Founding Head of School

This is an exceptional opportunity to lead Lumio Private School, a new not-for-profit international school due to open in September 2024 in the stunning environs of Paphos, Cyprus. Eventually, Lumio will be a K-12 School, though on opening, places will be available for Grades 1 to 9. (Please note, the word “Private” must appear in the School’s title under Cypriot law).

Lumio is a labour of love for its founders, themselves former academics, who are building a new school for families in Cyprus who seek an international, holistic, happy education that will culminate in the International Baccalaureate Diploma programme. The School will open with space for 180 pupils before growing to a projected capacity of 480. The 6.8 hectare campus in Acheleia, close to Paphos International Airport, is being constructed under the aegis of leading Cypriot architectural bureau Lazarou & Michael, and will include separate Primary and Secondary facilities with outstanding provision for academics, sport and the arts.

Paphos itself is the legendary birthplace of Aphrodite. A coastal city of some 36,000 people (with closer to 100,000 in the metro area), it is blessed with beaches, a port, international airport and, most famously, an extraordinary and ancient heritage recognised by UNESCO and manifest in world famous archaeological and architectural treasures. The standard of living is high, and services and facilities are excellent.

The founding Head will be a warm, creative, flexible, open-minded professional with a long-term vision for and commitment to the new school, its mission and community. This is a school where children – not the interests of a group or business - must come first, and the Head will report and be accountable to a small Lumio Advisory Board which will include the founders.

Though growing the school with appropriate systems is typically essential in any founding role, there is huge scope for an imaginative leader to go way beyond that and create something quite unique in Cyprus. Though the School is in the candidacy phase of the IB licensing process, there is still discussion around such things as whether an IB continuum is best or the degree to which truly personalised learning can be championed. The Head will be shaping these and other critical issues. Crucially, the incoming Head will arrive to an extant team of staff (teaching and non-teaching) who have worked very hard to get the School ready for opening (these include a COO/CFO): so, while growing the School and community will be a vital aspect of the role, ensuring the current team are valued will be equally important.

This is a special opportunity for a visionary, engaging Head with excellent communications skills to lead a passion project that sits at the other end of the spectrum from many of the large school chains and groups. For the right person, Lumio may prove the opportunity of a lifetime.

This role will commence when the School opens in September 2024, and the position comes with an accommodation allowance and a competitive remuneration package.

For a preliminary, confidential conversation about the role with Jean Sullivan, Head of International Search, please email: jeansullivan@rsacademics.com

To find out more, please visit: www.rsacademics.com

Closing date: Friday 5 April 2024 at 10:00am UK / 12:00 Cyprus.

Lumio Private School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all its employees and volunteers to share this commitment. Safeguarding and child protection issues will be discussed throughout the appointment process and candidates must be willing to undergo child protection screening, including reference checks with previous employers and criminal records and social media checks.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020.

The safeguarding responsibilities of the role are indicated in the candidate information.

RSAcademics is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and to promoting diversity and inclusion in schools.