"I want to champion what a great job school leadership is," he says.
"I took up the post of general secretary at ASCL because it was a unique opportunity, but I wouldn't have left headship for anything else."
ASCL has more than 15,000 members including secondary heads, deputy heads and college principals. So as chief of the union, Lightman carries considerable clout.
His predecessor, John Dunford, spent 12 years as general secretary, during which time he had a significant impact on government policy. That's a tradition Lightman wants to continue.
"I'm coming in at a time when everything has changed," he explains. "We have a new government and a new agenda. I want to make sure that any changes are in the interests of our education service as a whole."
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