National & Local Leaders of Education
What are LLEs?
LLEs are successful Headteachers who, in addition to leading their own schools, work alongside other Heads and leaders to raise attainment and build capacity to ensure that improvements can be sustained. LLEs can be deployed in a variety of ways and each deployment can be tailored to suit the needs of the school receiving support. LLEs also act as professional partners, providing bespoke support to school leaders.
Teach Heart Alliance has a wide range of expertise and can offer bespoke support to your school. We can broker and oversee the deployment of system leaders in order to support your school on its journey to success. To request quality assured support for your school, please contact us.
Martin Johnson
NLE: Our Executive Leader is a National Leader of Education (NLE).
NLEs are officially accredited and appointed as system leaders to both support and improve the quality of education and leadership in schools across the country.
Martin Johnson has led Sacred Heart R.C. Primary School & Teach Heart Alliance (formerly Heart Teaching School Alliance), Westhoughton, since January 2006. He was a National Leader of Education (until 2025 when the programme concluded), also served as chair of the SSAT Primary Advisory Board from 2013 to 2024, and has presented at several national conferences on curriculum and innovation. As a Diocesan Leader of Education with the Diocese of Salford, Martin is seconded (2 days / week since Sep 2016) as CPDF lead, organising and leading programmes for schools and governors across the Diocese; and as part of the system support team, making pastoral visits to school leaders, representing the Diocese on senior leadership appointment panels and at Ofsted feedback; Martin is an experienced Section 48 lead inspector, and since September 2024, has co-ordinated Catholic School Inspections across the Diocese. He spent two years co-ordinating the work of the North West Catholic Dioceses Training Partnership, and led on the organising team for Catholic Middle Leadership Programme and aspiring to leadership conferences. He is an inaugural member of the National School of Formation, experiencing the power of Catholic Social Teaching in action during several transformative visits, including to Northern Ireland & the Philippines. Teach Heart Alliance are partners with EducareM, greatly involved with the Building the Kingdom programme, and leading the NSF Tabor programme for senior and middle leaders.
Martin’s specialisms include leadership & curriculum innovation, including outdoor learning and use of media. Sacred Heart has over 400 pupils on roll from Reception to Year 6, and also has an urban farm on site, with a focus on stewardship. Initial teacher education programmes, ECT entitlement and NPQs operate from the school. Between September 2019 and August 2021, Martin was seconded for 2 days / week as interim Catholic Senior Executive Leader (CSEL/CEO) of the St Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Academy Trust and between September 2021 and August 2025 was a Foundation Director of the Trust. He is now a Foundation Director of the Romero Catholic Academy Trust.
Meet our LLEs:
Meet our LLE Team
Teach Heart Alliance
Local Leaders of Education (LLE’s) are experienced, effective Headteachers who have the skills to support individuals or teams in similar positions in other schools. They understand what outstanding leadership practice looks like and are skilled in helping other leaders to achieve it in their own context.
All enquiries should be directed to Teach Heart Alliance.