Cook - Tamworth Campus

Hillingdon Manor School; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 24,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Life Assurance

Pension scheme

Your Wellbeing Matters

Flexible Benefits Platform (Vista)

Cycle to Work Scheme

Electric Car Purchase Scheme

Critical illness cover

Family Growth Support

Job summary

Care First is seeking a Cook for our Tamworth Campus to prepare nutritious meals and provide a high-quality dining experience for students with diverse needs.

You will work 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday, at the Tamworth Campus, Silica Road, Birmingham B77 4DT, with a permanent contract. You’ll ensure dietary requirements are met, uphold food safety standards, and support pupils and staff in a welcoming, inclusive environment.

Qualifications

• Experience in catering or related environment is essential.
• Ability to plan nutritious menus within food safety regulations.
• Strong organisational skills and ability to prioritise tasks.
• Experience in leading and supporting others in a busy kitchen.
• Proactive, reliable and committed to excellent service.
• Capable of working across teams and building relationships.
• Willing to work towards catering and food hygiene qualifications.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and serve nutritious meals tailored to dietary needs.
• Maintain food hygiene, health, safety and infection control standards.
• Manage stock, orders and accurate catering records.
• Lead and support kitchen staff, including students on work experience.
• Monitor allergens, portions, waste and cost-effective meal planning.
• Collaborate with education, residential, pastoral and therapy teams.
• Ensure safe use of kitchen equipment and report faults promptly.
• Support training and quality assurance activities.

Skills

Catering experience

Education sector experience

Care/residential environment

Strong organisational skills

Leadership / team support

Reliability and proactivity

Collaborative delivery

Education

Food hygiene qualifications

Job description

Enter your postcode, then select the range below

• Range

Cook - Tamworth Campus

• Birmingham
• Permanent

Salary: £22,160.62 per annum

Hours: 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday

Job title: Cook
Location: Care First,Tamworth Campus, Silica Road, Birmingham B77 4DT
Salary: £22,160.62 per annum (not pro rata)
Hours: 37.5 hours per week | Monday to Friday | 7.00am - 3:00pm
Contract: Permanent | Term Time only
UK applicants only; no sponsorship available

About the role

Are you a passionate cook who believes great food can make a real difference? We're looking for a dedicated Cook to join our specialist further education setting, providing fresh, nutritious, and enjoyable meals that support the wellbeing, independence, and development of our students.

This is more than a catering role. You'll play an important part in creating a positive dining experience, ensuring every student has access to meals that meet their individual dietary, cultural, medical, and sensory needs. Working as part of a supportive team, you'll help maintain the highest standards of food quality, hygiene, and safety while contributing to a welcoming and inclusive college environment.

What you will be doing

• Preparing and serving nutritious, high-quality meals tailored to individual dietary and medical needs.
• Maintaining excellent food hygiene, health and safety, and infection control standards.
• Managing stock, ordering supplies, and keeping accurate catering records.
• Leading and supporting kitchen staff, including students undertaking work experience placements.
• Monitoring allergens, portion control, food waste, and budget-effective meal planning.
• Working closely with education, residential, pastoral, and therapy teams to support student needs.
• Ensuring kitchen equipment is used safely and reporting any faults or concerns promptly.
• Contributing to staff training, quality assurance activities, and continuous service improvement.

What you will bring

• Have experience in a catering, education, care, residential, or similar environment.
• Are confident planning nutritious menus and working within food safety regulations.
• Have strong organisational skills and can manage competing priorities effectively.
• Enjoy leading and supporting others within a busy kitchen environment.
• Are proactive, reliable, and committed to delivering an excellent service.
• Can build positive working relationships and work collaboratively across teams.
• Hold, or are willing to work towards, relevant catering and food hygiene qualifications.

Why Join Care First?

Care First provides person-centred education and day provision for young adults with learning difficulties, autism, mental health needs and complex needs. Our tailored programmes help learners develop life skills, build independence and thrive within their communities.

We are proud to be part of Options Autism, which for over 19 years has delivered specialist care and education for children, young people and adults with autism and complex needs. Together, we are part of Outcomes First Group, pioneers of innovative, evidence-based approaches that create meaningful, measurable outcomes.

In 2025, Outcomes First Group was officially certified as a 'Great Place to Work' for the sixth year running - something we’re incredibly proud of.

Why Join Us?

We place students and vulnerable young adults at the heart of everything we do, so every day brings the satisfaction of making a real difference. We are committed to the safeguarding and promoting the welfare of students and young people. All applicants will be subject to social media checks and successful applicants to a fully enhanced DBS.

• Life Assurance
• Pension scheme with options to increase contributions
• "Your Wellbeing Matters" - mental health support and physical health checks
• Flexible Benefits Platform (Vista), including:
  • Health, wellbeing and insurance benefits
  • Hundreds of UK and international discounts
  • Cycle to Work Scheme & Electric Car Purchase Scheme
  • Critical illness cover
  • Family Growth Support, including enhanced maternity/paternity leave and 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.

Wherever you work - whether in a city location or one of our more rural settings - you’ll be part of one dynamic family, aiming high and dreaming big, and helping the people we work with achieve their own personal goals

Salary: Up to £45,000 per annum (depending on experience)

Hours: 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday

Hours: 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday

With amazing teams working across our family of brands – Acorn Education, Options Autism, Momenta Connect and Blenheim Schools– we offer a huge range of exciting career opportunities.Take a closer look and discover how fulfilling your career could be.

Meeting the social and emotional needs of pupils who have faced trauma or adversity, equipping them for life’s important steps.

Supporting autistic pupils to value their uniqueness and access the world in their own way.

At Momenta Connect we support young people to overcome barriers and engage with education.

We are committed to enabling outstanding futures for all children through a portfolio of inclusive, high-quality independent and international schools.