Social Services Jobs in Southampton, United Kingdom (Now Hiring) — 6 open

Kitchen Cook

Band 4

27.5 hours per week

Term Time only plus one week

FTE £26,034 - £27,347

Actual Salary £17,228 – £18,097

Opening in September 2026 with 40 pupils in Years 5 to 8, Luminous Oak will grow over three years to be a state-of-the-art, 125-place academy for pupils in Years 4 to 11, based in the heart of the Boorley Gardens development in Eastleigh.

Named by pupils within our Trust, Luminous Oak represents strength, growth, and resilience, reflecting our commitment to empowering children and young people to thrive.

Luminous Oak Academy are seeking to appoint an enthusiastic and skilled Kitchen Cook to join our Support Department.

You need to be flexible, energetic and enthusiastic about working with children who have complex needs and/or autism. If you are up for a challenge, like to have fun and really want to help make a difference, then Luminous Oak could be the place for you!

Ideally you will have Level 2 Food Hygiene and Safety Certificate and experience of school catering.

At Solent Academies Trust, we are proud to be a community built on connection, respect, and belonging. 

    Our Relational Culture Charter guides us to work together and support each other through: 

• Valuing Difference 
• Effective Communication 
• High Challenge & High Support to Empower 
• Respect for All 
• Solution-Focused Approaches 

We believe that when relationships thrive, people thrive – and so do the children and young people we serve.

By joining the Luminous Oak Academy team, we offer you: 

• Excellent staff induction with a commitment to high quality professional development aligned in relation leadership and HR excellence
• A culture rooted in relational practice, belonging, and wellbeing
• A workplace where your values, voice, and contribution truly matter
• Local Government Pension Scheme with the option of a 50/50 contribution to build over time
• Competitive employer pension contribution
• Life Insurance - 3 times annual salary (for members of the pension scheme)
• Confidential Counselling & Wellbeing Support Service
• Increase of paid weeks after 5 years of service from 46.3 weeks to 47.1 weeks
• CPD opportunities to support Career development
• Free onsite parking
• Employee Referral Scheme
• Salary Extras Employee Benefits Platform

The hours for this role are Monday - Friday 8.30am – 2.00pm

You will work for 40 weeks of the year; however, you will be paid for 46.3 weeks. Your salary will be paid over 12 months of the year.

For more details, please visit our website Solent Academies Trust - Our Vacancies

If you have any questions at all or wish to submit an application, please email [email protected] 

Please note we will only accept applications completed on our Solent Academies Trust application form.

Closing date for applications is Wednesday 1st July 2026, 9am.

Interviews will be held on Thursday 9th July 2026.

Solent Academies Trust welcome applications regardless of age, gender, ethnicity or religion. Only applications submitted on the academy’s application form will be accepted Solent Academies are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment. All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks along with other relevant employment checks.