School Cook

Full Job Description

We work smarter so that you can enjoy the things that matter outside of work

Job Title:   School Cook
Location:  Castle Gate School, Guildford, Surrey GU2 4DU
Hours:        37.5 per week | Monday–Friday | 8:30am – 4:30pm
Salary:       Up to £27,500 per annum (depending on experience, not pro rata)
Contract: Permanent | Term Time Only
Start:         September 2026
UK applicants only – no sponsorship available

About the Role

At Castle Gate School, we're looking for an enthusiastic and dedicated School Chef/Cook to lead our kitchen and create a positive dining experience for our pupils and staff.

Are you an experienced Chef or Cook who thrives in a fast-paced environment and takes pride in creating nutritious, delicious meals? If you're looking for a role where your culinary skills make a genuine difference to children's lives, this could be the perfect opportunity. This is more than preparing meals. It's about creating a warm, welcoming environment where healthy food supports wellbeing, learning and happiness.

As our School Chef/Cook, you'll be at the heart of school life, planning and preparing high-quality meals that cater to a variety of tastes, dietary requirements and nutritional needs. You'll lead and inspire the kitchen team, ensuring the highest standards of food quality, hygiene and safety, while managing stock, budgets and day-to-day operations.

What You'll Be Doing

• Planning and preparing nutritious, high-quality meals that pupils and staff look forward to
• Creating menus that cater for individual dietary requirements and promote healthy eating
• Leading, supervising and supporting kitchen staff to deliver an outstanding catering service
• Managing stock levels, placing orders and ensuring excellent budget control with minimal waste
• Maintaining the highest standards of food hygiene, cleanliness and health & safety compliance
• Monitoring kitchen equipment and reporting maintenance requirements promptly
• Keeping accurate records, invoices and documentation up to date
• Responding flexibly to the changing needs of the school and contributing positively to the wider school community

About You

We're looking for someone who is:

• Passionate about preparing nutritious, home-cooked meals
• An experienced Chef or Cook with strong organisational skills
• A confident leader who can motivate and support a kitchen team
• Knowledgeable about food hygiene, COSHH and health & safety regulations
• Skilled at managing stock, budgets and reducing waste effectively
• Calm, adaptable and able to respond positively in a busy environment
• Committed to safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of children and young people
• A positive team player who takes pride in delivering an exceptional service
• Full UK Driving Licence required

About Us

Castle Garden School is a brand-new independent specialist school for pupils with autism between 5 - 11 years of age.

Castle Garden School strives to provide effective, specialist education and support to autistic pupils and their families, which will allow pupils to achieve their full potential in education and life. Located in the town centre of Guildford, the school provides primary education and offers a unique mix of education and support to pupils within a wide spectrum of needs and abilities. Personalised teaching and learning in an autism specific environment allows pupils’ individual needs to be addressed completely and their capabilities fully realised.

For over 19 years, Options Autism has provided specialist care and education for children, young people, and adults with autism, complex needs, and learning difficulties. As part of Outcomes First Group, we are pioneering innovative, evidence-based approaches that deliver meaningful, measurable outcomes for everyone in our care.

We are really proud to say that in 2025 Outcomes First Group were officially certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ for the sixth year running.

Why Join Us?

We place pupils 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 pupils 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.

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