Kitchen Assistant

Are you someone who loves being part of a friendly team, enjoys practical work, and takes pride in creating tasty, nutritious meals? Do you want a role where your efforts help brighten the school day for children and young people?

Trent Acres School is excited to welcome a dedicated Kitchen Assistant to our growing team!

As our Kitchen Assistant, you’ll play a key part in keeping our kitchen running smoothly and our pupils happily fed. Working closely with our Cook/Supervisor, you’ll help prepare, cook and serve meals that pupils genuinely enjoy. Every day brings something new — from supporting food prep on site, to helping prepare meals for partner schools, to ensuring lunchtimes are safe, smooth and positive for everyone. Your work supports a warm, caring environment where children thrive.

• Help prepare, cook and serve meals — including catering for special dietary needs
• Keep the kitchen, equipment and dining areas clean, tidy and hygienic
• Support food preparation for our school and occasionally for partner schools
• Maintain high standards of food hygiene and health & safety
• Assist with stock checks and report shortages or issues
• Record meal numbers, cancellations and changes
• Support lunchtime supervision to help children enjoy a safe, positive break
• Report behaviour concerns to teaching staff when needed

Someone who is:

• Positive, reliable and ready to get stuck in
• Able to work well in a friendly, fast‑paced environment
• Committed to cleanliness, safety and high food hygiene standards
• A great communicator with enthusiasm and a willingness to learn
• Keen to take part in training and grow within the role

Options Trent Acres School is currently undergoing development and increasing its pupils numbers transitioning from 30 pupils to 60 pupils recently and with approval to open an Early Years Unit and extend our Primary provision. Due to this exciting time for the School the job roles currently advertised are all new as part of this development.

The school is purpose built, modern and welcoming with a range of specialist learning areas including an indoor and outdoor riding school and outdoor gymnasium. Children also have the opportunity to work with our horses, donkeys, goats, alpaca and chickens. Learning outside of the classroom is a fundamental part of life at Trent Acres. We have a dedicated staff team who are focused on the delivery of high quality, child centred, bespoke packages of care and education.

Our service is in within easy reach of Stoke, Derby, Telford, Stafford, Lichfield, Burntwood, Rugeley, Burton-on-Trent, Tamworth, Uttoxeter and surrounding towns.

For over 19 years Options Autism have provided care and education to pupils, young people and adults with autism, complex needs and learning difficulties. We are a leading provider of education for neurodivergent young people and young adults. As part of Outcomes First Group, we are leading our sector in setting and delivering new approaches that provide measurable outcomes for those in our care.

We are really proud to say that in 2025, Outcomes First Group were officially certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ for the sixth year running.

We place the outcomes of the pupils and vulnerable young adults in our services at the heart of everything we do, so you’ll wake every day in the knowledge that your role will have a significant positive impact on the lives of others.

We are committed to the safeguarding and promoting the welfare of pupils and young people. All applicants will be subject to social media checks and successful applicants to a fully enhanced DBS.

Your health and wellbeing are important to us, so you’ll get an exceptional reward package including:

• Life Assurance
• Pension scheme with options to increase your contributions
• “Your Wellbeing Matters” – access to a wide range of first‑class mental health support services and physical health checks
• And a market‑leading benefit offering through our Flexible Benefits Platform, Vista, enables you to choose the package that’s right for you, including:
• A wide range of health, wellbeing, and insurance benefits
• 100’s of discount options valid in the UK and abroad
• Cycle to Work Schemes
• Electric Car Purchase Scheme
• Critical illness cover
• Family Growth Support - inclusive benefits package covering enhanced maternity and paternity leave, along with paid fertility treatment support.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

*You’ll work 80% of your contractual hours for 100% of your pay, giving you more time to do the things that make you happy. 4DWW is subject to successful completion of probation and is not a contractual benefit.

Outcomes First Group is committed to carrying out a fair, thorough and efficient recruitment process in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education. Whilst we aim to keep applicants informed throughout, Outcomes First Group does not accept liability for any loss of earnings or other associated costs incurred by applicants as a result of delays or changes in the compliance process. All stages of the compliance process are subject to necessary safeguarding checks and compliance with statutory requirements, which may affect timescales.