ATL

Terms and conditions of membership

Here are the terms and conditions for joining the leading education union, ATL.

So that we can offer you full support, you must ensure that you take out, and pay for, the correct category of membership.

As with any other union, we are unable to offer representation or assistance (including legal advice) with problems that arose before you joined ATL. Prospective members should declare any such problems in a letter with your application. Prospective members should send your letter with a printed copy of your membership form to the legal and member services department, ATL, 7 Northumberland Street, London WC2N 5RD. Failure to declare any such issue could invalidate your membership.

If you leave ATL we 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.

You are responsible for ensuring that the ATL membership department in the London office is aware of your home, work and other contact details. If membership subscriptions are collected following correct BACS procedures no refunds are available. Membership subscriptions are for a period of 12 months. If you choose to pay in instalments, the full fee for the 12-month period is still due even if you wish to leave before your membership period has expired.

If you undertake any private work outside of your LA's or employer's direct control you will not be covered by your employer's insurance or ATL membership. ATL has arranged a discounted insurance scheme for members to protect those who provide private tuition, lecturing or coaching outside of their main employment. Please visit our discounts and offers pagefor details of this combined public liability and professional indemnity policy.

If you are taking a break from employment you should contact the ATL membership department about special discounted subscription rates. Members on maternity or carers' leave should also contact the ATL membership department about a period of free membership, tel: 020 7782 1602.

Standard (teacher and lecturer) membership

The '50% off your first year's standard membership' offer applies to all teachers and lecturers. This rate of £72.50 is only valid if you set up a single Direct Debit payment. If you would like to set up Direct Debit instalments, or make a single payment by cheque, debit of credit card, you will be charged £75.75. Your membership is for 12 months from the date of joining. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

If you will be undertaking 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. Please check with the ATL membership department if you are unsure on this issue, tel: 020 7782 1602.

Standard (support staff) membership

Standard (support staff) membership Direct Debits can be collected over a maximum period of 12 months. You will be advised about your instalment schedule when you join and prior to any debits being made.

Headteachers, college principals and other senior leaders

Existing headteachers and other senior leaders within schools, colleges and universities can join ATL through the Association of Managers in Education (AMiE), our partnership with the Association for College Management (ACM). For further details about this membership package, please contact ACM's membership team.

Under the terms of the partnership you can become a member of ACM and receive the same quality of support you'd expect from ATL. You will also receive associate membership of ATL free of charge, giving you the best of two outstanding education unions.

Existing ATL members who are promoted to senior leadership roles should maintain their standard ATL membership. Under the terms of the AMiE partnership they will also receive associate membership of ACM free of charge, also giving them the best of two outstanding education unions. Maintaining continuous membership of ATL will allow ATL to help with any issues that relate to previous years and maintain your rights to participate in our democratic structures.

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.

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.

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.

Group affiliate membership

To qualify for group affiliate membership you must be a current member of the Examination Officers' Association (EOA), the National Association of School Business Management (NASBM - formerly National Bursars' Association) or the Independent School Bursars' Association (ISBA). If an individual ceases their membership of the EOA, NASBM or ISBA they will no longer be able to access services and support from ATL. All EOA members must be a practising examinations officer or be a member of the examinations office personnel, the majority of whose role is focused on the operation and administration of examinations in a centre.

For current members of ATL opting to transfer to group affiliate membership, the transfer can take place only at the expiry of their current ATL subscription period. We will still require applicants for group affiliate membership to complete the respective group affiliate membership form for verification purposes. You will be advised in writing when the transfer to group affiliate membership will take place.

Associate membership

If you are an educator but not currently employed within education or you are involved in education but not employed in the direct delivery of learning, you can apply for associate membership of ATL. Although we are unable to help you with any matter relating to your current employment, you will be able to keep in touch with the education profession through access to our publications and member magazine. Should you return to employment in education you will then be eligible to apply to upgrade to standard membership.

Other

All membership rates are effective from 1 January to 31 December 2008 unless otherwise stated.

Local rates apply for telephone calls to ATL unless otherwise stated. For text messages, standard network rates apply.

All terms and conditions are correct as of 30 July 2008.