18 days remaining to apply

  • Start date details

    As soon as possible

  • Closing date

    20 September 2026 at 1am

  • Date listed

    2 September 2026

Job details

Job role

  • Catering, cleaning and site management

Visa sponsorship

Visas cannot be sponsored

Working pattern

Part time

Contract type

Permanent

Full time equivalent salary

£24,482 - £24,795 per year

Additional allowances

What we offer:



  • A friendly but professional working environment

  • Twice as many training days as standard and network-wide events with Ark colleagues

  • Opportunities to collaborate with colleagues across the network  

  • Local Government Pension Scheme with a generous employer contribution

  • Unique opportunities for growth and development

  • Access to Ark Rewards – a scheme offering savings from over 3,000 major retailers

  • Access to Employee Assistance Programme – providing free, confidential counselling, legal advice and a range of different support

Catering Assistant job summary

This is a rare opportunity to join our hard-working, dedicated catering team in our growing academy. As a catering assistant you will be based at one of our two campuses under the direction of a Catering Supervisor. This is a term time only position, which means you will only work 39 weeks of the year, plus one extra week in the school holidays as directed by your manager. Pay is spread evenly over the year so you would never have a month without money.

Our standards are high and meals are prepared daily from fresh ingredients. We need someone who can work quickly and safely, be part of a team and has the confidence to interact with staff and students. We will show the successful applicant how to operate our cashless tills and any other items of catering equipment.

For more information please read the job description and person specification available for download.

As the ideal candidate you will:

  • Have experience of working in a busy kitchen
  • Be available to work the hours of 9.30am to 2.30pm, Monday to Friday
  • Have a resilient character and a strong personal drive
  • Be able to take ownership of tasks and complete to a high standard
  • Have a health & safety and/or food hygiene qualification or be willing to train towards
  • Be a team player that can work collaboratively as well as using your own initiative
  • Be flexible in covering other team members when required, even if it’s on the other campus
  • Be committed to Ark’s ethos of high expectations and no excuses

Our school:

We are aiming to create one of the top performing schools in the UK right here in Hastings.

Ark Alexandra Academy is a popular secondary school in Hastings. We operate a ‘One School, Two Campus’ model, which brings with it unique opportunities for career growth and development. The school is on an exciting and rapid journey of improvement which is underpinned by research and best practice. We place primacy on traditional values: discipline, courtesy and respect. Our students are smart and ready to learn and thrive. We are a strict no mobile phone school.

As part of the Ark network, Ark Alexandra Academy has access to the dedicated support of a highly successful MAT with a well-regarded CPD offer for leaders and teachers at all levels. In addition, the school is part of the Hastings DfE Education Investment Area giving an increased focus on the region, potential funding, and genuine opportunities for collaboration between schools.

 

How to apply:

Please click 'apply' on the website you are visiting to complete an online application form. 

Please note: we are unable to accept applications via CV. We will also be reviewing applications on an on-going basis and this advert may close earlier than advertised depending on the level of response. Early application is strongly encouraged. You will be 

Further information about the job

The candidate will be required to undergo a full enhanced DBS check and must be eligible to work in the UK.
Visas cannot be sponsored.
If you're interested in teaching or training to teach in England as an international citizen, we can help you understand your next steps.

Commitment to safeguarding

Ark is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people in its academies.

Ark requires all employees to undertake an enhanced DBS check. You are required, before appointment, to disclose any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. Non-disclosure may lead to termination of employment. However, disclosure of a criminal background will not necessarily debar you from employment - this will depend upon the nature of the offence(s) and when they occurred.

Applying for the job

This school accepts applications through their own website, where you may also find more information about this job.

CVs will not be accepted for this application.

View advert on external website (opens in new tab)

About Ark Alexandra Academy

Organisation type
Academy, Church of England, ages 11 to 16
Education phase
Secondary school
Size
1315 pupils enrolled
Age range
11 to 16
Ofsted report
View Ofsted report
Website
Ark Alexandra Academy website
See more jobs
teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/ark-alexandra-academy

We are committed to creating one of the top performing schools in the UK, right here in Hastings.

Ark Alexandra Academy is a popular secondary operating a ‘One School, Two Campus’ model since September 2024, offering unique opportunities for professional growth and development for our staff, and a more bespoke and supportive learning environment for our students.

The school is on a rapid journey of improvement, driven by a traditional, evidence-based approach and a culture of high expectations, which was reflected in a significant uplift in GCSE results for 2025. Highlights include:

• 65% of students achieved a 4+ in English and Maths
• A record 13% increase in students passing English and Maths
• Disadvantaged students and those with SEND saw an even greater pass rate in English and Maths of 16% and 17% respectively
• Indicative Progress 8 score has increased from –0.8 (2024) to +0.1 (2025), representing one of the biggest turnarounds in the UK

We uphold traditional values of discipline, courtesy and respect, and are a strict no mobile phone school, ensuring a calm and purposeful learning environment where students are ready to learn.

As part of the Ark network, Ark Alexandra Academy has access to the dedicated support of a highly successful MAT with a well-regarded CPD offer for leaders and teachers at all levels and a developing programme for support staff. In addition, the school is part of the Hastings DfE Education Investment Area giving an increased focus on the region, potential funding, and genuine opportunities for collaboration between schools.

Join us on this exciting journey to transform education in Hastings.

School location

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