College Senior Leadership Team

Joe Eccleton is the 19th Principal of Christ’s College and was appointed to this position in 2024. Joe is responsible for leading the strategic direction of the school, ensuring that our boys have the opportunity to graduate with the knowledge, skills and dispositions needed to pursue a life of purpose.

Joe believes education must prepare our students to have a mindset of adaptability as well as capacity and that a school must be one that is deliberately and intentionally allowing people to thrive in a holistic sense – emotionally, physically and intellectually.

Joe is originally a History and Classics teacher and has held a variety of senior management positions, including the Principal of Cashmere High School, prior to his appointment. He is currently the President of the Canterbury Westcoast Secondary Principals Association.

Darrell Thatcher has taught at Christ's College for 22 years, including being involved with boarding for 18 years as a Deputy Housemaster, Housemaster and Director of Boarding. His current role involves the day-to-day organisation and planning of College activities. He also oversees the significant co-curricular programme at College. His career has been spent in boys' education, having previously taught at Tauranga Boys' College. He believes that opportunities outside the classroom are equally important to a boy's growth and development.

Ben stepped up from Housemaster of Flower’s House to Assistant Principal – Boarding in 2022, and now, Deputy Principal – Student Care, a timely progression in his involvement in the pastoral care of the boys. At College for the past 15 years, Ben previously taught in London, and at Timaru Boys’ High School and Christchurch Boys’ High School.

He believes relationships developed through boarding are unique and that much is learnt along the way to allow boarding graduates to be well-placed for the adult world ahead.

While each boy’s journey is individual and special, Ben’s goal for the College boarding community is to create a safe, caring 'home away from home' environment that allows them to flourish – to be challenged academically, to expand through co-curricular interests, and to grow through wholehearted involvement in the boarding programme itself. He aims for its constant improvement and for the boarding community to focus strongly on the College’s Wellbeing programme, which he believes is critical to the students as they progress beyond College.