An executive headteacher, also known as an executive head, executive headmaster, executive headmistress, or executive principal, is the substantive or strategic headteacher of more than one school in the United Kingdom. The role of an executive headteacher can come in one of three forms:

• The appointed executive head is responsible for the management of more than one school. They remain the headteacher of their current school, but also become the strategic leader of one or more other schools.

• The executive head has no substantive headship in any school but remains the strategic leader of a chain, federation, or collaboration of schools.

• The executive headteacher is above the headteachers appointed to manage each individual school within the consortium.

The role of executive headteachers was first introduced in 2004 when then-Prime Minister Tony Blair announced a new policy that would allow headteachers who had been classed as outstanding to take over the leadership of schools that had been designated by local authorities as failing. Today, the role of executive headteachers has expanded, with many staying in place within a system leadership role rather than specific headship roles, working with a number of headteachers.

The roles of executive headteachers are distinct from traditional headteacher roles, requiring higher levels of strategic thinking, greater emphasis on coaching, delegating, and achieving change through others, and the capacity to look outward. The remit and responsibilities of executive headteachers vary according to the number of schools they work with, the structure linking those schools, whether or not they have a substantive headship role, and the schools strategic priorities. The Department for Education (DfE) should facilitate a profession-led definition of executive headship with associated skills, competencies, organizational structures, and indicative remuneration.