Kitchen Assistant
Debden Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary Academy, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB11 3LE14 days remaining to apply
Start date details
As soon as possible
Closing date
28 September 2026 at 12pm (midday)
Date listed
14 September 2026
Job details
Job role
- Catering, cleaning and site management
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Working pattern
- Part time (Can be done as a job share): 1000-1330, Monday-Friday; term time plus 1 week (39 working weeks per year)
Contract type
- Permanent
Full time equivalent salary
- £26,016-£26,427
Actual salary
- £10,265-£10,428
Pay scale
- Scale 2, SCP 4-5
What skills and experience we're looking for
We are a thriving village school seeking to appoint a Kitchen Assistant who has a passion for providing high-quality meals. At Debden C of E Primary Academy, we provide our pupils with healthy, delicious, and nutritious lunches that fuel their learning. To achieve this, we use the Apetito frozen meal system, which ensures high quality, balanced school meals every day. A job share will be considered for the right candidates.
This is a fantastic opportunity for someone looking for a rewarding role within a school community. Because we use the Apetito system, there is no complex cooking from scratch. Your main focus will be on the safe reheating of meals, preparing the service, dishing up food for the children, and maintaining excellent kitchen hygiene.
Key responsibilities:
- Reheating Apetito school meals safely, ensuring strict timing and temperature controls.
- Serving meals to pupils, while carefully managing allergy and dietary requirements.
- Washing up serving trays and utensils and ensuring the kitchen and dining hall areas are clean and sanitized.
- Logging daily food safety checks, including oven and core food temperatures.
- Helping prepare basic daily items and ensuring proper stock rotation.
What we are looking for:
- Previous experience in school catering or a fast-paced kitchen is preferred, along with a Level 2 Food Hygiene certificate, but not essential as full training will be given.
- Ability to work efficiently under pressure during the busy lunchtime rush, with excellent communication skills to interact positively with children.
- A warm, approachable personality and a commitment to maintaining a safe environment for pupils.
What the school offers its staff
What we offer:
- Comprehensive training on the Apetito system, Apetito uniform and continued professional development.
- The opportunity to work in a successful and supportive environment.
- A caring and friendly staff body.
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 job requires you to download an application form, you will be able to upload the application once complete.
CVs will not be accepted for this application.
Additional documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About Debden Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary Academy
- Organisation type
- Academy, Church of England, ages 4 to 11
- Education phase
- Primary school
- Size
- 140 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 4 to 11
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- Email address
- sdyster@greatchesterford.essex.sch.uk
- Phone number
- 01799 530292
Debden Primary Academy is a warm and welcoming school in which we are fortunate to educate kind, considerate and happy children. The school has enjoyed a period of swift and sustained development in recent years, and new teachers can expect to benefit from detailed curriculum plans, a strong collective teaching and learning ethos, and a comprehensive induction programme. Personal development is a strength of the academy, and as a church school, we maintain a strong focus on Christian values. Furthermore, we are part of the collaborative Great Oak Multi Academy Trust, meaning that there are excellent development opportunities for all of our staff.
Arranging a visit to Debden Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary Academy
To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email sdyster@greatchesterford.essex.sch.uk.
School location
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