Catering Assistant / St James Academy

WMJobs; Dudley; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 24,000; Full time

Job summary

Dudley Academies Trust is seeking a hardworking individual to join the St James Academy catering team. The role covers food preparation, service and the cleaning of kitchen and dining areas in a busy school environment.

This is a physical role requiring washing up, cleaning equipment and premises, serving meals and maintaining high hygiene standards in line with health and safety procedures. The successful candidate will be reliable, team‑oriented and committed to clean, safe food handling.

Qualifications

• Duties include washing up, cleaning equipment and premises, and ensuring dietary requirements are met.
• Follow health and safety procedures and contribute to a clean, safe environment.
• Reliable, team-focused and committed to excellent hygiene practices.

Responsibilities

• Assist with food preparation, service and the cleaning of kitchen and dining areas.
• Maintain hygiene standards and food safety throughout service.

Job description

Dudley Academies Trust,

Join our dedicated Catering team at St James Academy! We are looking for a hardworking individual to assist with food preparation, service, and the cleaning of kitchen and dining areas. This is a physical role involving cooking vegetables, preparing salads, helping with main meals and desserts, serving food, and maintaining hygiene standards.

Duties also include washing up, cleaning equipment and premises, and ensuring dietary requirements are met. You will follow health and safety procedures and contribute to a clean, safe environment. If you are reliable, team-focused, and committed to excellent hygiene practices, we’d love to hear from you!

“St James is an inclusive and welcoming school. Pupils are courteous and polite.” – Ofsted 2024

St James Academy is a good school (Ofsted 2024) with high expectations for everyone. We are determined to become a centre of excellence for young people who live in central Dudley, improving life chances for all.

Since joining the Trust, St James is the most improved school in the Borough for grades achieved at GCSE and for passing Maths and English at Grade 5 or above. In fact, the proportion of learners achieving Grade 5 or higher in both English and Mathematics has doubled!

An increasing number of departments have achieved 100% GCSE pass rates, and our ambition is that this should extend to every area as quickly as possible.

Our philosophy is simple: we will ensure the success of our learners through outstanding teaching, positive behaviour and embracing the talents of each individual.

There is also a strong caring ethos here, which ensures high levels of support for learners and creates an atmosphere of mutual respect throughout the school. Our learners are challenged to extend their interests through a wide programme of extra-curricular activities, sports teams and enrichment activities.

The Trust recognises that our staff are our most value asset and investing in our people is a key strategic priority. An extensive program of staff development is operated within school and across the Trust, and this is extended to senior and middle leaders, aspiring leaders, and teaching and associate staff.

You will be joining St James at an exciting time as we continue our journey to provide first class education for the young people of Dudley

Closing date is Sunday 6th September 2026. We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the date advertised.

All successful applicants will need to undertake an enhanced disclosure and barring service check and children and adults barred list checks, where the applicant will be employed in a regulated activity.

Dudley Academies Trust is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applicants from all backgrounds, including disabled, and black and ethnic minority applicants.