Cook

About The Role

Location
:
Barnet, London - a five minute walk from High Barnet tube station

Start
:
March / April 2026

Contract
: 36 hours per week, term time only

Opportunity for an exceptional candidate to be a Cook. Ark Pioneer, a non‑selective secondary school. We deliver a standard of education matching the very best schools in the country.

As a Cook, you will work with an integral part of ensuring Ark Pioneer Academy is a happy and enjoyable place for pupils, staff and visitors by ensuring the highest quality of food provision.

Across school life, we embed high aspirations and a growth mindset in all of our children. We believe that every single child who joins us has the potential to be knowledgeable, articulate and successful. It’s important this resonates with all candidates. The ideal candidate will:

• Have demonstrable experience of cooking for an organisation, ideally within a school
• Be passionate about providing high‑quality food
• Have knowledge of healthy eating and nutrition and creating related menus
• Vision aligned with Ark Pioneer’s high aspirations and high expectations of self and others

• Ensure food is prepared in accordance with relevant regulations and the procedures expected by the Chef Manager
• Assist with stock control/stock taking including receiving and checking supplies and safe storage
• Carry out additional tasks concerned with the operation of the kitchen, as and when required

• Relevant catering qualification
• Health & Hygiene Certificate L3 (desirable)
• First Aid qualification (desirable)
• Right to work in the U.K.

There are lots of reasons! We’re lucky to be based in a brand‑new building with top class facilities. We serve a wonderfully diverse community - we are non‑denominational, mixed gender and two fifths of our pupils receive pupil premium funding. We’re led by our values - Aim High, Have Integrity, Be Kind and Model Determination and our team truly unite behind our vision.

Curriculum is incredibly important to us and we’ve planned backwards from university readiness to give our pupils the very best in every subject discipline. All staff are incredibly supportive and positive and it is a great environment to work in. Read more about our school here.

We are lucky to be part of the Ark network of schools, and to build on the successes of numerous exceptional start‑up schools in our North London region. Ark offers bespoke professional development to all team members. Joining our network opens a breadth of opportunities - many of our team have taken on leadership roles progressing from one of our sister schools.

Ark employees have benefits including everything from shopping discounts to a supportive and comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme. In short, you won’t find a better network of schools to join! Read more about Ark here.

If you’d like to speak to our principal about this role Chloe would be happy to arrange this – contact c.conces

Ark is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people in its academies. In order to meet this responsibility, its academies follow a rigorous selection process to discourage and screen out unsuitable applicants. Ark requires all employees to undertake an enhanced DBS check. You are required, before appointment, to disclose any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.

Non-disclosure may lead to termination of employment. However, disclosure of a criminal background will not necessarily debar you from employment – this will depend upon the nature of the offence(s) and when they occurred. To read more about Ark’s safer recruitment process, .