Assistant Cook

The Witherslack Group; Banbury; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 27,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

£1,000 referral bonus

Job summary

The Witherslack Group is seeking an Assistant Cook to join our school kitchen in Banbury. You will prepare and serve nutritious meals for pupils, staff and visitors, while following food hygiene rules and safety protocols.

The role requires flexibility to assist with menu planning and accommodating dietary needs, helping each student thrive. We offer a supportive working environment with a competitive package, annual holidays based on school terms, and ongoing training.

Qualifications

• Experience catering in a professional setting.
• Basic Food Hygiene and Safety Certificate preferred.
• Hard-working, friendly and dependable.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and serve tasty, nutritious meals for students, staff and visitors.
• Follow food hygiene rules and health and safety guidelines.
• Assist with menu planning and dietary requirements.
• Support the kitchen team and maintain a clean, organized workspace.

Skills

Catering experience

Reliable and hard-working

Education

Basic Food Hygiene Certificate

Job description

Assistant Cook

Date: 2026-08-16T20:47:52

Location: Banbury, Oxfordshire, GB, OX16 5

Application Deadline: 2026-09-15T03:03:06.183

Job Description

£18,626 (FTE £24,796) Please note that the successful candidate will be expected to work 32 hours per week. Looking for someone to be able to start in September 2026, so shortlisting will be completed in August.

Being a cook in our school means being part of something big. You’ll be working at the heart of the school, preparing and serving tasty, nutritious food to our young people, staff, and visitors.

You’ll be expected to follow food hygiene rules and keep health and safety in mind, but the key is to create varied menus that encourage our young people to try new food. You’ll help plan meals, taking into account any specific dietary requirements.

Our idea is that every student who comes to us will soar. No matter what their past, this will be the school where they lift off and rise to the heights we know they can achieve. Even the school’s logo, a bird soaring high, illustrates the aspiration for every pupil and upon joining each young person is encouraged to aim high and begin their journey to both academic and personal achievement. The school's extensive grounds, highly resourced classrooms, and vocational centre offers the perfect environment for young people to enjoy and this was recently recognised by Ofsted with a rating of Good.

What we do for you

We know you're going to do great things. For your hard work and commitment, we reward you with the best salary and benefits package in the education sector. With us, you'll get to bring learning to life and make a genuine difference to the lives of our young people plus you'll get:

• Training: A full induction and on-the-job training
• Holiday: You'll work hard at WG, so you'll be rewarded with full school holidays
• Flexible benefits: meaning you can increase/decrease benefits such as life insurance. (Benefits available upon request)
• Wellbeing: a host of wellbeing tools and advice including employee assistance
• Medical cover: so you can claim back costs like opticians or dentist appointments and enjoy a range of high-street discounts
• Beautiful working environments: with the very best facilities
• A 'recommend a friend' scheme: that offers a £1,000 bonus every time

Bring your whole-self to work

Our young people come from all walks of life, diverse backgrounds, and with different needs. Our workforce reflects that diversity to engage, encourage, and inspire our young people to be themselves. The kind of person we're looking for will:

• Have experience catering in a professional setting, but if you're a competent home cook, we’d still like to hear from you
• Ideally have a basic Food Hygiene and Safety Certificate
• Be hard-working, friendly, and dependable

Interested in joining us?

At Witherslack Group, inclusion is part of who we are. We're committed to creating an environment where everyone feels respected and valued, and that they truly belong.

As a specialist provider of education and care for children and young people with special educational needs, we understand the importance of embracing individuality and championing neurodiversity. We celebrate diverse perspectives, lived experiences, and the unique strengths each person brings to our community.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, and abilities. We are proud to be recognised as an inclusive employer and are committed to making our recruitment and workplace practices inclusive and accessible. If you need any adjustments to support you through the recruitment process or in the workplace, we’ll be there every step of the way.

By building a diverse and inclusive team, we are better able to support the children, young people and families we serve and ensure every member of our team can thrive, grow, and be their authentic self.

The Witherslack Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its young people.

This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check (cost covered) and an online search.

We are an equal opportunities employer welcoming applications from all sections of the community.