Kitchen Porter

Role overview

We are hiring a Kitchen Porter for a busy independent school in IP9. The post is term-time only, with school holidays off. Working hours are Monday to Thursday from 9:00am to 5:00pm and Friday from 9:00am to 3:00pm, with no evening or weekend shifts.

Wilson Vale is a quality-focused contract caterer working with clients across the UK in office restaurants, independent schools, and conference venues. The organisation values excellent food and a strong service culture.

The successful candidate will be a positive, dependable and honest team member who can help keep the school kitchen running smoothly by maintaining high standards of cleanliness, hygiene and organisation, while supporting the catering team in delivering a high-quality food service to students and staff. The site is busy and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Skills and experience

The role suits someone with experience in a similar kitchen or catering setting. You should be able to keep kitchen areas clean and hygienic in line with food safety rules, collect trays and items from the dining room, and use a dishwasher to wash and store crockery, cutlery, utensils and equipment.

You will also need to keep the dishwasher area tidy, dispose of waste appropriately, follow recycling procedures, keep floors and surfaces free from hazards, put away deliveries, support the team during busy service times, assist with simple food preparation when directed by chefs, follow health and safety and food hygiene requirements, and escalate maintenance or equipment concerns to senior staff.

Personal qualities

The ideal applicant will be reliable, punctual and hardworking, able to work well within a team, comfortable with cleanliness and hygiene standards, and willing to learn and take direction. Previous kitchen or catering experience is helpful, but not essential.

Perks and benefits

Wilson Vale highlights strong work-life balance through its working hours, along with a fun and inspiring workplace and good career development prospects. Benefits include Craft Works free craft-focused development training, paid training tailored to the individual, access to an Employee Assistance Programme, an online benefits scheme with savings on everyday purchases, a birthday day off after 1 year of service, and enhanced maternity pay.

Additional information

The start date is September 2026. A clean enhanced DBS check will be required before the start date. Wilson Vale states that it is an equal opportunities employer committed to creating an inclusive workplace and does not tolerate discrimination of any kind.