Catering Assistant

  • ARK SCHOOLS
  • Kingston Upon Thames, London
  • May 20, 2026
Full time Hospitality & Tourism

Job Description

About The Role

We are currently recruiting for a Catering Assistant to join our catering team. You will assist the delivery of a consistent, high-quality meal service in our student canteen and staff/sixth form café. The role will include all aspects of food preparation, food service, kitchen hygiene and other duties associated with the running of the kitchen and cafe.

The successful candidate will:

  • Have experience of working in a busy kitchen
  • Have experience of catering in large quantities within a school setting, desirable
  • Possess a professional outlook
  • Be a team player who can work collaboratively as well as using own initiative
  • Be friendly, calm and approachable, even under pressure
  • Have a robust awareness of keeping children safe, noticing safeguarding and welfare concerns, and an understanding of how and when to take appropriate action

If you would like to discuss this opportunity or for any queries, please contact Julie Rickard at or on

Benefits

  • Salaries 2.5% higher than main pay scale.
  • Generous pension scheme.
  • Access to Ark rewards - a scheme offering savings from over 3,000 major retailers
  • Interest-free loans - up to £5,000 available for season ticket or to buy a bicycle.
  • Access to Employee Assistance Programme - providing free, confidential counselling, legal advice and a range of different support.

About Us

Ark Putney Academy opened in September 2012 as part of the Ark network in the London Borough of Wandsworth. We're a non-selective, mixed secondary school with 750 students, ranging from year 7 through to sixth form.

We offer a rich curriculum emphasising core academic subjects, whilst providing the facilities, time and specialist staff to ensure students develop across a range of subjects. Music is at the heart of our school, with every student learning an instrument and all secondary students having the chance to be part of our band programme.

We adopt a holistic view to educating young people. Through our commitment to inclusion, equality and attainment, we prepare every student to be a pillar of any community.

We've also been celebrating a successful year so far with extremely strong GCSE results. This reflects our excellent teaching and the dedication of our staff both to the students and each other.

In our 2022 Ofsted inspection we were rated 'Good' in every category with real strengths in teaching and learning, curriculum breadth and personal development.

Diversity and inclusion:

We aim to build a diverse and inclusive organisation where everyone - staff and students - can do their best work and achieve their full potential. We want to reflect and represent diverse perspectives across our organisation because we know that doing so will make us stronger and more effective. To know more about Ark's diversity and inclusion commitments, please click on this link.

Safeguarding statement:

Ark is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people in its academies. In order to meet this responsibility, its academies follow a rigorous selection process to discourage and screen out unsuitable applicants.

Ark requires all employees to undertake an enhanced DBS check. You are required, before appointment, to disclose any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. Non-disclosure may lead to termination of employment. However, disclosure of a criminal background will not necessarily debar you from employment - this will depend upon the nature of the offence(s) and when they occurred. To read more about Ark's safer recruitment process, please click this link.

Please note we will be reviewing applications on an on-going basis and this role may close earlier than advertised depending on the level of response. We strongly encourage to submit your application at your earliest convenience.