Chef - (SEN)
West Lea School, London, N9 9TU5 days remaining to apply
Start date details
September 2025
Closing date
27 June 2025 at 3pm
Date listed
27 May 2025
Job details
Job role
- Teacher
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Key stage
- Key stage 5
Subject
- Food technology
Working pattern
- Full time
Contract type
- Permanent
Full-time equivalent salary
- £27,237 - £29,300 (NJC Scale 5 depending on skills and abilities)
Pay scale
- NGC scale 5
What skills and experience we're looking for
You will be responsible for managing and maintaining a professional training kitchen, teaching learners the essential skills needed to succeed in the food and catering industry.
By operating the kitchen as a functional workspace, you will help learners, primarily aged 16–25 with special educational needs - develop the practical knowledge and confidence required for employment in hospitality.
You will uphold high standards of food hygiene, safety, and cleanliness, while also supporting learners in developing independence and life skills through hands-on cooking lessons.
The kitchen is linked to a local community café, giving learners the opportunity to plan menus, prepare dishes, and serve food to real customers—providing invaluable real-world experience.
You will work closely with school staff, learners, and external professionals. You’ll also liaise with local suppliers to source fresh, sustainable ingredients and ensure compliance with dietary, health and safety, and allergen requirements.
You will report to the school’s Facilities Manager and collaborate with the wider educational team to embed food education across the curriculum.
You will:
• Have experience working with children or young adults with special educational needs and/or disabilities
• Be energetic, enthusiastic, and have a ‘can do’ attitude
• Be friendly, professional, and an excellent communicator
• Thrive on creating engaging, inclusive, and practical lessons
• Be passionate about supporting learners to reach their full potential
• Be innovative in creating a stimulating and realistic kitchen learning environment
• Be willing to undergo teacher training if not already QTS qualified
• Want a meaningful role that helps shape young lives through food education and vocational training
What the school offers its staff
We have an attractive employee benefits package, including:
- Pension scheme with 19.01% employer contributions
- Supportive learning culture with funded continuous professional development (CPD)
- Professional networking opportunities
- Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
- Opportunity to make your mark in a highly rewarding and meaningful role
Commitment to safeguarding
West Lea School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. The successful applicant will be subject to a full Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) disclosure and checks regarding proof of ID, medical clearance and the right to work in the UK.
Applying for the job
Apply for the job by following the link below.
CVs are not accepted.
Upload additional documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About West Lea School
- School type
- Special school, ages 4 to 19
- School size
- 475 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 4 to 19
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- School website
- West Lea School website
- Email address
- people.team@westleaschool.co.uk
Based in the borough of Enfield, West Lea is a school that provides education to children and young adults with special educational needs and disabilities, from the ages of 4 to 25.
We pride ourselves on creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome. Our four campuses – Meridian, Haselbury, Learning for Life and Horizon – serve nearly 450 learners and are home to 220 employees.
A strong community that works together with the common goal of helping each other to flourish, our learners leave equipped with a ‘suitcase of skills’ that help them to progress onto further education and work.
We’re a disability confident employer that’s Investors in People accredited, with firmly held values placed at our core.
• Our origins are humble. We opened in 1938 as an open air school for ‘delicate’ children
• Our modern-day growth journey began in 2014, starting with 80 learners on a single site
• We now cater for students with a range of complex special educational needs and disabilities
• We’ve grown rapidly in response to increased demand across the borough of Enfield
• Our four campuses serve nearly 450 learners aged
4 to 19 and 25 learners aged 19 to 25
• Throughout their journey, learners develop vital life skills as well as achieve academically
• We actively prepare learners for adulthood, further education and the workplace
• Our provision includes the Attendance Support Service (ASU), Home Tuition Service and a post 16 bridging programme that enables learners to go to a local college
• Our Travel Training Programme enables many learners to travel confidently and independently
• Learners gain work experience with local employers and through our partnership with the Learning for Life Charity (LFLC)
• Our Supported Internship Programme gives young people aged 16 to 25 an opportunity to work
• 80% of our interns get jobs and 90% retain them
• We’re a founder member of the Enterprise Cooperative Trust in Enfield borough
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