Chichester Free School
West Sussex
Salary:
Pay Range: SCP 3-4 (£24,796 - £25,186 FTE)
Job type:
Full Time, Part Time, Permanent
Start date:
01 October 2025
Apply by:
23 September 2025
Job overview
Learning Support Assistant
Pay Range: SCP 3-4 (£24,796 - £25,186 FTE)
Term time plus two Inset days
Hours: Flexible. Up to 33.75 per week Monday-Friday 08.15am-3.30pm. We would
also support colleagues who only wish to work two or three days a week.
Deadline: 8am Tuesday 23rd September 2025
Start Date: As soon as possible
We are seeking to expand our dedicated team of Learning Support Assistants. We are looking for
colleagues who have the energy, passion and creativity to work as an LSA in our All Through School. Whilst
this is an All Through Team, colleagues usually focus on either the Primary or Secondary phase – we
currently have opportunities in either Phase; please indicate your preference in your application.
Early applications are encouraged and we reserve the right to interview and appoint prior to the deadline.
If working five days a week, your weekly hours will be 33.75 a week. We will also support requests for a
reduced number of days each week for the right candidate/s.
CFS is a happy, collaborative and forward thinking school for 4-16 year olds, where the personal
development of our pupils is just as important as the academic curriculum. In our recent Ofsted,
inspectors observed that CFS is a vibrant, ambitious and inclusive school, where our respectful and
friendly pupils are thriving and are well prepared for their adult lives. Our values of 'nurture, challenge
and inspire' influence everything we do as a school, and genuinely permeate all areas of school life. If you
share our values and ideals, we strongly encourage you to find out more about CFS via a visit to the school
or through our school website
.
CFS follows national pay scales and the starting point within the range listed will be agreed on
appointment with the successful candidate.
The School
CFS is now entering its second decade and is fully established in our state-of-the-art facilities on the
Carmelite Convent Site on the Hunston Road in the south of Chichester. Our PAN is 60 in Primary, and
120 in Secondary; in almost all year groups we are oversubscribed with waiting lists. Due to demand, we
have a bulge intake in two Secondary year groups with nearly 160 pupils in each.
The School joined Sussex Learning Trust in September 2023 – a move that we personally initiated through
the desire to collaborate with a like-minded family of schools. The Trust is currently small and based in
Haywards Heath; CFS are well placed to launch a new Chichester Hub of the Trust, which is really exciting.
As a Free School, we are the same as any other academy; we are both held and hold ourselves to the
same exacting and rigorous standards as all state-funded schools. We follow the national curriculum, and
are proud of our ambitious, inclusive and varied curriculum offer. Our pupils engage with SATs and GCSE
assessments. In May 2024 we received a very strong full graded Ofsted Inspection – graded at least a
strong Good in all areas and Outstanding in Personal Development. In 24-25 we achieved our highest
attainment in both Year 6 SATs and Year 11 GCSEs, with some exceptional achievement in multiple areas.
As a school we are now striving for excellence in all areas.
CFS is open to pupils of all abilities. We do not have a catchment area, thus ensuring the School is fair and
inclusive. We take part in the West Sussex County Council (WSCC) admissions process. As a school we
benefit from longer holidays, specifically at October half term, Christmas and during the summer.
The Team
You will be working as part of the Learning Support team that provides support for pupils across all Key
Stages of the School, Reception to Year 11. The team provides support in a range of ways which can
consist of in class support, small group intervention and working 1:1 with pupils.
The Role
The successful candidate will be expected to support children with their learning and personal
development both individually and in groups. You will be calm, flexible and have the ability to use your
own initiative as well as be able to work as part of a team. You will need to have the equivalent of a grade
C or 4 in English and Maths at GCSE.
You will:
* be a skilled and competent professional who is enthusiastic and totally committed to the ethos of
the School
* readily establish excellent relationships with both staff, pupils and parents
* have an up-to-date awareness of current issues and challenges in education
* possess drive, expertise and enthusiasm
* possess an optimistic and resilient style when faced with pressure
* be able to communicate well with children and young people, having an understanding of
safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people
* foster good behaviour and care and consideration for others and the learning environment
* provide focused support for children with identified special needs
* support teaching and learning inside and outside of the classroom by working with identified
children and focus groups
* deliver intervention programmes set by the class teacher and report on the progress made by
pupils
* contribute to the assessment and progress of pupils' learning and the maintenance of records
* support school events, trips and visits
* support the classroom teachers as required, such as maintaining the learning environment,
presentation of pupil's work and assisting with the planning of activities
* undertake break, lunch and other duties as required
* deliver basic first aid if needed (training will be provided)
All staff at CFS commit to fully contributing to the ethos and life of the School in and outside the
classroom.
CFS is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects
all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. In accordance with our Child Protection Policy we
are unable to process applications without a fully completed application form. The post is exempt from
the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. All convictions, cautions and bind-overs, including those
regarded as 'spent' must be declared when applying. The applicant may post such a declaration in an
envelope marked 'Private & confidential for the Executive Principal'. The successful applicant must
obtain List 99 clearance and DBS clearance at enhanced level.
The Recruitment Process
For further information and an informal discussion about this post, please do not hesitate to contact us
via or on
Candidates should complete an application form and supporting statement addressing the criteria
presented in the role description and person specification. Completed applications should be sent to
by 8am, Tuesday 23rd September 2025.
Early applications are encouraged, and we reserve the right to interview and appoint prior to this
deadline.
A formal contract will be issued once the successful applicant has been appointed. It will be offered subject
to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS, formerly CRB) check.
Recruiter contact:
Email us
Call us
About Chichester Free School
Chichester Free School
Hunston Road, Chichester
West Sussex
PO20 1NP
United Kingdom
ABOUT CFS
Chichester Free School (CFS) is a state-funded, all-through school, established in response to real demand within the local area for a greater variety of schools. It is part of Sussex Learning Trust, with the key objective to establish, maintain, manage and develop a broad and balanced education. The Trust is absolutely committed to providing young people with the best possible chance to succeed.
CFS is now entering its second decade and is fully established in our state-of-the-art facilities on the Carmelite Convent Site on the Hunston Road in the south of Chichester. Our PAN is 60 in primary, and 120 in Secondary, but in most year groups we are oversubscribed with waiting lists.
As a Free School, we are the same as any other academy; we are both held and hold ourselves to the same exacting and rigorous standards as all state-funded schools. We follow the national curriculum, and are proud of our ambitious, inclusive and varied curriculum offer. Our pupils engage with SATs and GCSE assessments. Since 2013, CFS has achieved two 'Good' Ofsted Inspections. As a school we are now striving for excellence in all areas, and to achieve above average outcomes in both phases.
CFS is a member of Sussex Learning Trust, a family of like minded schools that put children at the forefront of everything we do. For more information on the Trust, please see
the link here.
CFS is open to pupils of all abilities. We do not have a catchment area, thus ensuring the School is fair and inclusive. We take part in the West Sussex County Council (WSCC) admissions process for our Reception and Year 7 intake and so parents apply for places for their child in the same way as any other local state school for those year groups. However, we manage our own in year admissions for all other year groups and applications should be made directly to CFS.
At CFS we strive for excellence in all that we do. Whilst proud of being a relatively small school in our Secondary phase where every child is truly known as an individual, our ambition is uncompromising. We aim for all pupils to achieve their full potential, and exceptional progress sits proudly as our most important pupil outcome measure. We are a school where the happiness and safety of our pupils and staff is just as important as academic achievement.
WE BELIEVE IN NUTURING, CHALLENGING AND INSPIRING ALL OF OUR LEARNERS.
We aim to nurture, challenge and inspire in everything we do at CFS, in and outside the classroom. Our practice is rooted in engaging and inspiring lessons, where academic rigour is achieved by building on pupils' prior learning. We encourage our pupils to show resilience in lessons, challenge them to achieve the best that they can and inspire them through creative approaches which fire a desire to learn. Our intention is to ensure pupils make outstanding progress and that our inclusive and adaptive curriculum removes any potential barriers to learning and prepares our young people for the outside world. For more information about the intent, implementation and impact of our curriculum please do have a look at our curriculum
page here
.
WE BELIEVE IN AN ALL-THROUGH EDUCATION.
We provide a seamless education from ages four to 16. We aim to inspire curiosity and engage learners in common approaches throughout Primary and Secondary. Sharing practice across both phases is common place, and this approach allows us to reduce the negative effects often associated with transition.
WE BELIEVE IN A VARIED CURRICULUM.
Throughout the School we maintain rigorous standards of the core subjects, whilst also providing a varied, high quality and broad curriculum. As evidenced by our state of the art facilities, we are committed to STEM and creative subjects. Our creative, inclusive and flexible offer for all pupils is never compromised, despite the ever increasing emphasis on accountability results.
WE BELIEVE IN COMMUNITY AND FAMILY.
Our House system permeates school life on a daily basis, providing all stakeholders with an engaging sense of community and healthy competition.
WE BELIEVE THAT A STRONG EDUCATION IS NOT JUST ABOUT QUALIFICATIONS.
We know that personal skills such as respect, good speaking and listening skills, common sense, a resilient and hardworking attitude, and ambition are key skills for young people. Our curriculum focuses on these qualities and ensures that every child is ready and equipped for their future. We also work hard to provide experiences that ensure pupils leave us as truly global citizens, with the outlook, empathy, respect and motivation to thrive.
WE BELIEVE THAT THE QUALITY OF OUR TEACHERS IS FUNDAMENTAL TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR SCHOOL.
We recruit proven individuals who we regard as being absolutely the best people to teach. Through a robust process of performance management, our staff receive guidance and support to ensure they continue to do their very best. We hope all staff will feel honoured to be part of CFS.
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