Assistant Cook

• Actual annual salary - £13.22 - £14.27 per hour

• Position Type: Permanent Part-Time Term Time Only

• Hours: 20 hours per week - Term time plus 2 weeks (41 weeks) Exact hours to be confirmed

• Start date: November 2026

• Interviewing: September 2026

Aurora Peartree is opening its doors in January 2027, and we're looking for an experienced Assistant Cook to help make this vision a reality. This is a rare opportunity to be part of something truly transformative.

Aurora Peartree will be a nurturing, inclusive and ambitious school for children and young people aged 5-19 with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. With a capacity of 120 students, our vision is to create a safe, enriching and aspirational environment where every learner can thrive.

We're looking for a dedicated Assistant Cook to support the delivery of a high-quality catering service, providing fresh, home-cooked meals that help our students feel nourished, supported and ready to learn.

Working closely with the Cook, you'll play an important role in the day-to-day running of the kitchen, helping to prepare nutritious meals from scratch, maintain excellent food hygiene standards and create a welcoming dining experience for students and staff.

What you'll be doing

As an Assistant Cook, you'll:

• Prepare, cook and present home-cooked meals from scratch using fresh ingredients wherever possible.

• Support the preparation of specialist dietary and allergen meals, ensuring individual needs are met.

• Assist with menu planning to provide nutritious, balanced meals within budget.

• Monitor stock levels and support quality control across the catering service.

• Maintain high standards of food hygiene, cleanliness and kitchen safety.

• Build positive relationships with students, staff and suppliers.

• Support the smooth running of the kitchen and catering operation, including taking responsibility for the kitchen in the Cook's absence when required.

What we're looking for

You'll have:

• Knowledge of catering regulations and standards within a commercial kitchen environment.

• An understanding of food hygiene, health and safety requirements and allergen management.

• Experience preparing and serving quality meals in a catering environment.

• Strong communication skills and the ability to build positive relationships with students, colleagues and suppliers.

• The ability to manage multiple tasks and work effectively in a busy environment.

• A flexible, proactive and team-focused approach.

Knowledge of learning disabilities, SEND or additional needs would be advantageous, as would experience preparing home-cooked meals from scratch and catering for specialist dietary requirements. Most importantly, you'll take pride in delivering a high-quality catering service and helping to create a positive environment for our students and staff.

How to Apply:

For candidates that haven't worked in this sector before please be aware that for regulatory reasons the application process is far more detailed and thorough compared to other sectors.

Please complete the online application form in full, including all employment and education details, and provide a personal statement that makes us keen to speak to you.

If you need any assistance or would like any more information, please contact Liz in the Aurora Group Recruitment Team at View email address on tes.com

Successful applicants will be subject to pre-employment safeguarding checks including an enhanced disclosure and barring service (DBS) check.

The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Aurora Group is therefore permitted to ask job applicants to declare all convictions and cautions (including those which are "spent" unless they are "protected" under the DBS filtering rules) in order to assess their suitability to work with children.

The Aurora Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children and young adults in our care and is a disability confident and equal opportunities employer.

This advert could be taken down at any point in time without prior notice if the position is filled.

Please note that candidates that are shortlisted might be subject to an online search.