Assistant School Cook

Full Job Description

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 Title:   Assistant School Cook

Location:  Ryecroft School, Walsall, West Midlands WS2 7BH

Salary:       £20,000.00 per annum (not pro rata)

Hours:       30 hours per week, Monday to Friday, 8.30am – 4.00pm

Contract:   Permanent, Term Time Only

UK applicants only. This role does not offer sponsorship.

As part of our continued growth, we now have a fantastic opportunity for an SMSC & Character Education Assistant to join our close-knit team at Ryecroft School, part of Options Autism.

About the role

To support the Catering Manager/School Cook by performing a variety of tasks in all areas of the kitchen, including food prep as directed by the Catering Manage/School Cook.

To also ensure the kitchen is clean and hygienic. To ensure meals are served and produced to a good standard.

Responsibilities & Key Tasks:

• Cleaning all kitchen areas, equipment and fabric as required, and keeping the servery and dining areas clean, washing and sanitising tables and chairs.
• Recording and reporting any malfunction of equipment or fittings that require maintenance or cannot be kept to the required standard through normal cleaning procedures.
• Preparing and serving food/meals, at all sites.
• Prepares the service and dining areas, at all sites.
• Rotate food stock supplies as necessary, at all sites.
• Update the Catering Manager of food/kitchen requirements for ordering before stock runs out for all sites.
• With reasonable notice, to work additional hours to support the Catering Manager in periods of staff absence and/or heavy workloads i.e., preparing refreshments for functions/events.
• To transport food and equipment to either site as required.
• Lifting of equipment and loading of dishwasher and other kitchen equipment.
• Emptying of bins and taking refuge out to main refuge bins on either site.
• Use of basement at Chapel Street to use dishwasher and access any other relevant catering resources or equipment.

Qualifications: 

• Food Hygiene preferably
• Knowledge and experience working in a kitchen, preparing food and working in a school setting

About Us

Our New Options School - Ryecroft School has capacity for 60 pupils, opened in September 2024 and caters for pupils with Autism and complex needs.

The school is located in Walsall. Walsall is a market town in the West Midlands County. It is located 9 miles north-west of Birmingham, 7 miles east of Wolverhampton and 9 miles from Lichfield.

For over 16 years Options Autism have provided care and education to pupils and adults with autism, complex needs and learning difficulties. 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 really proud to say that in 2024, Outcomes First Group were officially certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ for the fifth year running.

Why join Options Autism?

Benefits

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 a wide range of first-class mental health support services and physical health checks

And a market-leading benefit offering through our Flexible Benefits Platform, Vista, enables you to choose the package that’s right for you, including:

• A wide range of health, wellbeing, and insurance benefits
• 100’s of discount options valid in the UK and abroad
• Cycle to Work Schemes
• Electric Car Purchase Scheme
• Critical illness cover
• Family Growth Support - inclusive benefits package covering enhanced maternity and paternity leave, along with paid fertility treatment support.

And that’s not all, we place the outcomes of the pupils in our services at the heart of everything we do, so you’ll wake every day in the knowledge that your role will have a significant positive impact on the lives of others.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of pupils. All applicants will be subject to social media checks and successful applicants to 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 to do the things that make you happy. 4DWW is subject to successful completion of probation and is not a contractual benefit 

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