email: office@ivanhoe.co.uk
