How would you like to get paid for five days, but only work four? At Outcomes First Group, we believe in better work/life balance — and we’re putting wellbeing first. That’s why we’re proud to be part of a 4-Day Working Week (4DWW) trial, where you can work one day less each week (or equivalent hours), while still receiving your full-time pay. Many of our schools have already introduced the 4DWW — and others are preparing to roll it out as soon as they reach full staffing. So, whether it’s already in place or just around the corner, now’s the perfect time to join #teamOFG. Job Title:
School Chef Location:
Claystone School, Luton LU1 4LJ Salary:
£22,000 per annum (
not pro rata
) Hours:
30 hours per week; Monday to Friday 8:45am to 3:15pm Contract:
Permanent, Term Time only Start:
October 2025 UK Applicants only. This role does not offer sponsorship. Are you an innovative School Chef with a passion for creating nutritious meals that improve the lives of children and young people? If so, we’d love to hear from you. We are seeking an enthusiastic and motivated School Chef to join our growing team at Claystone School. As a key member of our new school community, you’ll play an important role in helping pupils thrive through healthy, balanced, and enjoyable meals. About the Role You will be responsible for the planning and preparation of high-quality meals and the smooth running of the school kitchen. You’ll manage and supervise kitchen staff while ensuring the highest standards of nutrition, hygiene, and safety are consistently met. Key Responsibilities Plan and develop varied menus that meet pupils’ nutritional and dietary needs in line with health guidelines. Manage stock, portion control, and quality assurance while working within budget. Maintain high standards of hygiene and food safety, ensuring all kitchen areas are prepared and cleaned daily. Prepare meals efficiently to meet daily and weekly demand. Provide meals for staff and pupils with special dietary requirements, ensuring their needs are met safely and respectfully. Minimise food waste through sustainable practices and effective inventory management. What We're Looking For Experienced in catering, ideally in a school, care, or similar environment. Strong knowledge of nutrition, dietary needs, and food safety standards. Organised, efficient, and able to lead and supervise a small team. Passionate about making a positive difference to the lives of young people. About the school Our brand-new Options Autism school – Claystone School in Luton, Bedfordshire – is designed to support up to 48 pupils aged 4–11, providing a nurturing and specialist environment for children with ASC and complex needs. For over 16 years Options Autism have provided care and education to pupils, young people and adults with autism, complex needs and learning difficulties. 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 2024, Outcomes First Group were officially certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ for the fifth year running. Why join Options Autism? We place the outcomes of the pupils 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 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. Benefits 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. #1