Catering Assistant (Maternity Cover 12 Months)

Acorn Care and Education; Manchester; On-site; GBP 14,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading specialist education provider in Manchester is seeking a Catering Assistant for maternity cover. The role involves preparing meals, supporting management, maintaining hygiene standards, and ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations. Ideal candidates should have experience in food hygiene and a passion for providing nutritious meals in a school environment. This role offers 25 hours per week with a salary of £13,937.50 per annum.

Benefits

Life Assurance

Pension scheme

Mental health support services

Discount options

Cycle to Work Schemes

Electric Car Purchase Scheme

Family Growth Support

Qualifications

• Previous experience working in a school kitchen is desirable.
• Strong understanding of food hygiene, Health & Safety, and catering standards.
• Ability to work flexibly, resourcefully, and as part of a team.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and cook meals to a high standard.
• Support day-to-day management of the catering department.
• Maintain high standards of hygiene and food safety.

Skills

Food hygiene knowledge

Health & Safety compliance

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Job description

Overview

Role: Catering Assistant (Maternity Cover 12 Months)

Location: Reddish Hall School, Stockport SK5 6UY

Salary: £13,937.50 per annum (not pro rata)

Hours: 25 hours per week, Monday to Friday 9.00am – 2.00pm

Contract: Fixed Term Contract, Term time Only

Start Date: December 2025

UK applicants only. This role does not offer sponsorship.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and cook meals for students and staff to a high standard.
• Support the Catering Manager in the day-to-day management of the catering department.
• Maintain high standards of hygiene and food safety in line with current legislation (HACCP, COSHH, etc.).
• Safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils and young people at all times.
• Work within school policies, professional practice standards, and legal requirements.
• Assist with stock control, food procurement, supplier relationships, and cost monitoring to ensure budget requirements are met.
• Ensure competitive rates and value for money through regular benchmarking.
• Undertake risk assessments and ensure compliance with Health & Safety requirements.
• Contribute to maintaining a high quality of catering services that enhance the care and wellbeing of students.

Qualifications / Who we're looking for

• Previous experience working in a school kitchen is desirable.
• Strong understanding of food hygiene, Health & Safety, and catering standards.
• Ability to work flexibly, resourcefully, and as part of a team.
• Good organisational and communication skills.
• Passionate about providing nutritious meals in a safe, caring environment.

About Us

Reddish Hall School is an independent specialist day school for boys and girls aged 5 to 18, catering for pupils with social emotional and mental health difficulties, with a high proportion of pupils who have a diagnosis of ASC. Our dedicated team work together to ensure successful outcomes for pupils who often arrive at the school with a troubled view of education and life.

We pride ourselves in steering pupils in the right direction, nurturing aspiration to progress them both academically and socially to encourage them to take pride in their achievements. Socially, we build confidence in our students, so they are able to have a greater understanding of the wider community in which they live.

Acorn Education is the UK’s leading independent provider of specialist education. As part of Outcomes First Group, we are leading our sector in setting and delivering new approaches that provide measurable outcomes for those in our care.

We are really proud to say that in 2024, Outcomes First Group were officially certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ for the fifth year running.

Why join Acorn Education?

We place the outcomes of the pupils and vulnerable young adults in our services at the heart of everything we do, so you’ll wake every day in the knowledge that your role will have a significant positive impact on the lives of others.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of pupils and young people. All applicants will be subject to social media checks and successful applicants to a fully enhanced DBS.

Benefits

Your health and wellbeing are important to us, so you’ll get an exceptional reward package including:

• Life Assurance
• Pension scheme with options to increase your contributions
• “Your Wellbeing Matters” – access to a wide range of first-class mental health support services and physical health checks
• And a market-leading benefit offering through our Flexible Benefits Platform, Vista, enables you to choose the package that’s right for you, including:
• A wide range of health, wellbeing, and insurance benefits
• 100’s of discount options valid in the UK and abroad
• Cycle to Work Schemes
• Electric Car Purchase Scheme
• Critical illness cover
• Family Growth Support - inclusive benefits package covering enhanced maternity and paternity leave, along with paid fertility treatment support.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

Outcomes First Group is committed to carrying out a fair, thorough and efficient recruitment process in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education. Whilst we aim to keep applicants informed throughout, Outcomes First Group does not accept liability for any loss of earnings or other associated costs incurred by applicants as a result of delays or changes in the compliance process. All stages of the compliance process are subject to necessary safeguarding checks and compliance with statutory requirements, which may affect timescales.