Head of Secondary

Cognita Schools; Castelldefels; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Supportive team

CPD opportunities

Cross-school learning

Job summary

Cognita Schools is seeking an exceptional Head of Secondary for Castelldefels, leading the Secondary School across the Main Site and Nexus Sixth Form. You will drive academic achievement, student wellbeing, and a holistic educational experience for learners from Years 7 to 13, reporting to the executive team.

The successful candidate will be a qualified teacher with senior leadership experience, strong safeguarding focus, and a collaborative approach to staff development and school improvement.

Qualifications

• Senior leader with track record of driving school improvement and academic excellence.
• Experience in safeguarding, wellbeing, and holistic education.
• Proven ability to coach and develop staff and foster collaboration across teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Secondary School across main site and Nexus Sixth Form.
• Drive outstanding teaching, wellbeing, and personal development for Years 7–13.
• Strengthen recruitment, retention, and day-to-day operations while building a positive school culture.

Skills

Senior leadership experience

Strategic planning

Coaching and development

Communication skills

Education

Degree and teaching qualification

Job description

About the School - The British School of Barcelona (Castelldefels):

The British School of Barcelona (BSB) is a great school in a wonderful location. We are an HMC school and were judged by a recent BSO (British Schools Overseas) inspection to be outstanding in every area, including quality of education, safeguarding, pupil welfare and academic outcomes.

BSB is a large, very popular school for children aged 3 to 18. Our curriculum is based on the English National Curriculum, and we offer a wide range of GCSEs, A levels, BTEC and the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB), all alongside a significant enrichment programme.

Approximately 2350 students from more than 74 nationalities attend the school and over 375 staff work at BSB. We are based in three locations, two just outside the city of Barcelona – in Castelldefels, where we have a Primary, Secondary and Pre-University campus, and in the cosmopolitan town of Sitges, where we have another Primary campus. There are two more campuses in Barcelona, located in the heart of the city and featuring a Foundation campus, BSB Esperanza, which offers EY and Year 1 (opened in September 2021), as well as a brand‑new main campus, BSB Luca, which offers Primary, Secondary, and Pre-University education and opened in September 2023.

In September 2026 we opened another campus, initially for EYFS and Primary-aged students, north of Barcelona, in the Maresme area.

The growth of the school has been accompanied by significant investment over recent years, including the building of a state-of–the art Pre-University Centre (Nexus), a full‑sized 4G rugby and football pitch, dedicated STEAM facilities and the new BSB City and Maresme campuses.

Barcelona is a wonderful place to live, combining an amazing city with beaches and mountains nearby. The quality of life is excellent with a mild climate and year‑round sunshine.

The school now has an exciting opportunity for an experienced Head of Secondary to join our fantastic team.

About Cognita:

Cognita is a global leader in independent education. Founded in 2004, we are a growing community of 90 schools in 20 countries - in Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East - serving more than 100,000 students. Each of our schools are proudly unique, however our collective purpose is to create an environment where everyone can, "Thrive in a rapidly evolving world".

At Cognita, we know every student is unique. We nurture their distinct personalities and strengths. We support them academically, socially, and emotionally, wherever they are in the world, wherever they’re starting from. And each and every one of our schools is unique too.

We protect what’s special about them, while offering them rich knowledge, opportunities, and best practices. And they get to be part of something bigger. We open their classrooms to the collective wisdom of over 90 schools in 20 countries, ensuring every child gets an education that’s, quite literally, world class.

It’s an individual approach that empowers every school, teacher and student to focus on what they do best and thrive.

About the Role

We are seeking an exceptional and inspirational leader to join our Senior Leadership Team as Head of Secondary, Castelldefels. This pivotal role is responsible for leading our Secondary School across both the Main Site and Nexus Sixth Form, ensuring outstanding academic achievement, student wellbeing, and personal development for all learners from Years 7 to 13. Working closely with the Executive Principal and senior colleagues, you will drive strategic school improvement, lead and develop high‑performing teams, oversee the quality of teaching and learning, and ensure excellence in day‑to‑day operations. The successful candidate will champion a positive and inclusive school culture, strengthen student recruitment and retention, and play a key role in delivering a holistic educational experience that prepares students for success both in school and beyond.

Who We Are Looking For

We are looking for an outstanding educational leader with significant senior leadership experience and a proven track record of driving academic excellence and sustained school improvement. The successful candidate will be a qualified teacher with a degree and recognised teaching qualification, combining strategic vision with a genuine commitment to student wellbeing, safeguarding, and holistic education. An inspiring and collaborative leader, you will be skilled at coaching, motivating, and developing others, while building strong relationships across the school community. You will possess excellent communication skills, up‑to‑date educational knowledge, and the creativity to navigate challenges with confidence and positivity. Above all, you will demonstrate integrity, resilience, a strong work ethic, and a passion for creating an environment where both students and staff can thrive.

Benefits at Cognita

• A fantastic team of staff who are committed, supportive and collaborative.
• The wider support of BSB, including access to high level CPD and future career opportunities.
• The support of the Cognita network, including cross‑school learning partnerships.

All positions are offered with attractive packages including competitive salaries, places for staff children in BSB, and other local benefits.

The Closing Date for Applications is: Friday 23rd October 2026

First stage interviews: Monday 5th November 2026 - Tuesday 13th November 2026

Final stage interviews: Friday 23rd November 2026

Cognita Schools are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff, volunteers and other third parties to share this commitment. Safer recruitment practice and pre‑employment background checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed.

We are an equal opportunities employer committed to diversity and treating all employees with dignity and respect regardless of background.

Early applications are encouraged, we reserve the right to interview and appoint prior to closing date for the right applicant.