What is Section D of OCR J309, and how does the NEA work?

Section D lists the practical skill requirements: general skills, knife skills, preparing fruit and vegetables, use of equipment, cooking methods, prepare-combine-and-shape, sauces, tenderising and marinating, dough, raising agents and setting mixtures. These skills are assessed in the non-exam assessment (NEA), which is worth 50% in two tasks: the Food Investigation Task (NEA 1, 15%, 45 marks) and the Food Preparation Task (NEA 2, 35%, 105 marks).

What is the Food Investigation Task (NEA 1)?

NEA 1 is worth 15% (45 marks). You choose one of two set tasks and investigate, through practical experiments, the working characteristics and functional and chemical properties of ingredients, then write up the findings in a 1500 to 2000 word report. It rewards a hypothesis, fair testing (controlling variables and repeating results), objective recording, analysis and a conclusion linked to the food science.

What is the Food Preparation Task (NEA 2)?

NEA 2 is worth 35% (105 marks). You plan, prepare, cook and present a menu of three dishes within a single session of no more than three hours, with written and photographic evidence. Success depends on a skilful, realistic menu, a detailed dovetailed time plan, safe and hygienic working, and good presentation and evaluation.

How should I prepare for the NEA in OCR GCSE Food?

Build the Section D skills through regular practice, aiming for a range of high-level techniques. Practise writing dovetailed time plans and using mise en place. For NEA 1, rehearse fair-test investigations linked to the food science; for NEA 2, plan three-dish menus that show a range of skills and can be made in three hours, and practise presenting and honestly evaluating your dishes against the brief.

EnglandFood Preparation & Nutrition

OCR GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (J309): Food preparation skills and the NEA (Section D) overview

An overview of the food preparation skills (Section D) and the non-exam assessment in OCR GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (J309), mapping the skill requirements, the Food Investigation Task (NEA 1) and the Food Preparation Task (NEA 2), planning and time management, and presentation and evaluation.

Generated by Claude Opus 4.88 min readJ309 Section DUpdated 2026-06-02

Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed

Jump to a section

The skills and NEA content
How the NEA is assessed
How to prepare for the NEA
For the official specification

Section D of OCR GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (specification J309) sets out the practical skill requirements, and these are assessed in the non-exam assessment (NEA), which is worth 50% of the GCSE across two tasks. This page maps the skills and the NEA and links to a focused answer page for each part.

The skills and NEA content

Food preparation skills. The Section D skill groups, from knife skills to sauces, dough, raising agents and setting mixtures, and why a range of high-level skills matters. See Food preparation skills.

The Food Investigation Task (NEA 1). Investigating the functional and chemical properties of ingredients, the 1500 to 2000 word report, and fair testing. See The Food Investigation Task.

The Food Preparation Task (NEA 2): Planning and cooking three dishes in three hours, the dovetailed time plan, and the skills shown. See The Food Preparation Task.
Planning and time management: Writing a time plan, mise en place, dovetailing, managing equipment and working safely. See Planning and time management.
Presentation and evaluation: Presenting dishes well and evaluating them against the brief with sensory analysis and improvements. See Presentation and evaluation.

How the NEA is assessed

The NEA is worth 50% of the GCSE in two tasks, completed during the course.

NEA 1: the Food Investigation Task - a science investigation with a 1500 to 2000 word report. 45 marks, 15%.
NEA 2: the Food Preparation Task - planning, preparing, cooking and presenting three dishes in three hours, with written and photographic evidence. 105 marks, 35%.

The Section D skills also support the written paper, where techniques such as gelatinisation, denaturation and using raising agents are examined.

How to prepare for the NEA

Build the skills. Practise a range of high-level techniques from the Section D groups.
Master the time plan. Use mise en place and dovetailing, plan backwards from serving.
Rehearse fair investigations. For NEA 1, control variables, repeat results and link to the science.
Plan realistic, skilful menus. For NEA 2, three dishes that show range and finish in three hours.
Present and evaluate well. Present to a high standard and evaluate honestly against the brief.

For the official specification

OCR publishes the full specification, the NEA task guidance, past papers and mark schemes at ocr.org.uk. Always revise from the current specification and OCR's own materials, because requirements are board-specific.

Sources & how we know this

OCR GCSE (9-1) Food Preparation and Nutrition J309 specification — OCR (2016)