Crossword Genius

Have top role in school to execute (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

behead

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'to execute' is the definition.
(I know that behead is a more specific form of the action execute)

'have top role in school' is the wordplay.
I cannot really see how this works, but
'top' could be 'head' (head is a kind of top) and 'head' is located in the answer.
The remaining letters 'be' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't understand.
This explanation may well be incorrect...

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for behead that I've seen before include "Execute on the block" , "Decapitate" , "Knock one's block off!" , "Remove cranium as in old execution" , "Guillotine" .)

I've seen this clue in The Sun.
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