Our school

Pocklington is a thriving co-educational independent day and boarding school twelve miles east of York with 750 pupils from 2 – 18. With over 500 years of history you can expect a family-centred community where we care for every child in a unique way. Exciting times are ahead as we expand our provision to include a brand new nursery. Meal times are a vital part of the school day and are enjoyed by everyone where we serve up to 1000 lunches and 100 breakfasts & suppers.

The role

- An ideal opportunity for a current Sous Chef looking to progress or a current Head Chef looking for a new challenge

- You will provide a safe, nutritious and fun eating environment for all members of the Pocklington School Foundation by planning, preparing, cooking and presenting food to the highest possible standard

- Working with the Head of Hospitality and Catering, you’ll have the freedom to create new menu ideas and choose your own suppliers

The team

Our Head of Hospitality and Catering will support you and your team of 26 experienced chefs, cooks and catering assistants . The kitchen team are loyal, good fun and above all they love working here – we have a mixed team of long standing and newer employees - one cook has recently celebrated 50 years of service!

What you’ll receive

This isn’t your usual head chef role: you will generally work an average of 37 hours per week throughout the year; there are no split shifts and you will largely work daytime shifts from Monday to Friday. You will need to have a flexible approach to your working hours to meet the demands of a boarding school and cater for events that happen outside of normal school hours e.g. weekends, evenings or lettings during the holidays. Alongside a friendly and caring work environment, our benefits include:

- Training and support to meet your individual needs

- 25 days holiday which increases to 27 after 5 years (plus bank holidays)

- Defined contribution pension scheme (10% employer contributions)

- Fee discount for children attending the school

- Use of onsite gym and swimming pool

You will be

- Professionally trained with experience of working in a high volume catering environment

- Experienced in working in a similar large scale catering role e.g. education, hospitality

- Able to manage, lead & inspire a large team and promote a collaborative team culture

- Have a passion for high quality, fresh, local food and delivering excellent customer service

Next steps

To find out more please contact Paul Freeman-Hacker, Head of Hospitality and Catering on 01759 322666/ recruitment@pocklingtonschool.com

Please apply via TES: https://www.pocklingtonschool.com/work-with-us

Closing Date: 9am 7th January 2025

At Pocklington School we strive to inspire, support & celebrate equity, diversity & inclusion, indeed this is so fundamental that it is one of our core strategic objectives. As such we are committed to promoting equality and diversity within our workforce. As part of our recruitment process, we actively encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and age. We recognise the value of diverse perspectives and believe that a diverse team enhances innovation, creativity, and success. We strive to create an inclusive environment where all employees feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their best.

Pocklington School Foundation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff to share this commitment. The successful applicant will be required to undertake an enhanced disclosure via the DBS.