Steve Willshaw

Steve Willshaw is an educational consultant, executive coach, and author of The Functionally Fluent Teacher. Working closely with school leaders and Trusts, Steve knows the biggest drain on a teacher's energy isn't just workload—it’s the emotional weight of managing complex classroom dynamics.

Passionate about staff wellbeing and retention, Steve advocates for "radical simplicity." Teachers don't need heavy new initiatives. They need tools to build "relational agency"—the ability to interact, de-escalate, and connect effectively without burning out.

In The Functionally Fluent Teacher, and through his Certified Functionally Fluent Teacher programme, Steve provides a highly practical framework. Using the Functional Fluency model, he helps educators understand their behavioral defaults and make tiny, high-impact shifts in how they communicate.

Alongside his coaching, Steve champions curriculum ambition and literacy, collaborating with Myatt & Co on "The Ambitious Years" and driving the "Rooted in Reading" initiative. His ultimate goal is to partner with forward-thinking schools to embed sustainable, coaching-led cultures where both staff and students thrive.