Overview
Student School Nurse - Oct 2025 Start Oxford Brookes University (Placements in West Sussex & Brighton & Hove)
Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust offers a fully funded PGDip or MSc in Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (School Nursing), open to NMC-registered nurses or midwives.
We’re looking for passionate, motivated professionals with strong communication, assessment, and leadership skills, and an interest in the Healthy Child Programme, public health, and reducing health inequalities.
The course is 50% online university study and 50% in-person placement in West Sussex or Brighton & Hove.
Requirements:
NMC registration (nurse or midwife)
Eligible for PGDip SCPHN (School Nursing) at Oxford Brookes
Note:
Subject to NHS England funding
Learn more: School Nursing in the South East - Welcome
Please note: Due to recent changes in UK immigration and visa rules, this role is unlikely to be eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Applicants who do not currently have the right to work in the UK may not be considered. Candidates requiring sponsorship should review the eligibility criteria on the gov.uk website before applying to assess their eligibility for a Certificate of Sponsorship for this role.
Skilled Worker visa: going rates for eligible occupation codes - GOV.UK
Health and Care Worker visa: If you’ll need to meet different salary requirements - GOV.UK
Main duties of the job
The school nurse leads the 5-19 Healthy Child Programme in Brighton and Hove and West Sussex.
As a student school nurse, you will be an adult learner and this requires you to be self-motivated, enthusiastic, resilient and dedicated to the role. As a qualified SCPHN you will be leading the 5-19 Healthy Child Programme (HCP) working directly with school-age children and young people, their parents and carers. You will have a passion for public health and improving outcomes for children in West Sussex and Brighton & Hove through progressive universalism and early intervention. We are looking for compassionate and child-focused nurses and midwives who are able to demonstrate an understanding of holistic assessment, the wider determinants of health, and capacity building. You will need to have excellent communication skills and some experience of working collaboratively with other agencies.
This is not just a set of letters but the pathway to a varied, worthwhile and rewarding career.
Don’t miss out on an incredible opportunity, apply now.
About us
We are the main provider of NHS community services across East and West Sussex, with 6,000 staff serving 1.3 million people. We deliver essential care to adults and children, helping them manage their health, avoid hospital admissions, and reduce hospital stays.
Our Trust vision is to provide excellent care at the heart of the community. We offer opportunities across medical, clinical, support, and corporate services.
Why work for us?
* Positive 2025 NHS Staff Survey results, highlighting compassionate leadership and wellbeing
* Varied environments: community hospitals, patients’ homes, and bases across Sussex
* Flexible working options: part-time, flexi-time, annualised hours, and flexi-retirement
* Excellent training, development, and research opportunities
* Cost-effective workplace nurseries in Crawley, Hove, and Brighton
* Active EMBRACE, Disability & Wellbeing, LGBTQIA+, and Religion & Belief networks
* Level 3 Disability Confident Leader and Veteran Aware Trust
* Beautiful Sussex location near the South Downs and coast
Our values — Compassionate Care, Working Together, Achieving Ambitions, Delivering Excellence — guide everything we do.
We embrace diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds, particularly from ethnically diverse, disabled, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. We aim to create an inclusive environment and support reasonable adjustments during recruitment.
This post may close early if sufficient applications are received.
Job responsibilities
Please see job description and person specification.
Please note that clinical placements can be anywhere in West Sussex and Brighton and Hove, and we do take into consideration where you live and caring responsibilities.
We will offer you:
* A dedicated Practice supervisor, Practice Assessor and Academic Assessor for the duration of the course
* A high level of support with regular meetings and opportunities to discuss your progress and learning needs
* Support from the wider Practice Educator team
* A trust that offers a wide range of support and benefits for its staff including a Diversity & Inclusion Team, a Disability and Wellbeing Network, and a new Mental Health and Wellbeing Support Service
Please use your application and supporting information to demonstrate how you meet the person specification for this role
If you would like more information please email us at: sc-tr.hcppracticeeducators@nhs.net
Successful candidates will also need to apply to the University separately and meet the academic entry requirements for the course at level 7.
Person Specification
Qualifications
* Active registration as a registered nurse on NMC register or pre-registration student due to qualify by the start of the course
* Able to meet University requirements for SCPHN course
* Evidence of previous academic study to support your application
* Understand level of commitment required, and able to undertake the course, combining advanced level professional practice with academic studies
Experience
* Evidence of working without direct supervision and managing own workload
* Experience of working with children, young people and families
* Evidence of multi-agency working
* Evidence of working within the community
Skills and Knowledge
* Understanding the role of the SCPHN and HCP
* Current knowledge of safeguarding issues
* Evidence of commitment to the course, including ongoing personal development and ability to self-direct study
* Ability to demonstrate leadership skills
* Confident in use of IT including Microsoft Word and PowerPoint
Other
* Full driving license with no restrictions to drive - unless exempt under the Equality Act 2010
* Understands level of commitment required, and able to undertake the course, combining an advanced level professional practice with academic studies.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Horsham Hospital (placements across West Sussex and Brighton & Hove)
£31,049 to £37,796 a year per annum / pro rata
Contract
Training
Duration
12 months
Working pattern
Full-time, Part-time
Reference number
150-MT2076-CC
Job locations
Horsham Hospital (placements across West Sussex and Brighton & Hove)
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