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And find out why ATL is the fastest growing union in the education sector
Who is eligible to join?
Membership of ATL is open to all those who are directly involved in the delivery of education to pupils and students, from early years through to further and higher education. Those who work in the education sector but who are not directly involved in education delivery can also join through individual affiliate membership.
Standard membership includes teachers (full-time, part-time and supply), lecturers, headteachers and principals employed in the maintained and independent sectors, and those - such as teaching assistants, HLTAs, nursery nurses, special needs assistants, technicians and librarians/library assistants - who work with them.
ATL members work in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. ATL also has members who work in service schools in Germany and Cyprus, and in the independent sector throughout the UK. Please be aware that professionals who work in any country other than those listed above are ineligible for standard membership.
Whether you work full time or part time, are employed by a teaching or lecturing agency, whether you are training to be a teacher/lecturer, are retired, or are returning to education after a career break, ATL has lots to offer you.
Membership of ATL is organised into the following broad categories:
student membership - for those who are training to become teachers, lecturers and education support staff
standard newly qualified membership - for those beginning their career, where they have not previously held a teacher or lecturer position
standard teaching membership - for teachers and lecturers, including supply and part-time
standard support staff membership - for teaching assistants, HLTAs, nursery nurses, specials needs assistants, librarians and technicians
AMiE membership - for heads, principals and other leaders
individual affiliate membership - for those working in the education sector who are not directly involved in the delivery of education, such as administrative staff, caretakers, receptionists and secretaries.
group affiliate membership - for members of the National Association of School Business Management (formerly the National Bursars' Association), Independent School Bursars' Association and the Examination Officers' Association
associate membership - for those involved in education but not requiring support relating to their current employment
retired membership - for teachers, lecturers and support staff who have retired and who are in receipt of pension.
Student membership
Membership of ATL is free to those training in the UK to be teachers, lecturers or education support staff. Those on the graduate teacher programme are also eligible.
Student membership offers legal support with problems that might arise from your course or teaching practice. The ATL will not, however, be able to assist with matters arising from their relationship with their course provider, for example in a dispute about their assessment.
Student membership does not cover members for paid employment, except as part of the graduate or registered training programme. Student membership is only valid for the duration of their course. To guarantee continuity of membership, student members should upgrade in advance of completing their course to newly qualified, standard teaching or standard support staff membership as appropriate.
If you are undertaking a qualification while working in education, you must take out standard (teacher/lecturer) or standard (support staff) membership if you wish to have working cover, as well as maintaining your (free) student membership. Failure to do this will mean you are not covered by ATL if there is an issue.
If you have not taught or worked in education previously and are taking up your first teaching or lecturing post, you should apply for standard (newly qualified) rather than student membership, even if you have not yet qualified or are still in training. However, you can only do this if you have not previously been a member of ATL, and joining as a standard newly qualified member will mean you are not able to claim this subscription rate again once you have qualified.
Standard NQT/probationer membership
The NQT 2008 offer of up to a year's free standard membership is valid for teachers or lecturers who are due to qualify during 2008. Student members and non-members can register from 1 January 2008. Your free year of standard membership starts in the month that you start paid employment (including supply work) and runs until the end of your first year of teaching.
For example if you join ATL before you start your first teaching post in September 2008, you will receive free standard membership for a full year and pay nothing until September 2009. Your first year of teaching will be assumed to start on 1 September 2008, unless you notify us you are starting on a different date, which could be earlier or later than 1 September 2008.
For newly qualified members working as a teacher or lecturer on a supply basis, the first year of teaching is assumed to start from the first day of your first supply post. Those who qualified before 1 January 2008 should join and pay as a standard member.
If you have not joined us by your first day of paid employment then ATL cannot offer legal representation on issues that arise. The NQT 2008 offer is only valid to those that have provided their bank details for future year's payments.
If you begin employment as an unqualified teacher or lecturer, you must apply for standard (teacher/lecturer) membership and pay a subscription. If you later qualify, you would then be entitled to apply for standard (newly qualified) membership if you have not previously received a discounted membership from the ATL.
Members who have worked for a number of years as a teacher or lecturer and who are already ATL members are not entitled to apply for NQ membership retrospectively.
Individual affiliate membership
Individual affiliate membership of ATL is open to employees working in the education sector who are not directly involved in the delivery of education (eg administrative staff, caretakers, receptionists, secretaries). It is open to non-administrative employees who have contact with pupils in an educational capacity or have a post which has an educative context to it (eg chaplains, welfare or attendance support staff and parent-school liaison officers).
Group affiliate membership
Other organisations working in education recognise that their members face the same professional and employment issues that ATL members face. It is for this reason that ATL has partnered with the Examination Officers' Association, the National Association of School Business Management (formerly the National Bursars' Association) and the Independent School Bursars' Association, so we can work together to provide all the support members need throughout their career. As part of this exclusive arrangement, EOA, NBA or ISBA members who join ATL under the group affiliate membership receive all the benefits of our membership.
Associate membership
ATL's associate membership is available to those existing ATL members who finish or take a break from teaching but are not retired and in receipt of a pension. As membership is continuous, associate members can also ask for support relating to periods of standard membership.
Associate membership is also available to those who are involved in education but are not directly employed in its delivery, such as school governors and local authority education officers.
It is important to note that associate members, unlike standard members, cannot receive support with any matters relating to their current employment.
Those who are educators but not currently employed within education, or who are involved in education but not in the direct delivery of learning, can apply for associate membership of ATL. Although we are unable to help with any matter relating to current employment, associate members will be able to keep in touch with the education profession through our publications and members magazine.
Should you return to employment in education, you will then be eligible to apply to upgrade to standard membership.
Associate membership is suitable for those requiring no working cover and for those who have informed ATL that they are not working due to ill health.
Retired membership
The retired membership rate is only available for existing members of the ATL to transfer to once they have retired and are in receipt of pension. As a member of the ATL who has retired from teaching or lecturing, our retired membership package is able to offer the level of information and support that members have come to expect from the ATL.
If you undertake any teaching or other work for which you may require cover after retirement, it is essential that you retain your ATL standard membership to maintain access to expert legal assistance and insurance protection against personal accidents, accidents to pupils, and loss or damage to property or cash.
Once you leave standard membership, ATL will not be able to assist you with legal advice or support. This applies even if you are seeking help with an issue that dates back to the time when you were a member.
For full information on eligibility
If you are not sure whether you are eligible, please contact our recruitment hotline on 0845 057 7000 (local rates apply) or email our membership department.