Primary Pastoral Officer (Maternity Cover)
Chichester Free School, Chichester, West Sussex, PO20 1NP17 days remaining to apply
Start date details
September 2025
Closing date
4 September 2025 at 8am
Date listed
18 August 2025
Job details
Job role
- Administration, HR, data and finance
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Working pattern
- Full time: 37.5hrs per week: Monday – Friday 0800-1600, term time plus two inset days
Contract type
- Fixed term - 5 months - Maternity or parental leave cover
Full-time equivalent salary
- Pay Range: SCP 8-13 £25,992 - £28,163fte (Actual starting salary £20,737.77 - £22,469.90)
What skills and experience we're looking for
The Governors and Principal are seeking an exceptional Primary Pastoral Officer to join the all through pastoral team at CFS. This is a temporary post (until February) as maternity cover for a September start, or as soon as possible thereafter.
Ideally, the successful candidate will have previous school experience and will be someone committed to our values and ideals, where the co-curricular offer is as vital as the rigour of the taught curriculum.
CFS follows national pay scales and the starting point will be agreed depending upon experience.
The Role
CFS is looking to appoint a new member of the all through pastoral team, to address the needs of all pupils, especially those Primary pupils who need help with behaviour management or need to access the Nurture provision in order to overcome barriers to learning. The successful candidate will offer both reactive and proactive support to help maintain high standards of behaviour, and support with pastoral needs throughout the Primary phase. They will establish productive working relationships with pupils and acting as a role model and oversee the use of CPOMS and SIMS (behaviour monitoring) in the Primary phase, working directly with the School’s DSLs.
Key accountabilities include:
Be a consistent presence in the Primary phase, supporting class teachers and the Senior Leadership Team with any pastoral or behavioural matters.
Develop and implement targeted behaviour plans to support pupils in their learning and encourage positive attitudes and behaviours
Assist staff with the development and implementation of individual Education/ Behavioural/ Support/ Mentoring plans and behaviour management strategies
Work with individuals, groups of children and parents where necessary, to implement actions or recommendations from TAC process and school leaders
Mentor and support vulnerable pupils or those who are struggling to access the full curriculum, working with other staff (e.g. ELSA, LSA and 1:1 team) to find alternative ways for pupils to engage with their learning (including the use of Tree House)
Ensure the smooth transition for pupils into Key Stage 3 and embrace whole school strategies and cross phase working to help further develop our ‘All Through’ approach
Develop friendly but professional relationships with parents and carers
Support the School admin team with matters relating to attendance and inclusion to ensure an efficient service to everyone in our school community
Regularly share praise information with all primary staff, and action praise communication with parents.
Complete miscellaneous duties with regard to Primary events and functions, including sending out invitations, tickets
Support the main office in liaising with the primary phase (including collecting/returning pupils and/or passing on messages)
Support the use of CPOMS and SIMs to log/monitor behaviour and pastoral concerns.
All CFS staff are expected to
Work towards and support the School’s vision and the current school objectives outlined in the School Development Plan.
Contribute to the School’s programme of extra-curricular activities.
Support and contribute to the School’s responsibility for safeguarding students.
Work within the School’s Health and Safety policy to ensure a safe working environment for staff, students and visitors.
Work within the School’s Equality Policy to promote equality of opportunity for all students and staff, both current and prospective.
Maintain high professional standards of attendance, punctuality, appearance, conduct and positive, courteous relations with students, parents and colleagues.
Engage actively in the performance management process.
Adhere to policies as set out in the Staff Handbook/Staff Policies folder.
Undertake other reasonable duties related to the job purpose required from time to time.
Commit themselves to contribute fully to the ethos and life of the School in and outside the classroom.
What the school offers its staff
The School
CFS is a non-profit making, state-funded school, established in response to real demand within the local area for a greater variety of schools. We have been open since 2013, and are now fully established in our state of the art facilities on the Carmelite Convent Site on the Hunston Road in the south of Chichester. We are full in all year groups from Years R to 11, with waiting lists in most phases of the School. Our PAN is 60 in primary, and 120 in secondary.
Since 2013, CFS has achieved two ‘Good’ Ofsted Inspections and three years of average Progress 8 at GCSE. Our 4+ English and Maths results have consistently been significantly above the national average. Outcomes in Primary are also strong and improving. As a school we are now striving to be outstanding and to achieve above average outcomes in all phases. Our values of ‘nurture, challenge and inspire’ influence everything we do as a school, and permeate all areas of school life.
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 Free School we benefit from the same freedoms and flexibilities as academies, and are subject to the same Ofsted inspections and rigorous standards as all state schools.
For more information on our ethos and values, prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to look at our website: www.chichesterfreeschool.org.uk.
The Team
Consisting of two classes per year group from EYFS to Year 6, the Primary team are a close, passionate, talented and fun-loving group. They have developed an exciting integrated curriculum, with strong foundations in English and Maths. Our collaborative approach to planning, and our supportive staff team lead to strong outcomes and high aspirations for every child. The successful candidate will be joining a forward thinking, highly effective and happy Primary team.
Further information about the job
The Recruitment Process
For further information and informal discussion about this post, please do not hesitate to contact the School’s Principal, Louise New, on paprincipal@chichesterfreeschool.org.uk.
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 paprincipal@chichesterfreeschool.org.uk by 8:00am on 4th September. We reserve the right to interview before the closing date, and early applications are encouraged.
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.
Applying for the job
This job requires you to download an application form, you will be able to upload the application once complete.
CVs will not be accepted for this application.
Upload additional documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About Chichester Free School
- School type
- Free School, ages 4 to 19
- Education phase
- Through
- School size
- 1078 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 4 to 19
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- School website
- Chichester Free School website
- Email address
- paprincipal@chichesterfreeschool.org.uk
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 150 pupils currently on roll.
The School joined Sussex Learning Trust last September – 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. 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 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.
Arranging a visit to Chichester Free School
To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email paprincipal@chichesterfreeschool.org.uk.
School location
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