Cook

Role Description

Cook – Cambian Red Rose School

Location: Preston, Lancashire

Hours: 20 hours per week (Term Time only)

Salary: £11,337.32 per annum

Are you an experienced, creative cook who takes pride in preparing fresh, nutritious meals? Cambian Red Rose School is looking for a dedicated Cook to lead our small kitchen team and make a real difference to our students' school day.

The school:

Cambian Red Rose School is an independent, DfE-registered, co-educational day school in Preston, providing specialist education for up to 30 students aged 5–17 years with social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) difficulties. Our success is built on combining high expectations with genuine sensitivity to the individual needs of every student—and great food plays a vital role in supporting their wellbeing and learning.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan, prepare, and cook fresh, balanced, and high-standard meals for students and staff each day.
• Design engaging, varied menus with careful attention to individual dietary requirements, allergies, and nutritional needs.
• Manage, motivate, and oversee a small kitchen team to ensure smooth daily operations.
• Provide catering for school meetings, visitors, and special school events.
• Maintain the highest standards of food hygiene, cleanliness, and health and safety, while attending relevant training to support full regulatory compliance.

What We Are Looking For

• Previous experience managing a kitchen environment.
• The ability to cook fresh, healthy meals, paired with creativity and an awareness of current food trends.
• Strong, up-to-date knowledge of food safety, allergen management, and health and safety regulations.
• A reliable team player with strong organisational skills and a positive, adaptable attitude suited to a specialist school environment.

Why Join Us?

• Work-Life Balance: Family-friendly, part-time hours (20 hours per week) working term time only.
• Rewarding Environment: Be part of a supportive, close-knit school community where your work directly impacts young people's lives.
• Ongoing Support: Access to continuous training and professional development within the Cambian Group.

We pride ourselves on being an Equal Opportunities Employer and we are committed to safeguarding and protecting the young people and service users within our care. All candidates will be subject to an Enhanced DBS Check and reference checks.

We will conduct online searches of shortlisted candidates. This check will be part of a safeguarding check, and the search will purely be based on whether an individual is suitable to work with children. As care must be taken to avoid unconscious bias and any risk of discrimination a person who will not on the appointment panel will conduct the search and will only share information if and when findings are relevant and of concern.

CareTech Community Services are proud to inform you that they are a Disability Confident Leader.