In a postal survey of a random sample of 705 state secondary schools in England and Wales, 377 food technology teachers (54 per cent) completed a questionnaire concerning: coverage of different topics, teaching resources, perceived emphases within the National Curriculum and personal teaching priorities. Topics most covered included health, the food industry and cookery skills. Teachers expressed a need for more materials concerning food-pro duction technology. Practical cookery was seen as underemphasised in the National Curriculum. Teachers with longer experience placed more importance on nutrition and cookery as opposed to environmental or cross-curricular themes.
