**NEW** CAtering Manager

Catering Manager
Eye C of E Primary School
Eyebury Road, Eye, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE6 7TD
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Term time plus agreed additional days — 40 hours a week, Full time.
Salary: Dependent on Experience
Start date: September 1st 2026
Closing date: Friday 19th June 2026
Interview date: 23rd June 2026
About our school
Eye C of E Primary School is a welcoming and caring Church of England primary school where children are encouraged to learn, grow and succeed. Our school vision, “I came to give life, life in all its fullness”, underpins our commitment to providing the best possible education and care for every child.
Our GROW standards – Gratitude, Respect, Ownership and Wisdom – are central to daily school life, supported by our Christian values of thankfulness, service, compassion, peace, justice, forgiveness and community.
We are now seeking to appoint an enthusiastic, organised and creative Catering Manager to lead our school kitchen and help us provide meals that do more than simply fill children up. We want our lunchtime offer to support health, learning, enjoyment, independence and a positive relationship with food.
About the role
This is an exciting opportunity for someone who is passionate about good food and wants to make a real difference to children’s daily school experience.
The successful candidate will manage the day-to-day running of the school catering service, preparing and serving high-quality, nutritious and appealing meals for pupils, staff and visitors throughout the day, including breakfast, lunch and after school. The role will involve leading the kitchen team, maintaining excellent food safety standards and developing a lunchtime culture that reflects the values and ambition of the school.
We are looking for someone who can champion freshly prepared meals, make good use of seasonal produce, reduce reliance on heavily processed food and create menus that children genuinely enjoy. The successful candidate will be encouraged to bring skill, creativity and pride to the kitchen, while working within a school budget and meeting the needs of all pupils.
This is not just a kitchen management role. It is an opportunity to help shape the way children experience food at school.

Our approach to school food
We want our catering provision to be built around:
● Freshly prepared, tasty and nutritious meals.
● Food made with care, skill and pride.
● Menus that introduce children to a wider range of flavours, ingredients and cultures.
● Familiar school favourites prepared in a healthier, more thoughtful way.
● Greater use of vegetables, pulses, grains, fruit and whole foods.
● Reduced reliance on ultra-processed products where possible.
● A calm, positive and welcoming dining environment.
● Children being encouraged to try new foods and talk positively about what they eat.
● Food education that links the kitchen, dining hall and wider school life.
Our mission is to transform children’s health through food “plate by plate, class by class”, with our dedicated kitchen team preparing tasty meals packed with fresh, nutritious produce and helping to embed a positive food culture in the dining room and classroom.
Main duties and responsibilities
The Catering Manager will:
● Lead and manage the school kitchen, ensuring a high-quality catering service for pupils, staff and visitors.
● Prepare and serve fresh, nutritious and appealing meals, using fresh ingredients and cooking from scratch where practical.
● Develop balanced, child-friendly and cost-effective menus that improve variety, quality and nutritional value.
● Encourage a positive dining culture where children enjoy food, try new dishes and develop healthy habits.
● Lead, supervise and support catering staff, promoting high standards and effective teamwork.
● Ensure all meals meet school food standards, allergen requirements and individual dietary needs.
● Maintain excellent standards of cleanliness, hygiene, food safety, health and safety and COSHH compliance.
● Manage stock, ordering, deliveries, suppliers, budgets and waste reduction.
● Keep accurate kitchen records, including temperature checks, cleaning schedules, allergen information and stock control.
● Work with school leaders, pupils and staff to improve the lunchtime experience and support school events where required.
● Liaise with the school wraparound manager to provide food for both breakfast club and after school provision.
● Promote the school’s values through a friendly, respectful and inclusive lunchtime service.

Why this role matters
Food is an important part of school life. A good meal can help children feel cared for, ready to learn and willing to try something new. The successful candidate will help create a kitchen and dining culture where food is fresh, enjoyable, inclusive and valued.
The role would suit an experienced school catering professional, a chef who has experience managing a large team in a school setting and balancing a budget.
Safeguarding
Eye C of E Primary School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. The successful applicant will be subject to safer recruitment checks, including an enhanced DBS check and any other checks required for working in a school setting.
How to apply
For further information or to request an application pack, please contact the school office:
Eye C of E Primary School
Eyebury Road
Eye
Peterborough
Cambridgeshire
PE6 7TD
Telephone: 01733 222314