Teacher unions: which one is right for you?

Working in education means there are numerous options when it comes to joining an employment union, and these options vary depending on which rung of the career ladder you are on, too.

Each offer something slightly different and have varying levels of costs, services and benefits available.

Here, we look at what each of the main teaching unions offer and how they present themselves to the profession:

• ASCL
• NAHT
• NEU
• NASUWT
• Edapt
• Educational Institute of Scotland

Teaching unions: Which one is right for you?

Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL)

ASCL supports school leaders ranging from CEOs of multi-academy trusts and headteachers, to finance directors and business leaders.

As well as its focus on providing professional development and legal services to members, it also touts its engagement with, and influence on, education policy and its work with diverse leaders to achieve top positions in the education sector.

It also provides services in Wales and Northern Ireland, the crown dependencies in the Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey, and in partnership with School Leaders Scotland (SLS) in Scotland. 

Number of members: Over 25,000.

Membership price: Ranging from £15 - £40 per month - full list here.

Benefits offered:

• A hotline staffed by school and college leaders.
• Legal advice from in-house solicitors and an external law firm.
• Professional development courses.
• Personal insurance cover.
• Read more here.

For more information, visit the ASCL website.

National Association of Headteachers (NAHT)

Formed in 1897, NAHT is a union for leaders across education - covering head teachers, deputy and assistant heads, school business leaders, special educational needs coordinators, virtual school heads and leaders of outdoor education centres.

Like ASCL, it also has branches for Wales and Northern Ireland and covers educators working in crown dependencies, too. It also has a focus on equality, diversity and inclusion, with several dedicated networks within the union for different protected characteristics.

Number of members: Over 37,000.

Membership price: Ranging from £22 - £42 per month - full list here.

Benefits offered:

• Management and employment advice.
• Access to a dedicated advice hotline and legal support.
• Training courses and networking events.
• Counselling and support services.
• Read more here.

For more information, visit the NAHT website.

National Education Union (NEU)

Open to all types of education professionals, the NEU is the largest union for educators - a fact it says means it can represent the sector on everything from pay and conditions, to assessment reforms and child poverty.

It was created by the merger of the National Union of Teachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers in 2017 and offers a raft of services to its members (see below). It also regularly runs snap polls of its members to gauge the sentiment on issues within the sector.

Number of members: Over 465,000.

Membership price: Free for students, £1 for early career teachers (ECTs), up to £222.11 per year for teachers, and £254.87 for headteachers and principals.

Benefits offered:

• Accident, theft and motor insurance related to work incidents.
• CPD courses and webinars.
• Advice and guidance from support teams and legal advisors.
• Workplace representatives in schools.
• Read more here.

For more information, visit the NEU website.

NASUWT

Established in 1919, NASUWT (formerly the National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers), also positions itself as a union open to all levels of teaching expertise, hence its large membership base.

It runs numerous conferences and training seminars throughout the year and also provides representation in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. It runs numerous campaigns on teacher workload, classroom behaviour and employment rights.

Number of members: 300,000.

Membership price: Free for students, £1 for ECTs, and then up to £220.36 per year/£18.36 a month.

Benefits offered:

• Advice and support telephone service.
• Training and development opportunities.
• Legal services and personal injury insurance.
• Discounts and deals with numerous providers.
• Read more here.

For more information, visit the NASUWT website.

Edapt

Number of members: No data available.

Membership price: £1 a year trial, then £17 - £37 a month depending on role.

Benefits offered:

• Dedicated legal services including up to £150,000 for legal costs.
• Accompaniment at disciplinary and grievance hearings.
• Extended hours helpline.
• Access to guidance on employment-related matters.
• Read more here.

Edapt styles itself as an alternative to traditional education trade union as it is openly apolitical and does not participate in political lobbying or strike action.

Instead, its focus is purely on providing casework services and edu-legal support in individual employment disputes and allegations. It also provides a raft of guidance on issues that may affect teachers, from working time rules and whistleblowing, to capability and online safety.

For more information, visit the Edapt website.

The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS)

Number of members: Over 60,000.

Membership price: Around £15-20 a month depending on local authority. Free for students.

Benefits offered:

• Legal and professional advice.
• Insurance services and financial advice.
• Professional development opportunities.
• Political engagement and lobbying.
• Read more here.

The EIS, as the name suggests, focuses exclusively on the needs of educators in Scotland, and caters to all career stages - including higher education.

It regularly runs webinars, seminars and conferences and engages in numerous policy-related issues such as teacher pay, child poverty and funding for arts subjects.

As well as its core services for all teachers, it also runs several smaller networks for members in certain areas, such as music teachers, teachers of pupils with additional support needs (ASN), teachers who are LGBTQ+ and teachers who are from Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds.

For more information, visit the EIS website.

Other unions and professional bodies that operate solely in Scotland include: the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association; the Association of Headteachers and Deputes in Scotland (for the primary schools sector); and School Leaders Scotland (for the secondary sector, and a sister organisation of ASCL).