The Board of Governors of King's College wishes to advise the King's community that with much regret it has accepted the resignation of the Head, Mr Mike Leach. Mike has resigned for personal reasons and the Board respects his decision.
He informed the Board of his likely intention earlier in the term and has been working closely with Board members to facilitate the change-over as seamlessly as possible. An announcement of his resignation has been withheld until now out of consideration to staff and students during the particularly stressful exam and end of year period.
Following Mike’s resignation and its acceptance by the Board, a recruitment process has been undertaken and we are pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Simon Lamb as the College's new Head. Simon will take up the position at the start of the second term in 2016, prior to which he will work with Mike to transition into the new role.
Simon is currently the Principal of Takapuna Grammar School, a role he has held since 2003. In making the appointment the Board noted that he has a strong focus on pedagogical leadership, staff performance improvement, maintaining a clear vision and developing a tangible sense of momentum.
Simon is a highly respected educational leader and has been responsible for the development of many excellent initiatives at Takapuna Grammar School including the introduction of a shared teaching and learning philosophy which remains fundamental to the school’s identity, the establishment of a Centre for Business and Enterprise linked to the CIE qualifications and the development of a Leadership Institute.
Under his leadership the school developed an international footprint including strong relationships with schools in other countries to enhance the curriculum delivery. Takapuna Grammar School is also recognised for its local and internationally focussed service activity. More recently, the school has introduced a Manaaki Mentoring programme involving every student that sits alongside programs to foster and develop excellence in the fields of music, performing arts and sports.
Simon chairs the North Harbour Principals' Association and is a member of New Zealand's International Baccalaureate Caucus. He has presented regularly at conferences around the world and is regularly sought for advice in regards to the implementation of explicit teaching and learning philosophies in schools. He is also a member of Auckland University’s Community Consultation Group and is a trustee for Hospice North Shore.
Mike will continue in his present role at King’s until Simon takes up the position at the start of term two next year. The Board hopes that Mike will continue to be involved with the College in the future at a strategic level to provide educational advice.
The Board wishes to acknowledge and thank Mike for the considerable contribution he has made to the College and the enormous progress that has been achieved during his short tenure at King's. Much greater clarity of the long term strategy has been achieved, key areas of focus confirmed and the offering to students has been better defined, all at a time when there is increasing demand for places. This has led to some significant decisions including changes to Year 9 boarding, introducing girls at Year 11 and strategic reviews in areas such as pastoral care, property and marketing. These have culminated in a clear property plan for the College for the next 20 years and a brand and marketing strategy that will be launched early in the New Year.
The updated Pastoral Care strategy is being rolled out with significant new investment in tutors and the curriculum, along with further refinement of the curriculum offerings to meet changing demand. Investment in professional development to deliver superior education in more advanced ways has also ensured continued outstanding academic success.
Under Simon’s guidance, work will continue on better understanding the College’s long term cultural and sporting strategies which have already seen investment in, amongst other things, the expanded Year 10 outdoor education programme and the appointment of heads of code for the major sporting codes in the College.
This is enormous progress delivered by the Board, Mike and the leadership team and all the staff of the College over the last two years. We look forward to building on this momentum under Simon’s leadership. The Board is grateful to Mike for his contribution to the College and wishes him the best for his future plans.
Ross Green
Chairman
