Hospitality and Tourism

Vision

Our BTEC Level 1 Hospitality and Tourism curriculum provides pupils with the knowledge, practical skills and professional behaviours needed to understand the hospitality, travel and tourism sector. Through vocational learning and real-world contexts, pupils develop organisational skills, customer awareness and practical food preparation skills while gaining an understanding of the UK tourism industry.

The course prepares learners for further study, employment within hospitality, catering or tourism, and the development of transferable skills for future careers and independent life.

Curriculum Intent

The curriculum is designed to provide pupils with an understanding of the hospitality and tourism sector alongside essential employability and life skills.

We aim to:

Develop organisational and employability skills

Through Unit A1: Being Organised, pupils develop essential study and workplace skills including time management, meeting deadlines, planning tasks and organising resources. These skills support successful coursework completion and prepare pupils for professional environments.

Support personal development and future progression

Through Unit A2: Developing a Personal Progression Plan, pupils reflect on their strengths, identify areas for development and set future goals. They explore career pathways within hospitality, tourism and related sectors, developing confidence, independence and self-awareness.

Develop understanding of local visitor attractions

Through Unit HT7: Exploring Local Visitor Attractions, pupils investigate different types of visitor attractions and their importance to local communities and economies. They develop understanding of how attractions meet visitor needs and contribute to the tourism industry.

Develop knowledge of the UK travel and tourism sector

Through Unit HT8: Exploring Travel and Tourism in the UK, pupils gain an understanding of the structure and importance of the UK tourism industry, including destinations, services and customer expectations.

Develop practical hospitality skills through food preparation

Through Unit HT5: Preparing and Cooking Food, pupils develop basic food preparation and cooking skills while understanding hygiene, safety and presentation. They learn how food provision supports hospitality services and customer experience.

Prepare learners for future pathways

The curriculum provides a foundation for further study in hospitality, catering, travel and tourism or business, while developing transferable skills such as teamwork, communication, organisation and professionalism.

Curriculum Implementation

The curriculum is delivered through a vocational and practical approach that combines theoretical knowledge with applied learning experiences.

Sequencing and Structure

Learning is carefully sequenced to build knowledge, confidence and independence.

• Unit A1: Being Organised establishes core study and workplace skills.
• Unit A2: Developing a Personal Progression Plan supports reflection and career awareness.
• Pupils then explore the sector through HT7: Local Visitor Attractions and HT8: Travel and Tourism in the UK, developing understanding of industry practice.
• HT5: Preparing and Cooking Food develops practical hospitality skills and understanding of food service within the industry.

This structure ensures progression in knowledge, vocational skills and professional behaviour across Years 10 and 11.

Teaching Approaches

• Lessons include teacher input, discussion, case studies and practical activities.
• Real-world examples support understanding of industry practice.
• Practical food preparation tasks develop technical and safety skills.
• Key subject terminology is explicitly taught and reinforced.
• Scenario-based activities develop problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Opportunities for reflection support personal and professional development.

Adaptive teaching ensures all pupils are supported and appropriately challenged.

Assessment

Assessment follows Pearson BTEC requirements through internally assessed coursework.

• Pupils complete assignments demonstrating knowledge, practical understanding and vocational skills.
• Clear success criteria support pupils in meeting assessment standards.
• Regular feedback enables pupils to improve work and build confidence.

Curriculum Impact

The impact of the curriculum is seen in pupils who demonstrate understanding of the hospitality and tourism sector alongside strong employability skills.

By the end of Year 11, pupils:

• Demonstrate effective organisation and time management skills.
• Show increased self-awareness and clear progression goals.
• Understand the role and importance of local visitor attractions.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the UK travel and tourism industry.
• Apply food preparation and hygiene skills safely and confidently.
• Show professionalism, teamwork and communication skills.
• Apply knowledge to vocational and real-life contexts.

Pupils are well prepared for further study in hospitality, catering, travel and tourism or related vocational pathways and develop transferable skills valued by employers.

Ultimately, learners leave the course with the knowledge, skills and confidence to engage with the hospitality and tourism sector and progress to future education or employment.

Curriculum Overview: