EYFS Lead Teacher

September 2026

The Executive Principal and Head of Primary are seeking an exceptional teacher with the energy and vision to teach and lead our Early Years unit. This is a permanent position for a September 2026 start and would include a TLR (CFS TLR 2).

Pay Scale: MPS/UPS with a CFS TLR 2

Hours: Full time

Deadline: Monday 2nd February 2026

Start Date: September 2026

The School

CFS is a vibrant, collaborative and forward‑thinking free school for 4‑16 year olds, where the personal development of our pupils is just as important as the academic curriculum. Our values of ‘nurture, challenge and inspire’ influence everything we do and permeate all areas of school life. CFS follows national pay scales; this role is suitable for early‑career teachers or more experienced teachers.

CFS is now entering its second decade and is fully established in state‑of‑the‑art facilities on the Carmelite Convent Site in the south of Chichester. Our Primary enrollment is 60 and Secondary 120; almost all year groups are oversubscribed with waiting lists. We joined Sussex Learning Trust in September 2023 and will launch a new Western Region of the Trust.

As a Free School we adhere to the same rigorous standards as all state‑funded schools, following the national curriculum and offering an ambitious, inclusive and varied curriculum. In May 2024 we received a very strong Ofsted inspection, graded at least a Good in all areas and Outstanding in Personal Development.

CFS is open to pupils of all abilities and takes part in the West Sussex County Council admissions process. We benefit from longer holidays, including October half term, Christmas and a summer break.

The Team

Consisting of two classes per year group from EYFS to Year 6, the Primary team is a close, passionate, talented and fun‑loving group, with an integrated curriculum strong in English and Maths. They collaborate on planning and support each other to achieve strong outcomes and high aspirations for every child.

The current focus for the Primary phase is expanding opportunities in the wider curriculum, including the full development of our Forest School provision launched in 2019. As part of CFS, staff participate in an all‑through staff body, providing opportunities to work with specialist teachers and use specialist rooms and resources.

The Role

The person appointed to this post will be a full‑time EYFS class‑teacher and will also take a proactive role in the extra‑curricular life of the school.

Successful Candidate Will

• Be a highly‑skilled and competent professional who is energetic and totally committed to the ethos of the School
• Readily establish excellent relationships with both staff and students
• Enjoy pioneering new developments in pedagogy
• Embrace the use of new technologies in the classroom
• Be skilled in behaviour for learning
• Value creating an inspiring learning environment
• Possess drive, expertise and enthusiasm
• Be well‑organised and disciplined with administrative
• Possess an optimistic and resilient style when faced with pressure
• Be able to communicate well with children and young people, understanding safeguarding and promoting their welfare
• Have recent experience of teaching in an Early Years setting

Commitment to School Life

All teachers at CFS commit to contributing fully to the ethos and life of the School both in and outside the classroom.

Child Protection

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.

Recruitment Process

For further information or an informal discussion about this post, please contact us via recruitment@chichesterfreeschool.org.uk or call 01243 792690. Application forms are available on our website: https://www.chichesterfreeschool.org.uk/recruitment/.

Candidates should complete an application form and a supporting statement addressing the criteria presented in the role description and person specification. Completed applications should be sent to recruitment@chichesterfreeschool.org.uk by 8:00am on Monday 2nd February. 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 and will be offered subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.