Geoff Barton was most recently General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, a trade union representing more than 25,000 educational leaders from all types of schools and colleges across the United Kingdom. He held this post for seven years. 

Prior to this, for fifteen years he was headteacher at King Edward VI School in Suffolk, an 11-18 comprehensive school of 1600 students.  

Geoff has written and edited various books on literature, grammar and literacy. He is patron of the English & Media Centre, a Founding Fellow of the English Association, and a trustee of the Royal Shakespeare Company. 

Most recently he was appointed as chair of the independent Commission on Oracy in Education to raise the profile of speaking and listening in schools and colleges, and has most recently chaired a taskforce for the IPPR on inclusion.  

He was awarded the CBE in the 2025 New Year’s honour list for services to education.