Kitchen Assistant

OFG Education; Kirkby Lonsdale; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 27,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Life Assurance

Pension scheme

Wellbeing support

Flexible Benefits Platform (Vista)

Cycle to Work Scheme

Electric Car Purchase Scheme

Health, wellbeing and insurance perks

Job summary

OFG Education is seeking a Kitchen Assistant at Underley Garden School in Kirkby Lonsdale. The role is 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday, 8am–4pm, permanent with term-time-only options. Start date January 2027.

UK applicants only; sponsorship not available. You will assist with meal preparation, service and maintaining high hygiene standards, working closely with the Cook/Supervisor to support a busy school catering operation and create a positive dining experience for students.

Qualifications

• Teamwork in a busy kitchen environment.
• Ability to maintain high standards of food hygiene.
• Reliable and organised with good initiative.
• Effective communication with colleagues and students.
• Commitment to safeguarding and welfare of children.

Responsibilities

• Assist with preparation, cooking and serving of meals.
• Support lunchtime dining to ensure a positive experience.
• Maintain cleanliness throughout kitchen and dining areas.
• Clean equipment and ensure hygienic prep areas.
• Support stock control and report shortages or issues.
• Follow food safety and health & safety procedures.
• Record meal numbers and communicate changes as needed.
• Work collaboratively to provide high-quality catering services.

Skills

Team player

Calm under pressure

Reliable

Organised

Effective communication

Safeguarding commitment

Driving licence

Job description

At OFG Education we believe in creating a better work life balance

Job Title:

Kitchen Assistant

Location:

Underley Garden School, Kirkby Lonsdale LA6 2DZ

Hours:

40 hours per week | Monday to Friday |

8am - 4pm

Salary:

£24,619.20 per annum (not pro rata)

Contract:

Permanent | Term Time Only

Start:

January 2027

UK applicants only – no sponsorship available

About the Role

Are you a team player who enjoys working in a busy kitchen environment? Do you take pride in preparing food, maintaining high standards, and helping create a positive experience for young people?

We‘re looking for a Kitchen Assistant to join our friendly team, supporting the preparation and service of nutritious meals for students. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who enjoys practical work, values teamwork, and wants to play an important role in the school community.

As a Kitchen Assistant, you‘ll work closely with the Cook/Supervisor to help prepare, serve, and deliver meals while ensuring the kitchen remains safe, clean, and compliant with food hygiene standards. You‘ll contribute to creating a welcoming dining experience for students and support the smooth day‑to‑day running of the catering service.

No two days are the same, so we‘re looking for someone who can adapt quickly, stay organised, and maintain a positive attitude in a fast-paced environment.

What you will be doing

• Assisting with the preparation, cooking, and serving of meals
• Supporting students during lunchtime to help ensure a positive dining experience
• Maintaining excellent standards of cleanliness throughout the kitchen and dining areas
• Cleaning kitchen equipment and ensuring food preparation areas remain safe and hygienic
• Supporting stock control and reporting any shortages or issues
• Following food safety, health and safety, and hygiene procedures at all times
• Recording meal numbers and communicating any changes or additional requirements
• Working collaboratively with colleagues to provide a high‑quality catering service

What you will bring

• Enjoys working as part of a team
• Can remain calm and flexible when plans change
• Takes pride in maintaining high standards of cleanliness and food safety
• Is reliable, organised, and able to use their own initiative
• Communicates effectively with colleagues and young people
• Shares our commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people
• Driving licence required

About Us

At OFG Education, we believe every student deserves an education designed around who they are. Through high expectations, deep expertise and truly personalised education, we help students realise their potential and prepare for successful futures.

Building on more than 20 years of experience, we are bringing our approach to more students and communities around the world. Across the UK, Iberia and the Gulf, our schools combine the strength, expertise and high standards of an international education group with the individuality of each school and the communities they serve.

Whatever your role, joining OFG Education means contributing to our shared ambition: empowering every student to success through truly personalised education.

About Our School

Underley Garden School is a large school with small class sizes, focusing on students, aged 5-19, who have a range of complex needs associated with autism and learning disabilities, including complex communication, sensory and behavioural needs associated with their disabilities.

Our School adopts a holistic, person-centred approach to the development of our students and endeavours to ensure that they achieve as high a standard as possible. We offer a comprehensive portfolio of education and therapy to meet the individual requirements of students with complex special educational needs. We have developed our own curriculum pathways, to support the diverse needs of our young people, allowing each student to reach their full potential.

At Underley Garden, we aim to make a positive difference to the personal, social and learning lives of the people entrusted to our care.

Located near the market town of Kirkby Lonsdale on the edge of the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales. We are in a commutable distance from areas within Lancashire, Cumbria and North Yorkshire.

We are proud to be a part of OFG Education who in 2025 were officially certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ for the sixth year running.

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.

OFG Education 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, OFG Education 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 .