Leading a union during pay disputes and the Covid pandemic was “like walking a tightrope”, a former education chief has said.
Geoff Barton, who served as the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) between 2017 and 2024, has been made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the New Year Honours.
Mr Barton told the PA news agency the stakes were “high” when, in June 2023, ASCL opened a ballot for strike action in England for the first time in its history over pay and conditions, school funding and teacher shortages.
ASCL later accepted a 6.5% pay rise offer from the-then Conservative government, bringing an end to the dispute.
He said: “I worried, fundamentally, might we lose members because they’re going to be saying that they would never be prepared to take industrial action?
“We actually gained membership, but it’s an example of the way in which you’re always walking a bit of a tightrope in a membership organisation.”
Mr Barton said the honour is “recognition” of the challenges education leaders faced during the coronavirus pandemic.
During the uncertain period, Mr Barton played a role in trying to reassure students, parents, and school staff.
School leaders had to quickly adapt to remote learning, safety protocols and ensuring that education continued despite closures, he said.
Mr Barton added: “They felt like we all did – it was a very, very fraught time when they were on the front line in trying to reassure youngsters that they should be back in school. That job’s still going on.
“I think this is a recognition of what leadership from them has looked like and I’m pleased to represent them in doing that.”
Mr Barton began his career as an English teacher at schools in Leeds, York and Suffolk, before becoming headteacher of King Edward VI School in Bury St Edmunds, a role he held for 15 years.
He has been a prominent voice in education, advocating for fair funding, improved teacher retention, and high standards in schools.
The 62-year-old also chairs the Oracy Education Commission, which promotes communication skills in education, and he is a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s (RSC) board.
