BSCBCD

Role Purpose

Key Responsibilities

Teaching and Learning

• Plan and deliver age-appropriate culinary lessons for students.
• Teach practical skills including food preparation, cooking, baking, measuring, weighing, kitchen organisation, cleaning, and safe equipment use.
• Introduce students to basic nutrition, healthy eating, food groups, menu planning, and food choices.
• Develop practical life skills that promote independence and confidence.
• Adapt lessons to accommodate different learning abilities and additional needs.
• Use visual supports, task analysis, modelling, prompts, and differentiated instruction where required.
• Encourage teamwork, communication, problem-solving, creativity, and responsibility.
• Integrate literacy, numeracy, science, and life skills into culinary activities where appropriate.

Inclusive Education

• Work closely with SENCOs, special educators, therapists, shadow teachers, and classroom staff.
• Modify recipes, instructions, equipment, and activities to support individual student needs.
• Support students with autism, ADHD, communication difficulties, developmental delays, intellectual disabilities, and other additional needs.
• Ensure students participate as independently as possible.
• Follow Individual Education Plans and student support plans where relevant.
• Provide clear routines, visual schedules, and structured learning tasks.
• Monitor sensory, behavioural, communication, and physical support requirements during practical sessions.

Life Skills and Pre-Vocational Development

• Teach students practical skills that support independence at home and in the community.
• Develop pre-vocational skills including punctuality, hygiene, following instructions, teamwork, organisation, task completion, and workplace behaviour.
• Introduce students to basic hospitality and food-service routines.
• Support students in preparing simple meals independently.
• Develop opportunities for older students to practise café, catering, food preparation, and customer-service skills.
• Participate in school-based vocational programmes and work-experience initiatives.
• Support students working toward recognised life-skills or culinary certifications where applicable.

Curriculum and Programme Development

• Develop a structured Culinary Studio curriculum across appropriate grade levels.
• Create progression pathways from basic kitchen skills to more advanced culinary and vocational tasks.
• Prepare lesson plans, recipes, worksheets, visual resources, and assessment materials.
• Develop themed projects linked to school events, cultures, nutrition, and community activities.
• Review and improve the culinary programme based on student needs and outcomes.
• Support the development of ASDAN or similar vocational and life-skills programmes where implemented by the school.

Assessment and Student Progress

• Assess students through practical observation, task completion, skills checklists, portfolios, and project work.
• Track individual student progress and independence.
• Provide constructive feedback to students.
• Maintain accurate records of participation, skills achieved, and areas requiring further development.
• Contribute to student reports and progress reviews where required.
• Provide evidence of learning for accreditation, inspections, and school quality assurance.

Health, Safety and Food Hygiene

• Maintain high standards of food hygiene and kitchen safety at all times.
• Ensure students receive clear instruction on safe use of knives, ovens, electrical appliances, heat, and other kitchen equipment.
• Conduct appropriate risk assessments for practical activities.
• Ensure food is stored, prepared, handled, and disposed of safely.
• Monitor allergies, dietary restrictions, and medical requirements before activities.
• Ensure workstations, equipment, and utensils are cleaned and sanitised after use.
• Maintain appropriate supervision ratios during practical lessons.
• Report damaged or unsafe equipment immediately.
• Follow school health, safety, safeguarding, and emergency procedures.

Culinary Studio Management

• Maintain a clean, safe, organised, and welcoming Culinary Studio.
• Monitor kitchen equipment, utensils, ingredients, and consumable supplies.
• Prepare ingredient and equipment lists in advance of lessons.
• Submit purchasing requests and maintain appropriate stock levels.
• Ensure ingredients are stored correctly and checked regularly for expiry.
• Maintain an inventory of culinary equipment.
• Minimise unnecessary food waste and encourage responsible use of resources.
• Ensure equipment is used only by appropriately supervised students.

School Events and Community Activities

• Support school events, celebrations, exhibitions, and student showcases.
• Coordinate appropriate student-led catering or food preparation activities.
• Work with other departments on interdisciplinary projects.
• Support school cafés, community initiatives, fundraising events, or hospitality activities where appropriate.
• Promote student achievement through culinary displays, competitions, and practical demonstrations.

Safeguarding and Student Wellbeing

• Maintain appropriate supervision and professional boundaries.
• Follow all safeguarding and child-protection requirements.
• Promote respectful, positive, and safe behaviour within the Culinary Studio.
• Recognise and respond appropriately to student distress, sensory overload, behavioural concerns, or safety risks.
• Report safeguarding or wellbeing concerns in accordance with school procedures.

Professional Responsibilities

• Attend staff meetings, training, professional development, and school events as required.
• Work collaboratively with teaching and support teams.
• Maintain confidentiality regarding students and families.
• Communicate professionally with parents where required.
• Participate in school improvement, accreditation, and quality-assurance activities.
• Maintain professional knowledge of food education, vocational learning, health and safety, and inclusive teaching.
• Perform other reasonable duties assigned by school leadership.

Qualifications

• Relevant qualification in Culinary Arts, Food Preparation, Hospitality, Home Economics, Education, or a related field.
• Practical experience in cooking, food preparation, or hospitality.
• Strong knowledge of food hygiene and kitchen safety.
• Good communication and classroom-management skills.
• Ability to work effectively with children and young people.
• Willingness to support students with additional learning needs.

• Teaching qualification or recognised instructor qualification.
• Food Safety or Food Hygiene certification.
• Experience teaching cooking, life skills, hospitality, or vocational education.
• Experience working in an inclusive school or special education setting.
• Experience working with students with autism or developmental disabilities.
• Experience with ASDAN, vocational qualifications, or school-based enterprise programmes.

Key Skills and Competencies

• Strong practical culinary skills.
• Patience and ability to teach skills step by step.
• Strong awareness of health and safety.
• Good organisation and planning.
• Ability to differentiate practical activities.
• Strong classroom and behaviour management.
• Creativity and enthusiasm for practical learning.
• Ability to promote independence rather than over-support students.
• Good teamwork and communication.
• Understanding of inclusive education.
• Ability to manage kitchen resources and budgets responsibly.

Key Performance Indicators

• Quality and safety of culinary lessons.
• Student engagement and participation.
• Student progress in practical and independent living skills.
• Appropriate differentiation for students with additional needs.
• Quality of curriculum planning and assessment.
• Kitchen hygiene and safety compliance.
• Effective management of equipment, ingredients, and resources.
• Development of vocational and pre-employment skills.
• Contribution to school events and student programmes.
• Professional collaboration with teaching and support teams.

GFH Alia National School Commitment