Working here

Chailey is a thriving, successful school set in rural Sussex, just north of Lewes, and within easy reach of Brighton and Haywards Heath. We are proud of our traditional values and innovative approaches to Teaching and Learning. 

Staff are friendly, dedicated and supportive; our students are happy and proud to be part of the school. We have a very low level of staff turnover because we are kind and supportive to each other.

Staff describe Chailey as “kind, caring, and nurturing” with a strong sense of community. Our recent staff survey highlighted what makes us special:

• A culture of kindness that permeates everything we do
• Supportive, collaborative teams where colleagues feel like family
• Positive relationships with students, creating a calm and respectful atmosphere
• Inclusive and nurturing environment, with exceptional pastoral care
• Broad, enriching education—we’re not an exam factory; we value creativity, trips, and personal development

Chailey is a school where teachers and students can thrive. Of course, working in a school is demanding and all of our staff are hard-working and go above and beyond to support our young people.

Visitors to Chailey School often comment on the calm teaching environment and fantastic relationships between students and teachers.

The Ofsted Report from February 2026 commented ‘Pupils are rightly proud to attend Chailey School, where ‘everyone is the best they can be’. This kind, caring and nurturing school provides a wealth of opportunities for its pupils. Values of kindness, resilience, independence, creativity, community and participation shape the way staff and pupils behave. Incredibly warm working relationships between pupils and staff make for a harmonious learning environment’.

We believe that this is a very strong foundation from which to aspire to excellence in everything we do.

If you’re looking for a school where professional excellence meets genuine care, join us and help everyone be the best they can be.

Assistant Premises Manager

We are seeking to appoint an Assistant Premises Manager to support the Site Manager. The post holder will play an important role in ensuring that Chailey School remains a safe, attractive and well-maintained environment in which students and staff can thrive. The successful candidate will help deliver a high-quality premises service across our extensive school site, supporting maintenance, compliance, security and operational activities throughout the year.

The officer holds a crucial responsibility and role in the life of the school. As one of the key people responsible for the day-to-day environment experienced by our students, staff and visitors, they will help ensure that our facilities are safe, compliant and fit for purpose, enabling the school to focus on delivering outstanding educational opportunities for every young person.

If you are interested in this role, please send your application to our Business Manager, Andrew Thompson:  AThompson@chaileyschool.org. The ‘support staff’ application form is available to download on the website.