Learning Support Assistant

What skills and experience we're looking for We are seeking an exceptional Learning Support Assistant with the energy, passion and creativity to work as an LSA in our thriving All-Through school. Early applications are encouraged and we reserve the right to interview and appoint prior to the deadline. 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 positions that are currently vacant are for both Primary and Secondary support. 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. 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. What the school offers its staff 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 www.chichesterfreeschool.org.uk. Ideally, the successful candidate will have previous school experience and will be committed to embracing the unique and special environment and opportunities of working in an All‑Through school. 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 of Year 7 who started in September 2023, with over 150 pupils currently on roll in this year group. 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. As a school we are now striving for excellence in all areas, and to achieve above average outcomes in both phases. 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 Recruitment Process For further information and an informal discussion about this post, please do not hesitate to contact us via recruitment@chichesterfreeschool.org.uk or on 01243 792690. 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 recruitment@chichesterfreeschool.org.uk by 3pm, Monday 5th January 2026. 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. Commitment to safeguarding 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 Principal’. The successful applicant must obtain List 99 clearance and DBS clearance at enhanced level. #J-18808-Ljbffr