Catering Assistant

Salutem; Five Oaks; On-site; GBP 12,000 - 18,000; Full time

Job summary

Ingfield Manor School is seeking a reliable Catering Assistant to support our busy school catering team. You will help prepare and serve meals, maintain high standards of cleanliness and hygiene, and assist during meal times to ensure a smooth service.

Join a supportive staff community within Salutem Care and Education, where training is provided and safeguarding is a priority. This is a great entry position for someone who cares about children and enjoys teamwork.

Qualifications

• Positive team player with a strong work ethic.
• Good organisational and communication skills.
• Commitment to high standards of cleanliness and food hygiene.

Responsibilities

• Assist with food preparation, including washing, peeling, chopping, and preparing ingredients.
• Serve meals to staff and students, including preparing packed lunches.
• Maintain clean and hygienic kitchen, dining, and food preparation areas.
• Receive, organise, and store food deliveries.
• Support students during meal service and encourage positive dining behaviours.
• Set up and maintain dining service equipment.
• Follow food safety, hygiene, and health and safety procedures at all times.
• Attend required training and undertake other duties as directed.

Skills

Team player

Strong work ethic

Organisational skills

Good communication

Food hygiene awareness

Job description

About The Company

Ingfield Manor School is a non-maintained special school and part of Salutem Care and Education who have services across England and Wales supporting adults and children in residential and educational Environments.

Based in its our own idyllic grounds, Ingfield Manor School offers extensive specialist facilities with the aim to provide an exceptional learning environment, helping children and young people fulfil their potential. Facilities include woodland and outdoor classroom space, high specification sensory room and swimming pool.

At Ingfield Manor School, we believe everyone should have the opportunity to live a healthy, active, and fulfilling life, regardless of their background or disability. The aim of our services is to provide a safe and stimulating environment that enables children and young people to flourish and grow.

Our IMS provision caters for students aged 3—19 years with neurological motor impairment such as Cerebral Palsy and associated medical and sensory needs. Following the Conductive Education approach, Ingfield Manor School focuses on the holistic development of everyone, including their physical and communication skills.

Our Woodview provision is for secondary aged students with special educational needs including speech, language, and communication needs (SLCN) and autistic spectrum conditions (ASC)

We also have Beaumont Sussex on our campus, a Post-19 college for special educational needs and students with physical disabilities which is part of Beaumont College which offers pathways for students as they Prepare for Adulthood.

We are immensely proud of our school and our community. We are committed to providing the very best for young people while they are with us, helping them to develop the knowledge, skills, confidence and aspiration to succeed throughout their lives. We know that our staff team make the school what it is today and are the key to a successful future. Staff are well supported by the leadership team and are offered opportunities to progress. We know that each and every one of our staff have a pivotal role to play and we believe in supporting everyone to fulfil their potential. Ingfield Manor School is a rewarding place to work, and staff report high levels of job satisfaction.

Through working for Salutem we offer a comprehensive range of employee benefits designed to support you in various aspects of your life through our benefits platform Salutem Extras.

Some of these benefits include free online GP access for you and your family, ensuring that healthcare is readily accessible when you need it most. Additionally, our free employee assistance programme extends its support to both you and your partner, providing essential services such as counselling, financial advice, and legal guidance.

Ingfield Manor School has convenient road links and is a 10-minute drive from Horsham. There is a bus stop 10-minute walk from the school, a large car park for those travelling by car.

New employees joining Ingfield Manor School are guaranteed a warm welcome from the community. Our motto is that ‘Fulfilling Potential’ and we strongly believe that this should include our entire school community.

We look forward to getting to know you better and helping you to play your part in providing the very best to our young people.

About The Role

Catering Assistant

We are seeking a reliable and enthusiastic Catering Assistant to support our busy school catering team. You will help prepare and serve food, maintain high standards of cleanliness and hygiene, support students during meal times, and ensure the smooth running of kitchen and dining services

Key Responsibilities

• Assist with food preparation, including washing, peeling, chopping, and preparing ingredients.


• Serve meals to staff and students, including preparing packed lunches.


• Maintain clean and hygienic kitchen, dining, and food preparation areas.


• Receive, organise, and store food deliveries.


• Support students during meal service and encourage positive dining behaviours.


• Set up and maintain dining service equipment.


• Follow food safety, hygiene, and health and safety procedures at all times.


• Attend required training and undertake other duties as directed.

What We're Looking For

• A positive team player with a strong work ethic.


• Good organisational and communication skills.


• A commitment to high standards of cleanliness and food hygiene.


• Experience in a catering or kitchen environment is desirable but not essential as training will be provided.

This is an excellent opportunity to join a supportive team and make a positive contribution to our school community.

Our Values

Our values shape the way we work. We are Supportive, Ambitious, Loyal, Unique, Transparent, Engaging and Meaningful in everything we do.

We believe in creating opportunities, encouraging independence and ensuring the people we support have the opportunity to live the life they choose.

Why Choose Salutem?

We want our people to feel supported, valued and able to thrive — both at work and outside of it.

Emotional Support

24/7 Employee Assistance, mental health resources, meditation apps and bereavement support.

Health & Wellbeing

Free online GP access, Health Cash Plan, Cancer Cover and menopause support.

Financial Support

Flexible pay through Stream, utility bill savings, MoneyHelper and Life Assurance.

Physical Wellbeing

Online workouts, Cycle to Work scheme, gym discounts and National Trust activities.

Training

You’ll receive training, ongoing support and opportunities to develop your skills and career in social care.

Ready to make a difference?

If you’re passionate about making a positive difference, we’d love to hear from you. Apply today

Safeguarding Commitment

At Salutem Care and Education, safeguarding is at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to protecting and promoting the welfare of the children, young people, and adults we support, and we expect all colleagues to share this commitment.

All appointments are subject to robust safer recruitment checks, including an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check (including relevant barred list checks where applicable), satisfactory references, and any other pre-employment checks required for the role.

We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates who share our values and commitment to making a positive difference.

We are committed to ensuring that safeguarding is a top priority. Therefore, in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE), we will carry out online searches on shortlisted candidates as part of our due diligence process.