General Assistant

WSH Group; Oxford; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 21,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday entitlement

Volunteer days

Grandparent leave

Enhanced maternity leave

Training & development

Pension & life insurance

Perkbox discounts

Wellbeing hub & EAP

Free meals at work

Career development

Job summary

Holroyd Howe in Oxford is seeking a General Assistant to join the kitchen team at Dragon School. The role supports food preparation, cleanliness and service in a busy school catering environment.

You will follow health and safety regulations, assist with daily kitchen operations, and uphold allergen controls to ensure a safe, friendly dining experience for pupils and staff.

Qualifications

• Interest in food and cooking; eager to learn.
• Good attention to hygiene practices and details.
• Team player with a positive, flexible attitude.
• Previous kitchen experience or relevant training is beneficial.
• Willingness to work in education or school catering environment.

Responsibilities

• Assist in preparation of food and snacks.
• Keep kitchen and dining areas clean and tidy.
• Operate dishwashers and maintain sanitation.
• Follow health, safety, and hygiene regulations.
• Support daily kitchen operations and service setup.
• Uphold allergen controls and safe practices.

Skills

Interest in food and cooking

Attention to hygiene

Team player

Kitchen experience beneficial

Education catering willingness

Job description

Job Title:General Assistant
Location:Dragon school, Oxford
Contract Type:Term Time
Salary: £13.55 per hour

Why Join us?

• 28 days holiday (including bank holidays)
• 3 volunteering days to give back to causes you care about
• 3 days grandparent leave for those special family moments
• 24 weeks enhanced maternity leave
• Bespoke training & development opportunities
• Pension & life insurance
• Discounts on high street brands, cinema & holidays via the Perkbox App
• Wellbeing hub & access to employee assistance programme
• Free meals while at work
• Career development & Apprenticeships for all experience levels

About the role:

We are looking for a reliable and hardworking General Assistant to join the kitchen team at Dragon School, Oxford. This is a great opportunity to play a vital part in maintaining a clean, safe, and efficient kitchen environment in a supportive, food-led Education setting.

You will be joining Holroyd Howe, one of the UK’s leading contract caterers, providing fresh innovative food services solely to independent schools and colleges. We are a team of experienced professionals who tailor our catering service provision specifically to suit children of all ages in order to meet the bespoke requirements of each school.

The safety and wellbeing of the people we serve is at the heart of everything we do. A key element is effective allergen management; achieved through training, communication, and care, we create mealtimes where every pupil has a safe experience. Our mission is simple: to provide our teams with the right skills to succeed in their job and our exceptional teams of seasoned specialists customise our catering services to fit children of all ages and satisfy the unique needs of our clients.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

• To assist in the preparation of food and snacks
• To keep the kitchen and restaurant areas in a clean and tidy state at all times
• Operate dishwashers and ensure proper sanitation practices
• Follow health, safety, and hygiene regulations at all times
• Support the team in daily kitchen operations and setup for service
• Accountability for following and championing allergen controls
• To provide a friendly, efficient and hygienic service to all customers

Qualifications

Candidate Profile:

• A keen interest in food and cooking, eager to learn and develop skills
• Good attention to detail and understanding of hygiene practices
• Team player with a positive and flexible attitude
• Previous kitchen experience or relevant training is beneficial but not essential
• Willingness to work in an education or high-profile catering environment is desirable

Additional Information

We pride ourselves on:

People first
We’re a company of individuals, united in doing our best for our clients.

Great food, always
Using only the best ingredients, our food is fresh, authentic and tailored to each school, age group, and specific needs and preferences.

Food education
We educate pupils through food, encouraging them to understand and develop their own personal tastes and make informed food choices.

Respect in everything we do
Our respectful codes of conduct inform how we behave towards our clients and customers, suppliers and business partners, and each other.

Fresh thinking
New ideas for food, service and ways of working help us maintain our position as creative leaders in school catering.

You must be able to demonstrate that you have the Right to Work in the UK.

Holroyd Howe is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all employees to share this commitment. All roles within Holroyd Howe involve regulated activity. It is a criminal offence for individuals barred from working with children to apply for such roles. An Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, including a Barred List check will be required for all successful applicants. Shortlisted applicants will be asked to provide information about relevant criminal offences and will be subject to an online search of publicly available information. This search helps identify any issues that may affect suitability to work with children.

This appointment is offered on the return of satisfactory professional references.