Kitchen Assistant

Cafe Assistant 

Fixed Term until July 2025

7.30-3.30- Monday-Friday term time only plus inset days 

Salary: £23, 795 Actual Salary 

At St. John's, we have been making a positive difference to the lives of young people for nearly 140 years. We are now looking for a Cafe Assistant to help us make a difference in the lives of Autistic young people. 

Who are we? 

St. John's is a non-maintained specialist provision, working with autistic people, the majority of whom also have learning disabilities. Some of our learners have co-occurring conditions such as epilepsy, hearing or visual impairments, or mental health needs. We also support autistic learners who have an additional profile of Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) syndrome. We have a team built up of support workers, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, nurses, PBS practitioners, assistant psychologists, and more, to support us in our holistic approach to development. 

Each learner's curriculum is shaped by their individual strengths, interests, and challenges. St. John's is awarded with Autism Accreditation by the National Autistic Society (NAS). We support our learners to develop their skills in the NAS's four focus areas of: 

• Difference in social communication and interaction 
• Self-reliance and problem-solving 
• Sensory 
• Emotional Well-being 

 About the Role: 

We are seeking a compassionate and dedicated Kitchen Assistant to join our café team. This role is not just about assisting in food preparation—it's about contributing to a supportive environment where our learners, staff, and visitors can enjoy nutritious, carefully prepared meals. You'll play a key role in ensuring that our café is a welcoming and inclusive space for everyone. 

Key Responsibilities: 

• Assist in the preparation and presentation of food, with an emphasis on fresh, wholesome ingredients 
• Maintain high standards of hygiene and cleanliness, adhering to health and safety regulations 
• Support our learners in the café, encouraging their independence and engagement in kitchen activities 
• Work collaboratively with our skilled staff team, helping to create a calm and supportive environment 
• Participate in ongoing training to understand the specific needs of our learners and to support their well-being 

What We're Looking For: 

• A passion for food and a genuine interest in working within a specialist educational setting 
• Experience in a kitchen environment is a plus, but a positive attitude and a willingness to learn are essential 
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to work as part of a team 
• An understanding of, or willingness to learn about, autism and related conditions 

 Closing Date: Thursday 26th September 2024

Interview Date: Tuesday 1st October 2024

Start Date- November 2024 

Ambitious about Autism is fully committed to equality of opportunity and diversity and we warmly welcome applications from all suitably-qualified candidates. We welcome applications regardless of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, disability, or age. All applications will be considered solely on merit.

Ambitious about Autism is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and successful candidates will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check. As part of our Safer Recruitment checks, an online search maybe carried out in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education.

The Safeguarding responsibilities of the post as per the job description and personal specification.

Whether the post is exempt from the rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendment to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2021. This means that when applying for certain jobs and activities certain spent convictions and cautions are ‘protected', so they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. Further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS Filter Guidance.