Head of Kitchen
Sunrise Academy, Lowestoft, NR33 8AX13 days remaining to apply
Closing date
1 December 2025 at 12am (midnight)
Date listed
18 November 2025
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
- £18,766 - £20,340 actual pa
Head of Kitchen job summary
Part of the Eastern Education Group
Email: recruitment@easterneducationgroup.ac.uk
Website: https://easterneducationgroup.ac.uk/
- Salary - £18,766 - £20,340 actual pa (£27,255-£29,541 FTE) dependent on qualifications and experience)
- Permanent
- Part Time
- 30 hours per week
- Term Time plus 1 week
We are seeking an experienced and qualified Head of Kitchen to lead a dedicated catering team in a SEMH educational setting. This role is ideal for someone with a passion for nutritious food and a strong understanding of dietary needs. You will oversee the planning, preparation, and delivery of high-quality meals while ensuring the kitchen operates safely, efficiently and in line with health regulations.
The successful candidate will hold a minimum of NVQ Level 2 or City & Guilds in Catering (or equivalent), along with a current Food Hygiene Certificate. Proven experience in managing kitchen teams and catering for large numbers in an educational or similar environment is essential. A sound knowledge of food safety, HACCP and specific dietary practices is key and a positive, flexible approach will help foster strong relationships across the school community.
We offer a wide range of staff benefits including:
- Membership into Local Government Pension Scheme
- Family friendly policies and flexible working
- Access to our Employee Assistance Programme
- Employee wellbeing initiatives
- Free parking
- Canteen
- Company events
- Access to various memberships and discount schemes
- Learning and development opportunities, including staff development days
- Funded subject course development for your role
- Range of staff communities, including EDI and neurodiverse communities
- Career progression opportunities
Eastern Education Group is a dynamic and forward-thinking education provider committed to delivering high-quality learning experiences across multiple institutions. Our group encompasses a diverse range of educational settings, including schools, further education colleges, and specialist learning provisions, ensuring that learners of all ages and backgrounds receive the support and opportunities they need to succeed.
At the heart of our mission is a dedication to excellence, inclusivity, and innovation in education. We strive to create an environment where students can thrive academically, socially, and professionally. Through strong partnerships with local communities, businesses, and industry leaders, we ensure our curriculum remains relevant, equipping students with the skills and knowledge required for future careers.
Our group also prioritises supporting students with additional learning needs, offering specialist provisions for those with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities), SEMH (Social, Emotional, and Mental Health needs), and vocational training to empower every learner. We take a holistic approach to education, combining academic excellence with pastoral care, safeguarding, and wellbeing initiatives to foster a safe and supportive learning environment.
As a collective, Eastern Education Group is committed to continuous improvement, innovation, and maintaining high standards across all our institutions. We work closely with regulatory bodies, including Ofsted, to ensure compliance and the highest quality of teaching, learning, and student support. Our leadership team, educators, and support staff are dedicated to shaping the future of education, driving positive change, and enabling learners to realise their full potential.
As a Group, our Character Strengths and Mission Statement underpin our expectations of all our students and employees. Please familiarise yourself with these and incorporate them into your personal statement; this will be of benefit if you are invited to attend for an interview.
This is an opportunity to join a hugely supportive organisation where we value, support and facilitate your professional development, as well as offering many other benefits including an attractive pension scheme, staff wellbeing initiatives and employee assistance.
The Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
For further information please contact our recruitment team at: recruitment@easterneducationgroup.ac.uk
How to apply
A job description is available from ‘Attachments’.
For this vacancy, if you click on the ‘Apply for Job’ button, you will be redirected to our website and recruitment portal to apply online.
If you have not heard from a member of the HR Team within 14 working days of the closing date, please presume your application has not been successful on this occasion.
We reserve the right to appoint prior to listed closing date, early applications are encouraged.
Closing date: 1 December 2025, 8am
Interview date: To be held throughout recruitment period
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, gender, gender reassignment, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age in accordance with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.
The Group is committed to safeguarding children and safer recruitment practices and will undertake all the required pre-employment checks on the successful candidate including an enhanced DBS Disclosure.
All data will be processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018. For more information about how we access and use your information please visit our website.
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and you will be required to undergo an Enhanced DBS check or Enhanced DBS check with barred list. If you have information to declare it may be protected under the Exceptions Orders and you may not be required to declare it. You will be asked to make a criminal conviction declaration if you are shortlisted for the post. Guidance about whether a conviction or caution should be disclosed can be found on the Ministry of Justice website.
Further information about the job
Commitment to safeguarding
SENDAT Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Safer recruitment checks will be required for all of our staff at SENDAT.
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 Sunrise Academy
- School type
- Free School, ages 9 to 16
- School size
- 44 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 9 to 16
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- School website
- Sunrise Academy website
Sunrise joined SENDAT Trust on 1st April 2022. It was previously called The Everitt Academy. It caters for up to 52 young people with a full EHCP for SEMH in Key Stages 3 and 4.
We are working with the LA to consider taking some Key Stage 2 students in the future.
As at Trust we are committed to trauma informed practice across all our schools and in all policies we work to. We have trained over 30 Level 5 practitioners and have an ongoing commitment to this. To support this work we have developed out TIS umbrella, which aims to show approaches and programmes that we use across the Trust under our overall TIS approach. Two of the schools in the Trust are TIS approved schools and we are working on all school being approved. https://sendat.academy/trauma-informed
School location
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