Please note that this role is due to commence in January 2026
£25,040 - £25,803 + excellent benefits
Huge Small Victories Being a cook in our school means being part of something big. You’ll be working at the heart of the school, preparing and serving tasty, nutritious food to our young people, staff and visitors
Get out what you put in You’ll supervise a skilled team and plan nutritious menus for our young people. You’ll also need to make sure that the school meets food hygiene regulations and nutritional standards. Being a cook in charge at our schools means you’ll get to build fantastic relationships with all of our staff and young people, by doing what you do best.
One of the best environments in SEND Opening in Spring 2026, Felden Hall School is a purpose built, brand new, state of the art school for up to 115 pupils. The school provides education for pupils aged 5 - 16 and caters to children with a wide range of needs including autism and social, emotional and mental health needs. This new exciting opportunity serves Hemel Hempstead and the wider communities, you are at the heart of its development. Our aim is to ensure that every pupil has an outstanding educational experience with individual pupil progress and care at the heart of what is offered.
What we do for you We know you’re going to do great things. For your hard work and commitment, we reward you with the best salary and benefits package in the education sector. With us, you’ll get to bring learning to life and make a genuine difference to the lives of our young people – plus you’ll get: Training: A full induction and on the job training
Holiday: You’ll work hard at WG, so you’ll be rewarded with full school holidays
Flexible benefits: meaning you can increase/decrease benefits such as life insurance – check out our benefits here
Wellbeing: a host of wellbeing tools and advice including employee assistance
Medical cover so you can claim back the cost of things like an opticians or dentist appointment and a host of high-street discounts
Beautiful working environments with the very best facilities – check out our schools here
A recommend a friend scheme that offers a £1,000 bonus every time
Bring your whole-self to work Our young people come from all walks of life, diverse backgrounds and with different needs – and our workforce reflects that diversity, so that our teams can engage, encourage and inspire our young people to be themselves. The kind of person we’re looking for will: Have a Level 3 qualification in Food Safety in Catering (or equivalent)
Be organised and have the ability to plan menus
Have experience budgeting for each meal and ordering in bulk
Interested in joining us? At Witherslack Group, inclusion is part of who we are. We’re committed to creating an environment where everyone feels respected, valued and that they truly belong.
As a specialist provider of education and care for children and young people with special educational needs, we understand the importance of embracing individuality and championing difference- especially when it comes to neurodiversity. We celebrate diverse perspectives, lived experiences, and the unique strengths that each person brings to our community.
We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, and abilities. We are proud to be recognised as an inclusive employer and are committed to making our recruitment and workplace practices inclusive and accessible. If you need any adjustments to support you through the recruitment process or in the workplace, we’ll be there every step of the way.
By building a diverse and inclusive team, we’re better able to support the children, young people and families we serve and ensure every member of our team can thrive, grow, and be their authentic self.
The Witherslack Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its young people. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check (we will cover the cost) and an online search. We are an equal opportunities employer welcoming applications from all sections of the community.
For a full job description and person specification, please click here
To view our ex-offenders policy please click here.
To view our Child Protection Policy, please visit the 'Parents and Carers' section of this School/Learning centre. You can find all our Schools here.
Special Education / Careers in Care / Careers in Special Education / Working with Children / SEMH / SEN / ASD