School Cook

Full Job Description

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

Job Title:   School Chef
Location:   Castle Garden School, Guildford, Surrey GU1 S3Q
Hours:       30 hours per week | Monday to Friday
Salary:       Up to £23,000 per annum (not pro rata)
Contract:  Permanent | Term Time Only
Start:        September 2026
UK applicants only – no sponsorship available

About the Role

Are you passionate about creating delicious, nutritious meals that make a real difference to children’s lives? Do you take pride in creating food that brings people together and helps young people feel happy, healthy and ready to learn?

We’re looking for a dedicated and enthusiastic School Chef/Cook to take the lead in our kitchen and deliver a high-quality catering service for our school. You’ll have the opportunity to bring creativity to the menu, champion fresh and nutritious food, and create meals that pupils look forward to every day.

This is so much more than preparing food – your work will play an important part in supporting our pupils’ wellbeing, development and success. If you’re passionate about great food, enjoy working as part of a team and want to make a genuine difference, we’d love to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan and prepare balanced, high‑quality menus tailored to Service Users’ dietary needs
• Provide meals for staff and children with specific dietary requirements
• Monitor stock, portion control, and food quality while staying within budget
• Maintain a clean, safe, and well‑organised kitchen to the highest standards
• Reduce waste through effective planning and careful preparation
• Check and meet daily meal requirements for visitors, staff, and Service Users
• Follow all Health & Safety, hygiene, food safety, and COSHH regulations, reporting issues promptly
• Manage suppliers: place orders, check deliveries, verify invoices, and resolve queries professionally

Who we’re looking for:

• Experience in a school/nursery kitchen would be desirable
• A skilled cook with experience in a school, care, or high‑volume catering environment
• Someone who loves creating nutritious meals for children
• A natural team leader with strong communication skills
• A person who values safety, organisation, and high standards
• Someone flexible, reliable, and committed to excellent service

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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