Lead Teacher of Secondary Science

Start date:

1st September 2026

We are seeking an exceptional Lead Teacher of Science with the energy, passion and creativity to teach Science in the Secondary phase of our thriving All-Through school. This is an opportunity for a full time position from September 2026.

Pay: MPS/UPS plus TLR £5,803.

Hours:

Full Time

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

Whilst this is a Secondary post, there is something extremely unique and special about working in an All-Through environment; the successful candidate will have the opportunity to work creatively with colleagues from both phases helping to develop a cohesive and truly progressive educational experience for all learners. There may be opportunities for you to teach in the Primary phase of CFS in the future, if this was something you wished to pursue.

CFS follows national pay scales; this role would be equally suitable for an early career teacher or more experienced teacher. The Upper Pay Scale would be considered for the right candidate and on the agreement of a whole school responsibility in addition to the role outlined below.

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.

In 24‑25 we achieved our highest attainment in both Year 6 SATs and Year 11 GCSEs, with some exceptional achievement in multiple areas. As a school we are now striving for excellence in all areas.

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 successful candidate will be expected to teach Science from Years 7 to 11. Due to the current expertise in the team – all three Sciences are ably represented – a specialist in Biology, Chemistry or Physics would be welcomed. The role of Lead Teacher, will also support the development of best practice and improving the quality of teaching and learning within the Science Department.

• be a well‑qualified, enthusiastic graduate of Science, or appropriately linked discipline/subject
• be a highly‑skilled and competent teacher who is enthusiastic and totally committed to the ethos of CFS
• readily establish excellent relationships with both staff and pupils
• have an up‑to‑date awareness of current issues relating to…