Catering Manager
Orchard Manor School, Dawlish, Devon, EX7 9SF28 days remaining to apply
Start date details
December 2026 / January 2027
Closing date
29 October 2026 at 4pm
Date listed
1 October 2026
Job details
Job role
- Catering, cleaning and site management
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Working pattern
- Full time
Contract type
- Permanent
Full time equivalent salary
- £32,203.00 Annually (FTE) £28,071 Actual salary per annum
Catering Manager job summary
About us:
Orchard Manor School is a vibrant, values-driven specialist community where every child is known, respected and supported to belong. Rooted in strong relationships and a deep commitment to respect, kindness and wellbeing, our school is a place where pupils and staff thrive together. We pride ourselves on our collaborative, reflective culture, where learning is meaningful, personalised and ambitious, and where staff are well supported to continually develop their expertise. Set within beautiful woodland grounds in the seaside town of Dawlish, Orchard Manor offers a unique environment where education extends beyond the classroom, preparing young people for confident, independent lives within their communities
The Role:
- As Catering Manager, you will lead the day-to-day operation of the school's catering facilities, ensuring meals are prepared, cooked and served to a consistently high standard. You will manage catering staff across both school kitchens, coordinating workloads, supporting professional development and fostering a positive and collaborative team culture
- You will take responsibility for menu planning, food ordering, stock control and budget management, ensuring an efficient and cost-effective service while maintaining excellent quality and value. You will also develop varied and nutritionally balanced menus that respond to the sensory preferences, dietary needs and individual requirements of pupils with autism and other SEND needs.
- Working closely with school staff and families, you will support pupils with specialist dietary requirements and help promote healthy eating through engaging activities, themed events and seasonal menu initiatives.
- Food safety will be central to your role. As the designated lead for food safety, you will oversee HACCP procedures, maintain accurate records, undertake audits and inspections, prepare for Environmental Health visits and ensure compliance with all relevant legislation and regulations.
- You will also build positive relationships with suppliers and contractors, support catering functions and events, monitor service performance and identify opportunities for continuous improvement across the catering provision.
Key Responsibilities:
Our Total Reward Offer:
The Special Partnership Trust recognises the importance of developing a properly implemented People Strategy to underpin the overall strategic aims of the Trust.
Our People Strategy is designed to help us attract prospective high calibre candidates, as well as drive engagement, productivity and retention of our high performing and high potential employees. It reflects our belief in putting our people first. This does not mean putting our learners second. It is based on the philosophy that if we create a positive and rewarding work environment, if our staff feel motivated, well managed and well supported, they in turn will provide the best possible outcome for our learners.
We recognise that our total reward offer, has got to consist of more than just money. We seek to provide our staff with a diverse range of benefits that support their day to day needs both at work and outside of work. These include generous leave entitlements and pension scheme as well as access to health/wellbeing tools, training & development, career pathways and opportunities to ensure they feel valued.
Please visit the Special Partnership website, www.specialpartnership.org for further information about our Trust, or to learn more about our People Strategy and Benefits click here.
If you need the application form or any part of the recruitment process in a different format, please contact us directly at kbuckle-cooper@orchard-manor.org and we will make the necessary adjustments.
Are you ready to make a lasting impact? Join us today.
Safeguarding:
The Special Partnership Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to the satisfactory completion of checks and references, including an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. In accordance with guidance in Keeping Children Safe in Education; the Trust will undertake an online search of all shortlisted candidates.
Further information about the job
Commitment to safeguarding
Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment.
Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.
Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant):
childcare disqualification
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
medical
online and social media
prohibition from teaching
right to work
satisfactory references
suitability to work with children
You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.
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 Orchard Manor School
- Organisation type
- Academy, ages 3 to 19
- Size
- 227 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 3 to 19
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- Website
- Orchard Manor School website
School location
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