Dave Whitaker

Dave Whitaker is an Independent Thinking Associate and the Chief Education Officer for the Wellspring Academy Trust. As a former executive principal

of social, emotional and mental health needs (SEMH) and alternative

provision academies, he now has responsibility for school effectiveness across

Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. Dave was a National Leader of Education (NLE) for ten years and

has recently been a member of the Department for Education’s Timpson

review of exclusions expert reference group. He is also a founding member

of the Headteachers’ Roundtable think tank and is a regular speaker at

conferences, as well as an active campaigner for educational change.