About Us                                             

COLAT is driven by an unwavering ambition to be the best. We believe exceptional people create outstanding schools, transforming lives and shaping the future of every student. We have academies located in north, south and east London combining the heritage and tradition of the Corporation of London with a genuinely innovative, enterprising, and entrepreneurial ethos. We are also committed to providing training and development to all our staff, plus excellent career advancement opportunities within our evolving Trust.

 We:

•  believe strongly in the transformational nature of education operating schools in areas of significant disadvantage.
• understand that strong outcomes lead to improved life chances for our students, so we are unapologetically results driven.
• adopt a ‘warm/strict’ approach, combining high expectations with care and support meaning that we never compromise on standards or expectations
• ensure that no student’s background becomes a reason for low expectations.
• provide an environment where students can learn without disruption
• maintain exemplary standards of behaviour, with systems, rituals and norms that instil strong habits
• take great pride in fostering an exceptionally positive learning environment and we work meticulously to maintain our strong ethos and culture

About you

You will be an experienced and passionate Chef fully aligned with our approach to delivering nutritious, tasty meals for our students.  You will thrive in a fast paced environment and take pride in maintaining high standards of food quality and hygiene. You will also be dedicated to supporting our school’s commitment to healthy eating and sustainability. 

This is an exciting time to be part of the City of London Academies Trust, and we very much hope that you will be inspired to want to join us. We are committed to investing in the next generation of COLAT people who will embody the Trust’s culture, values and ethos.

About the role

Do you believe that every child has the right to the highest possible standard of food in school?

Are you willing to work hard to ensure that no child is left feeling hungry after the dinner service?

Do you understand the challenges and barriers some children face in accessing education which includes hunger and fuel poverty?

 We are seeking to appoint a Sous Chef to join our kitchen team as we continue our exciting journey to develop our school food offer.

 If you think you can make a difference, then we are looking for a fantastic Sous Chef for our well equipped school kitchen.  You should have a good understanding of the DFE guidance for healthy lunches, the skills to work as part of a small team and be passionate about delivering a diverse and nutritious menu.

 The perfect candidate will be someone who our children can identify with and who will understand some of the barriers our children face.

 They will need patience, humour, determination and commitment to our 5 core values of:

·         Aspirational

·         Adventurous

·         Compassionate

·         Enlightened

·         Individual

To find out more about our school food vision, please visit the lunchtime page on our website.

 In return you will receive opportunities for professional development, will work alongside Chefs In Schools to develop your menu and good practise and become part of a team of dedicated and caring staff and get to work with the best children and families in Southwark.

 We are looking to appoint someone to join us in January/February 2026. We are seeking passionate and driven individuals with good communication and organisational skills and a desire to make a difference to the lives of our children and their communities.

 Working Pattern: Monday – Friday, 35 hrs a week, 07:00 – 14:30  

Main Purpose:

·         To motivate and lead a team to serve fresh, interesting and nutritious school meals within budget and which meet Government and the Schools standards at all times.

·         To assist in developing a food and cookery curriculum for the school, working on highly aspirational food related projects for the school.

·         To maintain high standards of cleanliness and hygiene in the kitchen area.

·         Day to day supervision of the kitchen team.

Key Accountabilities:

Meal Planning and Meal Provision

·         Prepare fresh fish, fresh meat, bake fresh breads.

·         Prepare meals in accordance with an agreed seasonal menu cycle and change.

·         Work in accordance with the school food standards, allowing for any allergen issues.

·         Ensure full adherence to recipes, food presentation standards and portion control.

·         Have a working knowledge of multiple cooking methods and an understanding of correct cooking procedures such as blanching, searing, grilling and steaming.

·         Undertake weekly menu planning ensuring that there is variety in the chosen meals and portion control.

·         Prepare meals to meet specific dietary and cultural requirements.

·         Maintain a weekly and monthly cleaning regime for all the kitchen equipment.

·         Work as part of a team and contribute to the work of the unit.

·         Take part in the school’s performance management system.

·         Attend governing body meetings on a regular basis.

Support for Students and Staff

•        Participate and contribute to wider school activities relating to the catering service, nutritional values and education and food technology

Safety and Hygiene

·         Ensure freezer and fridge temperatures logs are maintained on a daily basis.

·         Be responsible for monitoring of food hygiene and health & safety controls within the kitchen area.

Stock Control

 Check supplier delivery notes against orders and report discrepancies.

·         Undertake stock taking monthly maintaining food stock levels and checking of dates.

·         Order groceries and other supplies according to the menu.

·         Check and monitor stock in the unit kitchenette and report excess food items.

Communication

•   Ensure that merchandising procedures and aids are applied to sustain interest in the range of food and beverages being offered and that, when appropriate, effort is made to increase sales.

·      Develop and maintain good working relationships with Academy staff and Customers through regular personal contact, taking part in meetings and training organised in the unit.

·         Ensure that the Academy’s food policies are communicated to, understood and adhered to by all subordinate staff

·         Respond to customer feedback and take swift, meaningful actions

This is a description of the main duties and responsibilities of the post at the date of production. The duties may change over time as requirements and circumstances change. The person in the post may also have to carry out other reasonable duties as may be necessary from time to time.

Safeguarding Children

COLAT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect all staff to share this commitment and to undergo appropriate checks, including enhanced DBS checks.

The above responsibilities are subject to the general duties and responsibilities contained in the Statement of Conditions of Employment. The duties of this post may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the post or level of responsibility entailed.

The person undertaking this role is expected to work within the policies, ethos and aims of the Trust and to carry out such other duties as may reasonably be assigned. The post holder will be expected to have an agreed flexible working pattern to ensure that all relevant functions are fulfilled through direct dialogue with employees, contractors and community members.

English Duty

This role is covered under part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 and therefore the ability to speak fluent spoken English is an essential requirement for this role.

 Candidates must address the person specification in no more than 1,000 words. 

 Applications must be submitted via the My New Term portal

Please refer to the 'vacancies' section on our website for the full Applicant Pack.