Catering Assistant (Ark Alexandra Academy)

East Sussex County Council; Hastings; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 25,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Friendly working environment

Training days and events

Collaboration across Ark network

LGPS with employer contribution

Growth and development opportunities

Ark Rewards discounts

Employee Assistance Programme

Job summary

Ark Alexandra Academy in Hastings is seeking a Catering Assistant to join the busy catering team. You will be based at one campus under a Catering Supervisor, working term-time only plus one extra week as directed by the manager, with pay spread evenly across the year.

Applicants should have kitchen- environment experience, be a team player, and hold a health & safety or food hygiene qualification (or be willing to train). Hours are 9:30am–2:30pm, Monday to Friday.

Qualifications

• Experience working in a busy kitchen.
• Hours 9:30am–2:30pm, Monday to Friday.
• Health & safety and/or food hygiene qualification or willingness to train.

Responsibilities

• Based at one campus under the direction of a Catering Supervisor.
• Interact with staff and students; operate cashless tills and catering equipment.
• Work 9.30am–2.30pm term-time only, plus one extra week as directed.

Skills

Experience in busy kitchen

Team player

Cashless tills handling (basic)

Education

Health & safety qualification or Food hygiene qualification

Job description

Job Details

Salary: Ark Outside London Support Scale 2, Pay Points 2-3, £24,482 to £24,795 per annum pro rata.

Contract type: Permanent

Working pattern: Part-time, Term-time only, plus one extra week (40 weeks per year)

Closing date: Sunday 20th September 2026, 11.59pm

Interview date: Monday 28th September 2026

Role

This is a rare opportunity to join our hard-working, dedicated catering team in our growing academy. As a catering assistant you will be based at one of our two campuses under the direction of a Catering Supervisor. This is a term time only position, which means you will only work 39 weeks of the year, plus one extra week in the school holidays as directed by the manager. Pay is spread evenly over the year so you would never have a month without money.

Our standards are high and meals are prepared daily from fresh ingredients. We need someone who can work quickly and safely, be part of a team and has the confidence to interact with staff and students. We will show the successful applicant how to operate our cashless tills and any other items of catering equipment.

As the ideal candidate you will:

• Have experience of working in a busy kitchen
• Be available to work the hours of 9.30am to 2.30pm, Monday to Friday
• Have a resilient character and a strong personal drive
• Be able to take ownership of tasks and complete to a high standard
• Have a health & safety and/or food hygiene qualification or be willing to train towards
• Be a team player that can work collaboratively as well as using your own initiative
• Be flexible in covering other team members when required, even if it’s on the other campus
• Be committed to Ark’s ethos of high expectations and no excuses

Working Hours

9.30am - 2.30pm, Monday - Friday

Our school

We are aiming to create one of the top performing schools in the UK right here in Hastings. Ark Alexandra Academy is a popular secondary school in Hastings. We operate a ‘One School, Two Campus’ model, which brings with it unique opportunities for career growth and development. The school is on an exciting and rapid journey of improvement which is underpinned by research and best practice. We place primacy on traditional values: discipline, courtesy and respect. Our students are smart and ready to learn and thrive. We are a strict no mobile phone school.

What we offer

• A friendly but professional working environment
• Twice as many training days as standard and network-wide events with Ark colleagues
• Opportunities to collaborate with colleagues across the network
• Local Government Pension Scheme with a generous employer contribution
• Unique opportunities for growth and development
• Access to Ark Rewards – a scheme offering savings from over 3,000 major retailers
• Access to Employee Assistance Programme – providing free, confidential counselling, legal advice and a range of different support

Ark is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people in its academies. In order to meet this responsibility, its academies follow a rigorous selection process to discourage and screen out unsuitable applicants.

Ark requires all employees to undertake an enhanced DBS check. You are required, before appointment, to disclose any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. Non-disclosure may lead to termination of employment. However, disclosure of a criminal background will not necessarily debar you from employment - this will depend upon the nature of the offence(s) and when they occurred. To read more about Ark’s safer recruitment process, please read the page in the information pack available for download.

Additional Information

Your starting salary will be pro rata if the above position is part-time or term-time only.