Job Description

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At Octavia House Schools, we have a passionate team delivering high quality trauma-centred therapeutic education, supporting and building relationships with pupils who have adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and complex social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs, as well as other associated special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Octavia House schools have been leading the way in therapeutic education since 2012. Recent Independent School Inspectorate's routine and material change inspections of our London and Essex schools were successful and highlighted a rare significant strength. This is in addition to our previous outstanding Ofsted reports which demonstrate the strength of our provision across all sites and the success of our specialist therapeutic approach

We have a unique & exciting opportunity for a School Chef to make a genuine difference in our pupils' lives across our trauma-centred therapeutic primary school (KS1-KS2) in Great Baddow, Essex.

We are seeking a dynamic teaching chef to join our team on a full-time basis, as soon as possible (with a late start date of January 2027). The successful colleague will coordinate the daily preparation of breakfast, snacks and lunch for both pupils and colleagues on site.

Although we are a specialist setting, we proactively welcome applications from experienced mainstream colleagues, from varying disciplines, who would like to extend their skill base.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Creating and maintaining a well-managed, calm, secure and happy kitchen/classroom where priority is given to the quality of the learning environment, ensuring it is welcoming, positive and uncluttered, and that the required resources and displays are of high quality
• To coordinate breakfast, break snacks and the timely preparation and serving of daily hot lunches & desserts for pupils and colleagues. Our chefs check, know and plan for people's allergies.
• The production of weekly and termly plans which comprise a wide-ranging menu and show how pupils' cooking, social and communication skills will be developed through the preparation of lunches and lessons.
• Attending and participating in all mandatory briefings, meetings and training sessions; and contributing to the schools' self-evaluation and ongoing improvement.
• Our chefs ensure that health and safety is of paramount importance (for example, ensuring that sharp knives are locked away at all times and when used are 'counted out and in' and only used by pupils as part of a dynamic risk assessment) and maintain high standards of hygiene. We expect all our kitchen to receive 'five stars' hygiene ratings.

BENEFITS OF WORKING AT OHS:

• Highly-competitive pay
• Being a part of a unique, seamless therapeutic team
• Vitality's private healthcare package which includes health, medical and dental insurance, lifestyle benefits, heavily-discounted gym membership and various rewards
• Opportunities for high-quality professional development and career progression, and financial support of up to 100% towards relevant professional qualifications

Early applications are encouraged.

We welcome candidates who are available to start by January 2027.

Please download our job description to view the Key Responsibilities and requirements for the role.

Information about the School

Our teachers and therapists 'work as one'. We are specialists in education and therapy for pupils who have suffered adverse childhood experiences. Our schools provide an ambitious curriculum, designed to give pupils the knowledge and 'cultural capital' they need to succeed in modern British society. As well as getting the therapy they need, pupils study a range of national curriculum subjects.