Kitchen Assistant

Job Description

Kitchen Assistant - Hilltop Junior School

Hours: 15 per week
Start date:asap
Band: 1
Salary: £23,055 - £23,426 full time equivalent including fringe allowance (pro-rata). Salary negotiable depending on skills and experience.
Working pattern: Term time only plus inset days (39 weeks per year)

Hilltop Junior School in Wickford are looking for a Kitchen Assistant to join their friendly catering team.

Would you like to work in a school environment positively impacting on not only the lives of our pupils, but also your own.    Working with a great bunch of people really does make a big difference, our kitchen team really do work together and support each other.  

Shorter working hours mean you have time to do more of what you enjoy or maybe you are looking for that little bit of extra money at the end of the month.  Please read on and if filling out an application form worries you, please don't let it, we can help you with that.

The successful applicant will:

• Assist, as directed, with all aspects of the preparation of food and beverages to the standards required by the school;
• Serve customers (pupils/staff/visitors) from the counter, trolley or kiosk;
• Undertake all aspects of cleaning equipment (light and heavy), walls (up to 6ft), floors, fixtures and fittings, cooking utensils to name a few;

We can offer you:

• purposeful training
• the opportunity to work with our lovely children and our school community
• supportive colleagues who want to provide the best possible opportunities for their pupils and make coming to work fun and enjoyable
• a supportive leadership team

Application forms are available to collect from the school office.

For an informal discussion or to arrange a visit please contact Suzanne Cullinane, School Business Manager: hilltopjun.admin@heartsacademy.uk or 01268 734649

How to apply 
It is very important that the HEARTS application form is completed in full, particularly section F which refers to references. We must have the full contact details of two referees, including their name, address, telephone number and email address.

Please note that we will write to the Headteacher for all education references. Incomplete application forms will not be considered.

CVs are not accepted.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy prior to the closing date should we have enough suitable applications, therefore we advise applying early.

HEARTS Academy Trust is an equal opportunities employer and will not discriminate against any applicant on the grounds of gender, age, disability, religion, belief, sexual orientation, marital status, or race. For this reason, all application forms are anonymised before shortlisting takes place to ensure applicants are considered only on the relevant qualifications, skills and experience that are profiled on the application form and personal statement.

If you would like any support or assistance at any stage of your application process, please contact recruitment@heartsacademy.uk / 01268 572672. We will be happy to discuss this with you. 

Why choose HEARTS Academy Trust as your new employer?
The HEARTS way of working is based on our values of happiness, self-esteem, achievement, respect and responsibility, truth and service, all of which are embedded within each of our schools.   

• HEARTS Academy Trust offers a comprehensive rewards and benefits package to all colleagues, including but not limited to:
• "Every HEART Matters" Employee discounts and benefits scheme 
• Pension schemes (LGPS/TPS) 
• Professional development opportunities 
• Access to our trust Counsellor 
• Access to our Mental Health First Aid team 
• Additional week's leave during October 
• Excellent CPD opportunities with purposeful training, including trust-wide twilights 
• Supportive leadership and opportunities to collaborate across the trust  
• On request, and if appropriate, flexible working 

We believe our employees are our most valuable asset, we strive to create a positive and supportive work environment that rewards hard work and dedication.  Join our team and enjoy the many benefits that HEARTS Academy Trust has to offer.  Please see the HEARTS Extra Programme Recruitment Information pack for full information.

HEARTS Academy Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to the receipt of a satisfactory application form, satisfactory references that meet the requirements as set out in KCSIE, satisfactory online search and an Enhanced DBS check, to include a children's barred list check, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed for all applicants.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (2013 and 2020).  This means that certain convictions and cautions are considered 'protected' and do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. 
Guidance about whether a conviction or caution should be disclosed can be found on the Ministry of Justice website:  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-guidance-on-the-rehabilitation-of-offenders-act-1974

All applicants can view a copy of our Records Retention Policy on the Trust website, the policy sets out how we will gather, process and hold personal data of individuals during and after the recruitment process.

For further information about the HEARTS Academy Trust please visit our website at: http://www.heartsacademytrust.co.uk

Information about the School

Hilltop Junior School is child-centred and believes in high expectations for all. We are an over-achieving, oversubscribed school, with strong links with the community and feeder schools. We pride ourselves on positive relationships that benefit the pupils at the heart of the community.

We are proud to have recently been graded as "good" by Ofsted and shortlisted as TES Primary School of the Year. We are a creative school with an inspiring, vibrant and engaging curriculum. We have the highest aspirations for all of our children and believe in providing them with a full, varied learning experience that is exciting and equips them for life.

At Hilltop, we have a strong and passionate team of teachers who are dedicated to ensuring that every single child achieves their full potential. Our pupils consistently achieve above national averages in reading and writing.

We are a leading school in Wickford, set in beautiful grounds and well-served by transportation links. We are close to major road networks, making it easy for pupils to access our school.

Hilltop Junior School is ranked in the top 5% of schools and is the proud recipient of many awards including;- • Pearson Centre of Excellence 2022 • SENDIA; the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Inclusion Award from Optimus Education • L.P.P.A. (Leading Parent Partnership Award) • Fully accredited National Online Safety certified school • History Quality Mark – Gold Status • Wellbeing Award • SMSC Quality Mark Gold • Young Carers Award • Healthy Schools Award • SAFE CIC Gold Award • An Artsmark School • working towards UNICEF Rights Respecting Gold • IQM – Inclusive School Award • Green flag status • Forest Schools

Hilltop Junior School is part of the HEARTS Academy Trust, a trust of local schools that has the values of happiness, achievement, self-esteem, respect & responsibility, truth, spirituality & service. The trust is truly innovative and rewards outstanding staff for outstanding outcomes. The school calendar consists of 184 contact time with pupils, 5 non-pupil days and the equivalent of 6 days of high quality continuous professional development.

The Trustees are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The post will be subject to an enhanced DBS check, online searches, medical check, prohibited from teaching check and references. References are taken up prior to interview. A copy of the trusts Child Protection Policy is available on our website:- https://www.heartsacademytrust.co.uk/policies

We can offer you:

• access to the HEARTS Extra Programme (Rewards and Benefits)

• an excellent CPD entitlement with purposeful training, including trust-wide twilights throughout the year

• a two-week October half-term

• supportive colleagues who want to provide the best possible opportunities for their pupils

• a highly effective learning environment

• a responsive and involved leadership team

• The HEARTS four-day face-to-face teaching week model whereby all teachers in the trust receive 20% non-contact time. This goes above and beyond the national entitlement of 10% PPA.

• a school with a highly positive culture that supports all staff; mental health, workload and wellbeing are at the forefront of our vision and values

• access to our school counsellor and network of Mental Health and Wellbeing champions

For further information about HEARTS, including policies and procedures, please refer to our website www.heartsacademytrust.co.uk