Welcome!

Dear Prospective Candidate,

Thank you for visiting this website. We hope it whets your appetite to arrange an in-person visit to Chichester Free School and experience first-hand the excellent education it provides—and the clear potential it has to become even better.

Chichester Free School was established in 2013 as an all-through, stand-alone academy. The opportunities its all-through status affords make this role particularly exciting. We believe the next phase of the school’s development will build on strong foundations and take it to the next level. The academy joined Sussex Learning Trust (SLT) in 2023 in order to become part of a wider family of schools with all the benefits that brings. 

The school has a PAN of 60 pupils in the primary phase and 120 students in the secondary phase , spanning Reception to Year 11 across the school. In recent years, it has been consistently oversubscribed in both Reception and Year 7, with waiting lists across all year groups. Visitors frequently comment on the calm, purposeful atmosphere across the school. 

Outcomes in the primary phase are particularly strong (see the associated page for more detail). There is still work to do, especially in closing the attainment gap between pupils eligible for pupil premium and their peers. Our current strategy is informed by robust self-evaluation, detailed pupil knowledge, and targeted intervention.

Sussex Learning Trust is a growing, values-driven organisation. We are not a large or directive Trust; rather, we believe that Headteachers and Local Governing Bodies are best placed to serve their communities. We aim to support this earned autonomy with strong, credible, and accessible central leadership. The new Head of Primary Headteacher at CFS will be line managed by the Executive Principal and will benefit from direct support from experienced Executive Team colleagues.

If you would like to arrange a confidential conversation about any aspect of the post or to arrange a visit, please email me, James Garner, at: jgarner@chichesterfreeschool.org.uk. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy browsing the information provided (see links at the top left), and do get in touch if we can offer any further details.

Best wishes,
James Garner (Executive Principal Designate)

Ian Moore (Chair of Governors)