Nobel Algarve British International School, Lagoa, Head of School

Nobel Algarve British International School is located on two sites – in Lagoa and
Almancil – in the very heart of the Algarve. The Globeducate group is now seeking
an outstanding Head of School for Nobel Algarve Lagoa, a school which is in a very
significant period of development and offers huge potential for the right candidate.
Lagoa is situated close to the coast and with easy access to the rest of this stunning
coastal region of southern Portugal as well as to Faro international airport.
Over more than 50 years, Nobel Algarve Lagoa has established itself as one of
Portugal’s leading international schools, with students aged from 3-18. It is a British
curriculum school from EYFS to A-level, with a Portuguese section for local families.
Nobel Algarve is now part of the Globeducate British International Schools cluster
which brings together schools in Portugal, Spain, France and the UK. Globeducate is
a rapidly-growing, values-driven international group, now of 60+ schools in 12
countries, in which the schools share a common educational philosophy and four
key values: Challenge, Enrich, Shape, Achieve. Globeducate seeks to create global
citizens who can shape a better world and the Globeducate Agenda is aligned with
the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals. The group puts people at its core and
operates in ways that aim to be transparent and collaborative. There are central
resources that are made available to all the schools, group-wide partnerships with
organisations looking at pressing global issues, and active collaboration across the
group among leaders, staff and students.

The new Head of School will be taking over Nobel Algarve Lagoa at a crucial stage
in its development. The school has acquired an adjoining area of land as part of a
process of ‘school of the future’ re-imagination and redevelopment. The Head will
be responsible for shaping this development, which will provide first-class new
academic, sporting and performance facilities and allow the school to increase its
capacity from 1,000 students to c. 1,800. The development will, in effect, deliver a
whole new campus and the headship will therefore suit a leader with experience in
a founding situation.

The campus development represents a level of ambition that will be reflected in a
refreshed strategy for the school. This strategic planning will also need to take
account of the changing dynamics and demographics of the region. Nobel Algarve
Lagoa will have to continue to appeal to its existing audiences while becoming the
number one option for new families moving into the area, many of them coming
with technology, entrepreneur and innovation-focused backgrounds.

Globeducate is therefore seeking a Head of School who will be able to grasp these
opportunities and enable Nobel Algarve Lagoa to become one of the finest British
international schools in Portugal and Spain.

The new Head will require creativity to see the potential of the site and its new

facilities and to build coherence between this new physical space, the school’s
strategic plan and the needs of the communities around the school. They will also
need a deep interest in educational innovation and technology and to be able to
help the school become a standout in the region for innovative practice. The
successful candidate will have a very strong track record of leadership in good
schools, they will align closely with Globeducate’s mission, educational philosophy
and values, they will understand what it takes to develop and grow a school while
constantly seeking improvement and innovation, and they will be committed to
building student numbers by making Nobel Algarve Lagoa the school of choice
locally. The role will require imagination, resourcefulness, credibility and the
capacity to inspire internal and external stakeholders.

The Head of School will have considerable autonomy, answering to Globeducate’s
CEO for Portugal and the UK for all educational, financial and operational
management matters and working closely with the group education team, and will
require the commercial acumen to deliver the school’s business plan. The Head will
be enthusiastic about contributing to the wider group and understand the value
they can derive from Globeducate’s central resources and cross-school support
networks.

The potential of the role is enormous and it could be a career-defining opportunity.
It is available for August 2024.