Food jobs in United Kingdom

• Closing date for applications: Monday 23 February 2026
• Employer: Cumberland Council

OP1 £12.66 per hour (£24,413 per annum, full-year, full-time equivalent)

Contract Type: Permanent

Working Hours: 10 hours per week; term-time only, plus 1 week

Start Date: Negotiable on successful appointment. Candidate contractual requirements will be considered.

We are seeking a motivated, reliable, and enthusiastic Kitchen Assistant to join our dedicated team and help provide a healthy and enjoyable lunchtime experience for our pupils and staff. This role is ideal for someone looking for flexible, term-time work that fits around other commitments.

• A positive attitude and a willingness to learn and work as part of a team
• Good communication skills
• Ability to work calmly under pressure and switch between tasks with ease
• An interest in food and nutrition and a passion for providing a quality service
• Previous experience in a catering or school environment is desirable, but not essential, as full training will be provided
• A commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people is essential, and the successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references

All posts involving direct contact with children are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974 and the successful applicant will be required to hold or undergo a suitable enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service disclosure. However, amendments to the ROA 1974 (Exceptions Order 1975 (2013 & 2020) provide that certain spent convictions and cautions are "protected". These are not subject to disclosure to employers and cannot be considered. Guidance and criteria on the filtering of these cautions and convictions can be found on the Ministry of Justice website.

Short‑listed candidates will be asked to complete a criminal record self‑disclosure form to provide details of all unspent convictions and those that would not be filtered or protected, to be returned to the school prior to the date of the interview. You may be asked for further information about your criminal history during the recruitment process. If your application is successful, this criminal record self‑disclosure information will be checked against information from the Disclosure & Barring Service before your appointment is confirmed.

In addition to the above, the school reserves the right to carry out an online search on short‑listed candidates. This will only include a search for information which is publicly available online.

Please note it is an offence to apply for the role if the applicant is barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children.