Are you passionate about cooking and providing nutritious meals for young children? As an Assistant Chef at Busy Bees, you’ll be a key part of our kitchen team, preparing healthy meals that support children's growth and development. This is an exciting opportunity to work in a nurturing environment where you will contribute to the wellbeing of children while gaining valuable experience in catering within the early years sector.
About Us
Busy Bees is the UK's leading nursery group, with nearly 400 nurseries across the UK and more overseas. We are dedicated to giving every child the best start in life and are proud to have won awards for our workplace culture. At Busy Bees, we ensure that every member of our team feels heard, valued, and nurtured.
Why Work at Busy Bees?
We offer a supportive environment that empowers you to create engaging, educational spaces where children can thrive. As part of our team, you’ll be introduced to our unique Bee Curious curriculum, designed to foster curiosity and confidence in young learners.
Our Charitable Commitment
Through our partnership with BBC Children in Need, we offer fantastic opportunities for community involvement and fundraising to support children's lives.
About our Nursery
Busy Bees Swindon Peatmoor, rated Good by Ofsted, has a capacity of 100 children and features a longstanding staff team, with some members having been with Busy Bees for over 15 years. Our passionate team consistently strives to provide the best start in life for our children through a variety of educational programs, including UP, a toilet training program, UP and Active with Buzz, the School program, Busy Hands, and the Bee Curious curriculum. We also implement a "Sign of the Week" initiative and maintain a good ratio of qualified staff, including a Level 6 practitioner. Our nursery offers large outdoor areas specific to each age group, and we engage parents through regular events such as parent evenings, stay-and-plays, and tea parties. Notably, we celebrate a harvest festival each October, donating to our local food bank, and organize outings and community walks. We host open days where local businesses are invited, and parents with specific occupations are welcomed to share their knowledge with the children. Conveniently located near a bus stop just a minute's walk away and next to a convenience shop, we are also close to picturesque lake and woodland walk areas. We offer free parking for staff, along with a work anniversary acknowledgment program, a LOVE voucher/staff shout-out scheme, and staff discounts for childcare, creating a supportive and rewarding environment for our team.
Busy Bees Benefits
Competitive salary
Ongoing professional development and career progression
Our ‘Hive’ benefits and wellbeing hub, with discounts across a huge range of retailers
Up to 28 days holiday per year (including bank holidays)
Your birthday off – it’s our gift to you!
25% childcare discount
Enhanced family leave and return to work bonus
Menopause support through Peppy
Financial support through Salary Finance
Employee Assistance Programme and Mental Health First Aiders
Cycle to Work scheme
Easy access to your workplace pension through Cushon
Discounted Private Medical Insurance (PMI)
But wait, there’s more! You'll also enjoy access to our Benefits and Wellbeing platform, Hive - offering huge array huge of retail discounts helping your money to go further, along with a Wellbeing Hub featuring resources to support your physical and mental health. A Celebrating You section showcasing the ways we recognise and reward our valued team members. Plus, a dedicated Grow with Us area sharing the exciting development opportunities and training designed to support you to thrive and grow at Busy Bees.
Role Responsibilities: Key Responsibilities:
Prepare healthy, nutritious meals that meet dietary requirements for children.
Support the Chef in overseeing kitchen operations and maintaining food safety and hygiene standards.
Ensure kitchen inventory is well-maintained and assist with ordering and stock management.
Support meal preparation and assist in the cleaning and maintenance of kitchen equipment.
Required Qualifications: Ideal CandidateIdeally experience in leadership within early years settings.
Strong mentoring and problem-solving skills.
Ability to drive improvements and ensure compliance.
If you have a passion for leading teams and supporting quality education, apply today
Salary description
£12.75 - £12.75 per hour