Head of Catering - Grove School

Head of Catering - Grove School

Grove School, The Head Teacher and Governing Body wish to recruit a forward‑thinking and passionate Head of Catering who has creative flair and can make mealtimes for primary aged pupils fun and exciting. The successful candidate will need to demonstrate they can manage and lead a team of General Assistants and continue to develop the positive culture in a busy school kitchen that puts children at the heart of their work.

We are a large, 3‑form entry school situated on two sites on Dawson Road. Our catering team moves equipment and food between the two sites, sets up dining halls and provides a high‑quality breakfast and lunch service. Many of our pupils are eligible for free school meals and the take‑up of meals is good. Pupils look forward to special meal days at Grove.

The catering team works 3 days in the school holidays to ensure the kitchen and equipment is ready for the start of each term. These days are directed by the senior leadership team.

We encourage potential candidates to contact the school to arrange an informal visit. On this visit you will meet the Head Teacher and current Head of Catering. Please contact Elaine Patel  to arrange an informal visit for Wednesday 7th January or Friday 9th January 2026 at 11:30am or 12:30pm.

Application forms, job description and person specification are available on the school website: or can be downloaded below. Please email your completed application form to .

Grove School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to all necessary pre‑employment checks.

Pre‑employment checks include:
Enhanced DBS;
Prohibition check;
Childcare Disqualification (where applicable); qualifications (where applicable); medical fitness; identity and right to work. All applicants will be required to provide two suitable references. An online search will also be carried out as part of due diligence on all short‑listed candidates. This search does not form part of the shortlisting process and you will have the opportunity to discuss any issues of concern that may arise from this search at the interview.

Safeguarding is our top priority. We encourage all applicants to review our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy, which outlines our commitment to the safety and wellbeing of students.

Therefore, the ability to speak fluent spoken English is an essential requirement for this role.

Hours: Monday – Friday 6:45am – 2:15pm (36.5 hours per week), this includes a daily 30‑minute unpaid break. This post is Term time plus 5 training days. Staff are also required to work 3 days per year in the school holiday period.

Salary: Grade C (SCP 24-33) - £35,412 - £44,075 Full Time Equivalent, £31,556 - £38,092 Pro‑Rata.

Location: Dawson Rd, Handsworth, Birmingham B21 9HB
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Closing Date: Tuesday 13th January 2026, 12:00pm.

Interview Date: Monday 26th January 2026.