School Cook

JR United Kingdom; Leicester; On-site; GBP 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading education provider is seeking a School Cook for a new school opening in September 2025. The role involves managing kitchen staff, planning menus, and ensuring high-quality food service for pupils with complex needs. This position offers a competitive salary and a supportive work environment focused on wellbeing.

Benefits

Life Assurance

Pension scheme

Mental health support services

Flexible Benefits Platform

Cycle to Work Schemes

Electric Car Purchase Scheme

Qualifications

• Experience of catering work in a residential or educational setting.
• Experience at management level in a similar setting.
• Willingness to work towards relevant qualifications.

Responsibilities

• Plan menus considering dietary needs of service users.
• Monitor stocks and manage kitchen operations.
• Ensure kitchen cleanliness and preparation for daily needs.

Skills

Catering experience

Menu planning

Management skills

Education

Relevant catering qualifications

Job description

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How would you like to be paid for five days but only work four*?

Our colleagues’ wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do at OFG, so we’re always looking for new ways to improve everyone’s work/life balance. We’re taking part in a trial of the 4-Day Working Week, meaning that you could be working one day less a week (or equivalent).

If the trial is a success, we’ll be rolling the 4DWW out across the Group – so there’s never been a more exciting time to join #teamOFG

Job Details

• Job Title: School Cook
• Salary: £25,000.00 per annum (not pro rata)
• Hours: 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday
• Contract: Permanent, Term Time Only
• Start: September 2025

UK applicants only. This role does not offer sponsorship.

As part of our continued growth, we now have a fantastic opportunity for a School Cook to join our close-knit team at Miller House School, part of Acorn Education.

About the role

The successful candidate will work as part of the catering team to manage and supervise all kitchen staff whilst being responsible for the planning and preparation of high-quality food and catering service to the School.

Main Duties & Responsibilities

• To plan menus for the School with reference to the dietary needs of the Service Users
• To undertake the monitoring of stocks by date rotation, portion control and quality and in accordance with the budgetary controls set
• To set up and clean down the kitchen areas before and after day-to-day use
• To ensure that necessary preparation is undertaken for the day/weekly demand/needs of the School
• To be observant of the need to minimise waste
• To provide suitable food to staff/Service Users with special dietary requirements
• Willingness to work towards other relevant qualifications as required
• Experience of catering work in a residential or educational or similar setting
• Experience of menu planning with reference to budgetary control and nutritional standards
• Experience at management level in similar setting

About Us

Miller House School is a brand-new school under Acorn Education and Outcomes First Group located in Stoneygate, Leicester. The school is proposed to open in September 2025 and will have capacity for 80 pupils aged 11-16 years and will be co-educational for pupils with complex needs including SEMH.

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 proud to say that in 2024, Outcomes First Group was officially certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ for the fifth consecutive year.

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 mental health support services and physical health checks

Our Flexible Benefits Platform, Vista, offers benefits such as:

• A wide range of health, wellbeing, and insurance benefits
• Discount options in the UK and abroad
• Cycle to Work Schemes
• Electric Car Purchase Scheme
• Critical illness cover
• Family Growth Support, including enhanced maternity and paternity leave and paid fertility treatments

And that’s not all, your role will have a positive impact on the lives of others, aligning with our commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of pupils. All applicants will undergo social media checks and a fully enhanced DBS.

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

*You’ll work 80% of your contractual hours for 100% of your pay, giving you more time for personal pursuits. The 4DWW is subject to successful probation and is not a contractual benefit.