Practical Cookery and Independent Living Instructor

The successful candidate will use practical cookery, baking and food-related learning as an engaging route to independence, confidence and achievement. The post holder will plan and deliver safe, inclusive and motivating sessions for young people in secure and residential school settings, helping them develop the everyday skills needed to shop, budget, prepare nutritious food, manage a home and make informed lifestyle choices.

The successful candidate will possess strong practical cookery, baking, hospitality or catering experience and be able to translate their skills into positive learning experiences. The post holder will work alongside teaching, care, throughcare and skills academy colleagues to support accredited learning, successful transitions and young people’s participation.

Main Task

• Support young people, through timetabled sessions, to engage with learning on practical skills for living, including food preparation and hygiene, planning and budgeting, and healthy lifestyle choices.
• Contribute to, understand and work to lesson plans
• Ensure that young people’s learning outcomes are evidenced
• Working alongside Education, Care, Throughcare and Advocacy colleagues, deliver sessions, which promote the young people’s voice within service design and delivery
• Adherence to risk assessments and safety plans

Practical cookery, baking and food skills

• Plan and deliver timetabled practical cookery and baking sessions that are engaging, appropriately challenging and relevant to independent living.
• Teach about safe food preparation, kitchen hygiene, nutritional, menu planning, portioning and shopping.
• Introduce a range of recipes, adapting activities to individual needs, interests and abilities.
• Maintain a clean, organised and safe learning kitchen, including appropriate stock control, equipment checks and allergen management.
• Support enterprise and hospitality activities where these provide meaningful opportunities.

Independent living and healthy choices

• Help young people build practical skills in budgeting, household planning, reducing food waste and making informed choices about health and wellbeing.
• Connect cookery learning to real-life contexts, including living independently, employability, further learning and community participation.
• Encourage confidence, perseverance, teamwork, creativity and pride in achievement.

Planning, learning and accreditation

• Work with GTCS-registered teaching colleagues to contribute to lesson plans, learning materials and individual learning approaches.
• Gather clear evidence of participation, progress and achievement and contribute to assessment for relevant National Qualifications or wider awards.
• Differentiate activities so young people with varied needs can participate and succeed
• Use young people’s feedback and interests to shape learning and improve engagement.

Relationships, safeguarding and safety

• Build consistent, respectful and boundaried relationships using relational and trauma-informed approaches.
• Support positive behaviour and respond calmly to challenge in line with school policy, risk assessments and individual safety plans.
• Follow safeguarding, child protection, health and safety, hygiene and allergen procedures.
• Complete activity-specific risk assessments and ensure safe use and storage of ingredients, utensils and equipment.

Collaboration and professional practice

• Work closely with colleagues to coordinate support and promote positive outcomes.
• Contribute to meetings, reviews, educational visits and transition planning where relevant.
• Undertake mandatory and role-relevant training and maintain professional knowledge in cookery, nutrition, food safety and inclusive practice.
• Carry out other duties appropriate to the nature and grade of the post.

NOTE: This Job Description is to provide a clear and concise statement of the MAIN TASKS and ACTIVITIES of the post, it is not intended as an exhaustive list of every aspect of the post holder’s duties