Description
Closing date for applications: 31 July 2026
Anticipated Interview period: 17-28 August
Anticipated Start Date: 9 November 2026
Lighthouse is a dynamic workplace. This description of the roles and responsibilities of any post is illustrative and may not be comprehensive. Lighthouse supports a team environment. Therefore, although this list broadly describes the post’s duties, it is expected that every employee will be willing to help with other tasks whether asked or not. The Head of Secondary’s role is integral to the Strategic Plan and areas of the job description are aligned with it.
Position Purpose
The Head of Secondary is a member of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) and carries delegated executive responsibility for the strategic, educational, operational, pastoral, and spiritual leadership of the Secondary School.
Operating under the authority and direction of the Principal, the Head of Secondary leads the Secondary division while contributing to the overall leadership, growth, and flourishing of the whole school.
The Head of Secondary serves as the senior educational leader for Secondary and contributes actively to whole-school decision-making, culture, organisational development, financial stewardship, leadership development, enrolment sustainability, and long-term strategic direction.
This role exists to ensure that the Secondary School flourishes as part of a unified Reception to Grade 13 community that develops young people of character, faith, wisdom and influence.
Decision-Making Authority
The Head of Secondary has authority to independently manage the daily operations of Lighthouse Secondary School (LSS); however, the Principal retains ultimate responsibility for the Secondary School and approval authority for decisions affecting the school's strategic direction, finances, staffing, reputation, compliance, or long-term operations.
Role description
Oversee and guide, with the Curriculum Leader and Curriculum Team:
Implementation and evaluation of the curriculum, instruction, and assessment in all subjects for Grades 7-13, including IGCSE, AS and A-Levels.
Ensure a coherent curriculum rooted in best practice ensuring implementation, monitoring and evaluation of student outcomes.
Build organizational structures and foster practices for collaboration that increase teacher effectiveness and have optimal impact on learning.
Develop, implement, and monitor data-based actions to ensure systematic student progress and program improvements (MAP testing, CAT4, CAIE).
Plan, provide, and lead professional development guided by principles of learning so that staff continue to develop their knowledge and skills, working together to improve student learning.
Regularly review resource needs with staff.
Use data to support changes and effectively lead innovations that result in improved learning.
Oversee and guide, with the Pastoral Care Leader:
Appropriate student disciplinary codes, procedures, and adherence to maintain the school’s Core Values and Christian ethos.
The correct implementation and training of the school’s Safeguarding Policy, ensuring the well-being of all students.
Ensure a sensitive, multi-cultural culture that promotes restoration and reconciliation.
Establish effective procedures for student behavior and school safety that ensure an environment where learning is paramount.
Actively work with Hub (Administrative) staff for fluent oversight of:
Secondary Admissions, including interviewing all potential secondary students, monitoring enrollment numbers (withdrawals) and ensuring budgetary targets are met.
Secondary Communications (writing and direction of weekly newsletter along with emergency responses).
Finance (Creating and overseeing Operating and Personnel Budgets, Resource allocation, Personnel allocation, Debt Monitoring, Approval of Payments, Approval of Payroll, etc.).
Facilities (proposing Capital Expenditures, requesting and ensuring facilities maintenance and improvement, supply acquisition).
ICT (including ordering and training of staff devices, student ed-tech use, and oversight).
Kitchen (arrange special lunches and special events and ensure food quality and health).
People & Talent Lead (develop staff competencies and effectiveness overseeing the observation and mentoring of staff members, Utilize performance standards for staff with ongoing coaching, mentoring and feedback to evaluate impact on learning)
Ensure a focus on well-being towards self-care of self and members of the school community.
Strategically:
Create a diverse, high performing, collaborative leadership team in order to make good decisions and advance the student and staff wellbeing and the mission and vision of the school.
As a member of the Executive Team, help to create and execute the Strategic Plan and align with all Accreditation (ACSI/MSA) action plan criteria.
Seek and use critical reflection as part of continual improvement and sustainability of own and school’s performance and to ensure high-quality teaching and learning.
Communicatively:
Be an effective liaison to parents, providing information on the school and handling any concerns for enrolled students.
Build connections between the home and school, intentionally promoting inclusivity and a culture that provides support for students to flourish.
Empower parents to make meaningful and valued contributions in the school, building on the strengths and assets of a school’s diverse community.
To represent the schools appropriate at recreational, social and sporting functions.
Requirements
Qualifications and Experience
Essential
Bachelor’s Degree in Education
Recognised teaching qualification.
A rich understanding of Cambridge curriculum mapping, building from Lower Secondary > IGCSE > AS/A-levels.
Minimum 8 years successful teaching experience.
Minimum 5 years leadership experience in a Secondary School setting.
Experience with British International Curriculum.
Experience in carrying out professional development focused on research-based teaching practices so that training needs are met.
Experience building a strong learning and professional culture that requires students, parents and teachers alike to adhere to rigorous expectations.
Preferred
Master’s Degree in Education or Leadership.
Safeguarding leadership training.
International school experience and/or experience in multicultural environments.
Closing date for applications: 31 July 2026
Anticipated Interview period: 17-28 August
Anticipated Start Date: 9 November 2026
