Head Chef

The Quill C Of E Trust, Bolton, BL6 4SG

23 days remaining to apply

• Closing date

  12 June 2026 at 11:59pm

• Date listed

  20 May 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: £29,456.44 Annually (Actual)

Head Chef job summary

Head Chef

Salary: £31,844.80 FTE. Actual Salary £29,456.44

Location: St Bede Academy, with some Trust-wide responsibilities

Contract: 37 Hours a week, 52 weeks a year. 20 days annual leave

Pension: Local Government Pension Scheme

What You’ll Be Doing

You’ll lead the delivery of a high-quality, nutritious catering service at St Bede Academy, ensuring pupils and staff receive meals that are healthy, appealing, and well-prepared.

You’ll also play a key role across the Trust in maintaining safe and compliant allergen processes, working closely with schools and the nursery to ensure consistency and high standards.

Your day-to-day will include:

• Planning, preparing, and cooking meals for breakfast, lunch, and snack service
• Creating nutritious, balanced menus using fresh, seasonal ingredients
• Maintaining all menus and recipes within the Allmanhall catering system
• Working with Headteachers to design menus that reflect each school community
• Supporting the Baby Bede Manager to deliver a nutritious nursery menu
• Leading and supporting Head Cooks and catering teams across the Trust
• Ensuring allergen processes are safe, consistent, and compliant across all sites
• Maintaining high standards of food hygiene, safety, and kitchen cleanliness
• Assisting Head Cooks with stock control and efficient use of resources
• Working to increase school meal uptake through menu design and engagement
• Gathering feedback from pupils and staff to improve the catering offer

What We’re Looking For

We’re seeking a passionate and experienced chef who takes pride in delivering high-quality food and leading a team within a school environment.

You’ll bring:

• Experience preparing and cooking meals in a high-volume catering setting
• Strong understanding of food hygiene, safety, and allergen management
• Experience of menu planning and delivering nutritious, balanced meals
• The ability to lead, support, and develop catering teams
• Good organisational and communication skills
• A collaborative approach when working with school leaders and staff
• A commitment to promoting healthy eating and increasing meal uptake
• The ability to maintain accurate records and follow compliance processes

Desirable:

• Experience working in a school, nursery, or Multi-Academy Trust
• Experience using the Allmanhall catering system (or similar)
• Level 3 Food Hygiene qualification
• Experience managing allergen processes across multiple sites
• Understanding of School Food Standards and early years nutrition

Why Join Us

• A supportive and collaborative working environment
• Opportunities for professional development and certification
• The chance to shape catering across a growing Multi-Academy Trust
• Flexible working and autonomy to make a real impact

Our Academy Trust is committed to improving the life chances of all children through education and personal development. Each child is unique. We encourage and support every child through their exciting journey within our Trust, equipping them with the skills they need for the future.

Our approach is based on sharing excellence within our Trust, recruiting, training, and retaining the highest calibre of staff who share our vision of enlightening, enriching, empowering and evolving a generation through education.

‘Enlightening, Enriching, Empowering and Evolving generations through education’

We offer a fantastic, supportive place to work along with flexible working opportunities, access to the Local Government Pension Scheme, as well as a range of employee wellbeing and support services.

The Trust is committed to safer recruitment practices and pre-employment checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed. This post is subject to an enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

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

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.

About The Quill C Of E Trust

• Type: Multi-academy trust
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/st-bede-church-of-england-primary-multi-academy-trust

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