Principal/CEO – St Clare’s, Oxford

A wonderful opportunity to help shape the future of international education, leading one of the UK's oldest IB World Schools, based in Oxford - the beautiful and historic global seat of learning. With its unique blend of IB expertise, a genuinely international community and educational pathways spanning school, university preparation and teacher development, St Clare’s offers a powerful platform for shaping the future of international education. Its next Principal/CEO will have the opportunity to turn that breadth into greater global reach, building new partnerships, opening new pathways and demonstrating what education across borders can achieve. The new Principal/CEO will be following five years of outstanding service from Duncan Reith who is moving to Shanghai to become Principal at YK Pao High School. Founded in 1953 by Anne Dreydel OBE and Pamela Morris, St Clare’s, Oxford began as a centre for foreign students with the core mission of using education to foster international reconciliation and peace. Today, the College continues to uphold its founders’ legacy by offering diverse international educational programmes to students from over 50 countries. A values and mission driven community of 360 students (increasing to around 1000 during the Summer School) and around 230 staff (also increasing during the Summer School), St Clare’s offer is broad. The College specialises in enabling students aged 15 to 18 to access and achieve success at top global universities: IB results are excellent. St Clare’s also runs a diverse International College featuring foundation programmes, undergraduate study abroad, and specialist adult language courses, alongside a long-established Summer School. Additionally, it serves as a global hub for teacher training by organising official International Baccalaureate workshops and professional programmes for educators worldwide. St Clare’s, Oxford is situated across more than 25 Victorian and Edwardian buildings in North Oxford, located 1.5 km from the city centre and 83 km from London. The campus provides a rich array of academic resources, and St Clare’s has access to some of the city’s excellent sports venues to provide professional training environments for its students. This exceptional opportunity to access the facilities and opportunities Oxford affords, creates a dynamic environment that fosters holistic student development, academic rigour, and personal growth outside the classroom. The successful candidate will be an inspiring and visionary educational leader who deeply embodies the school’s founding mission of international reconciliation, diversity, and peace. They will have the ambition, skills and experience to grow St Clare’s educational business streams by identifying new opportunities and turning these into lasting success. Strong ambassadorial skills will be essential, as is a proven track record of academic excellence, with the strategic capacity to guide the College through its next chapter of global growth and partnerships. Critical to a candidate’s success in a rapidly changing landscape will be an entrepreneurial and innovative mindset, combined with astute business acumen. Above all, the successful candidate should be a compassionate, values-driven community builder capable of nurturing a vibrant, multicultural environment for students and educators alike. This is a unique opportunity to lead and further develop the potential of a thriving international community based in one of the world’s great centres of learning. The closing date for applications is Friday 27 November 2026 at 10.00am UK time. However, this is a rolling process, and St Clare’s reserves the right to interview and appoint before the closing date. Early applications are therefore strongly encouraged. St Clare’s Oxford is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure