Chris Montacute is a Strategic Director of the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT) overseeing its work on Academies, Trusts and Achievement. A former Executive Headteacher of Wootton Bassett School, his second headship, he also held the role of Education Adviser working with the Academies Team at the DCSF (now DfE).

Each school he has led has reflected his belief in the importance of developing a culture of innovation and challenge underpinned by a strong belief in the necessity of providing the most effective education for its students. He developed a positive ‘can-do’ environment in which staff were encouraged to introduce new approaches if they believed it would benefit students helping them to achieve their potential. In 2005 he became the National Teaching Awards Headteacher of the Year in a Secondary School in the West of England having been successfully nominated by his staff.

He has researched the skills and attributes of effective educational leaders whilst undertaking an MBA in International Educational Leadership. This involved him in the study of education and leadership from a global as well as a national perspective.

He describes himself as an enthusiast who enjoys working with and learning from others with the aim of improving the education and thus life-chances of young people.