About SSAT
Since 1987 our trusted team of experts have supported educators in schools.
Through our membership communities we work in partnership with leaders and teachers nationally to drive improvement and innovation within education.
Our insight and deep expertise enable us to tailor professional development and school improvement programmes, so together we can achieve effective, sustainable and student-centric outcomes.
Welcome from our Chief Executive
SSAT has been at the forefront of school improvement since 1987 and our mission has always been:
“That all students, whatever their ability or context, leave school fully prepared to lead fulfilled and purposeful lives.”
SSAT is a membership organisation, bringing together schools and academies from across the UK and globally that are committed to achieving deep social justice. This is a grand ambition and one that can be achieved only through strong principled leadership, working in partnership, and continual review of practice and policy. You will find full details of our membership offer on the website, but I want to highlight one benefit – SSAT’s Leadership Legacy Project – every member school can nominate one teacher in their first five years of teaching with the potential to go on to headship for the one-year project. We introduce the participants to deep social justice, and they engage with some of the outstanding leaders in the education system. We encourage them to think about their ‘non-negotiables’ – the principles that drive them, and the practise that can improve the outcomes for students. We network them with other practitioners from all over England – their support network. Our Leadership Legacy fellows will be the system leaders of the future.
High quality professional development aids staff retention, as well as improving the knowledge, practice and skills of participants. We have programmes for the whole staff, including Embedding Formative Assessment (EFA) that has been endorsed by the Education Endowment Foundation. We offer Lead Practitioner accreditation for individuals. We provide bespoke training for senior leadership teams. We discuss with you your needs and ensure that the training is relevant, high quality and has a positive impact on staff and students.
Lord David Puttnam says: “Education is the one key driver in enabling people to fulfil their potential, and therefore the sole means by which we can hope to deliver equality and social justice.” At SSAT we see everyday how schools make a difference. Schools cannot cure all the ills of the world, but by working together and collaborating with other public services and community groups, they can make a real difference. Please work with SSAT to fight for deep social justice.
Sue Williamson

Our purpose
SSAT is a membership organisation, bringing together schools and academies from across the UK and globally committed to achieving deep social justice. We offer insight and understanding into school practice and educational policy and research. Our professional development and school improvement programmes help leaders and teachers to further outcomes for all young people and develop leadership at all levels across the system.
We do this by providing a framework for exceptional education focused on teaching and learning, professional practice and leadership. This framework is underpinned by a commitment to social justice; our belief that every young person should go on to lead successful and fulfilling lives.
Our why…
- We have the interests of all young people at heart
- We believe that all young people should have successful and fulfilling lives
- We want to empower school leaders and teachers to be autonomous and ambitious
- We make considered responses to changing policy, research, markets and trends
- We believe in the promotion of equality, diversity and inclusion
Our journey
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2025
First Regional Leadership Hub is awarded.
1,920 Lead Practitioners are accredited and 1,723 future leaders have completed the Leadership Legacy Project.
SSAT invited to join Teaching Commission and new partnership with Be ThAT Teacher launches.
First RACE Charter Mark school is awarded Beacon of Excellence status.
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2024
Inspection Insights launches providing unparalleled analysis of all inspection reports.
Associate Membership network available for non-members.
Deep Support for Social Justice Vol. 2 – Tackling the Issues is published and Rethinking Headship launches.
Annual school Culture Survey offered to all member schools.
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2023
Beyond Manifestos is published in the context of an impending UK General Election. School leaders, partners and other educational organisations answer the question: “What does education need next?”
Strategic partnership with Chartered College of Teaching announced which includes EFA programme awarded as eligible for credits towards Chartered Teacher status.
First Women in Leadership conference with WomenEd takes place and the Children’s Charter is released.
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2022
Over 1000 future leaders have joined the Leadership Legacy Project.
Accelerator Fund grant through Education Endowment Fund to upscale the implementation of Embedding Formative Assessment programme across English secondary schools.
Leading Edge celebrates its 20th anniversary.
SSAT Invited to join Fair Education Alliance (FEA) Steering Group.
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2021
New SSAT pamphlet Why Change is needed, now published.
First school accredited as ‘transforming’ in all 12 strands of the SSAT Framework for Exceptional Education.
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2020
SSAT partners with Fig Tree International to launch the Race and Conscious Equality Charter Mark.
Meet the team

Sue Williamson
Chief Executive

Angelina Idun
Director

Grace Hardy
Chief Operating Officer

Julian Elve
Director

Alex Galvin
Senior Education Lead

Andy Williams
Senior Education Lead

Dr Dan Belcher
Senior Education Lead

Dr Keven Bartle
Senior Education Lead
Meet our strategic partners
SSAT is proud to work in partnership with a varied range of industry leaders and organisations whose purpose and convictions align with our own. We exist to help improve outcomes for all young people and our partners support us in offering insight and understanding into teaching, learning and system leadership to our members.