Fair Access Officer
The Opportunity
FTE Salary: NJC Grade 8 £32,597 to £35,412 per annum
Estimated Pro-Rata Salary:
TTO - £28,208 to £30,645 per annum
AYR - £28,632 to £31,105 per annum
Contract Type: Permanent
Working Pattern: Either;
37 hours per week Term Time Only (39 weeks), or
32.5 hours per week All Year Round
Location: Bridge House, Worthing
Please note:
- There is a regular and intrinsic requirement to communicate in English with members of the public.
- You will be able to travel independently throughout the county to areas that may not be accessible by public transport.
- You will be able to attend meetings that may fall outside of core working hours from time-to-time.
Closing date: Sunday 25 January 2026
Interview date: Wednesday 04 February 2026
Do you enjoy researching and interpreting information?
Do you have experience or knowledge of schools and the education system?
Are you passionate about supporting your community?
As a Fair Access Officer, you will be working in the Fair Access Team who is responsible for the implementation of the Fair Access Protocol in West Sussex. The protocol addresses the admission of specific students to schools and alternative provision.
Your responsibilities include giving advice and guidance on the exclusion process, representing the local authority at Governor's Disciplinary Committees, ensuring a fair distribution to schools of pupils meeting the Fair Access Protocol, assessing, and managing referrals for alternative provision and monitoring the pupils attending our commissioned alternative provisions.
The work within this role is varied, including:
- Preparing statistical data on trends and patterns in school exclusions.
- Responding sensitively to complex child-centred casework.
- Establishing and maintaining relationships.
- Influencing and challenging across the organisation, within a political environment.
- Ensuring senior schools' staff and governing bodies comply with the statutory guidance on exclusion from school and the Fair Access Protocol under the School Admissions Code.
This is an exciting opportunity for someone committed to good outcomes for vulnerable pupils and wishing to further their career.
You will have experience of working with schools, exclusion processes, and in partnership with other agencies.
Our team is passionate and dedicated to positive outcomes for young people. As a team member you will demonstrate strong communication skills, commitment, ability to prioritise, make decisions, problem solve, all with due regard to statutory guidance.
About You
We are looking for someone who has personal resilience and professionalism, and who can organise their own workload, respond to unexpected situations appropriately, and make decisions using recognised guidelines.
Please refer to the key skills below in your cover letter as these will be used for shortlisting criteria.
Key Skills:
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills in order to effectively exchange complicated or sensitive information, and persuade, negotiate, and influence.
- Excellent verbal communication skills including the ability to effectively participate in more appeal hearings.
- Comprehensive research skills, ability to interpret information and to use this to draft letters, reports and documents with guidance, as needed.
- Excellent organisational skills with the ability to work to deadlines.
- Skills in providing instruction, advice and on the job training in order to effectively support colleagues.
- Ability to work as part of a team and to have a flexible and adaptable approach to working to varied tasks and subject areas.
Essential Experience:
- Working in mainstream schools
- Experience and understanding of fair access, alternative provision, and/or school exclusion.
- Applying specialist knowledge and providing advice in a fair access, alternative provision, school exclusion, or similar Local Authority process.
- Evidence of a high level of understanding of the school / education system.
For more information on the Key Skills, Qualifications and/or Experience required, please refer to the Job Description attached.
About Us
The West Sussex County Council Education and Skills department delivers the County Council's statutory and strategic duties in relation to education through working in partnership with other council services, school leaders, sponsors, Trusts, and Diocesan leads.
The Fair Access Team sit within the wider SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) and Inclusion Special Advisory Teaching Service, carrying out all statutory and strategic functions relating to children and young people who have been excluded from school, are at risk of exclusion, or have a health need which prevents them from attending school.
The team ensures the County Council's functions, relating to exclusion from schools, are delivered and supported by stakeholders and independent providers. This ensures that West Sussex has a full range of alternative educational provision available to best support its learners.
Additionally, the team are responsible for managing the West Sussex Fair Access Protocol (FAP), and the placement of any pupils who meet FAP criteria.
Benefits
As an employer we recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive and dynamic working environment where employees can achieve their full potential, achieve a healthy work-life balance, and are rewarded for the work they do.
For a full list this can be found at our Rewards and Benefits page.
Upon joining us you will have access to a range of benefits including the following:
Employer Pension Contribution: 18.70% (this alters per annum on the 1 April each year).
Annual leave: 27 days holiday + Bank Holidays = 35days
How to Apply
The reference number for this role is CAFHE06076.
For an informal conversation or for further information regarding the role, please contact Carina Reid, Team Manager, at
To apply, please follow the links below to upload your CV and Cover Letter.
In your cover letter please outline your motivations for applying and explaining the skills and experience you can bring to the role (please refer to the key skills) ensuring that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV. Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to download again.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.
This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check, five years referencing, and an occupational health check.
Equity, inclusion, and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.
If you require any reasonable adjustments to support your application please contact
We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that have a disability, are a veteran or are a care leaver. More information can be found on our application help page.