Mr Douglas Lake’s journey to becoming our new Head of Secondary is anything but ordinary. 

Born in Harare, Zimbabwe, he’s packed more into his life than most. He’s taught in three countries, kept teenagers in line as a housemaster, patrolled the streets of England as a police officer (complete with riot control duties!), and still found time to master the art of making chilli preserves.

As Doug reflects on his time serving the Lincolnshire Police as a Patrol Officer and part of the PSU (Public Order and Riot Control), he says it was “an incredible part of my life where I learnt a great deal about self-control in challenging circumstances and in the importance of teamwork and camaraderie.”

He credits his interest in education to his Headmaster (Principal) in Secondary School, stating, “(he) inspired me to become a teacher. He knew every student and every parent in a large school and knew something significant about each one of them. He was a great ‘inspirer of people’. ” 

Fast forward to now, with 33 years of experience in education, Doug has decided to share his expertise with the ECC team; he brings a wealth of global experience, steadfast faith and a heart for leadership; we can’t wait to see his impact on our school.

Married to Jane, a neonatal nurse, for 31 years and proud dad to Jonathan (24) and Elijah (27), the Lake family admits that their small pavement special dog, Zorra, rules their home life.

We can’t wait to see how Mr Lake’s unique blend of experiences, humour, and passion will enrich our school. Join us in warmly welcoming Mr Doug Lake to the ECC team.