ATL's Independent and Private Sector Advisory Group works to consider and advise ATL's Executive Committee on all matters relating to working in the independent sector, and to recommend and disseminate advice and best practice.
The group also represents ATL with other organisations, advises and participates in ATL's annual independent schools conference and advises on recruitment and organisation within the sectors. Some examples of the work of IPSAG can be found in the autumn 2009 edition of Independent Schools.
IPSAG's new remit can be downloaded here.
The group is elected from members in the independent sector on a geographical basis; plus two members from the sector elected by the Executive Committee to ensure the widest range of type of institution is represented. The group also includes an officer of the union. The group meets four times a year on Saturdays.
Elections are held every two years.
The outcome of the election for the new two year cycle starting September 2010 is as follows:
North East & Scotland - Alastair MacPherson
North West - Richard Ainsworth
Midlands - Alan Porter
East - Peter Walker
London & South East - Deborah Parren
South west - Helen Porter
The three additional standard members were elected on the basis of receiving next highest number of votes:
Rod Marsden
Tim Farmer
Rick Raumann.
The two executive members are Malcolm St John Smith and Geoff Pye. Malcolm was elected lead member for the independent sector and chair of IPSAG.
The officer is Lesley Ward.
The dates for the IPSAG meetings for the new academic year are: 11 September and 20 November 2010, 12 March and 11 June 2011.
If members have any policy or general issues pertinent to the independent sector that they would like ATL to consider, then they should contact their the IPSAG representative for their geographical area, care of the London office or John Richardson, National Official - independent schools.
Biographical details for new ISAG members will be updated shortly.
Malcolm has been a member of AMA/ATL for thirty years, during which time he has taught in the independent sector. He has been a school rep for many years and is a founder member of the independent and private sector advisory group (IPSAG). Malcolm is the national executive member for Yorkshire and Humberside and the current chair of the IPSAG.
Geoff has been a member of ATL since 1987. He has served on the Essex branch committee since 1990 and has represented the branch at Conference since 1992. Geoff, a science teacher, joined Brentwood School in 2006. He was elected to the ATL executive committee for Essex in 2008 and joined the IPSAG.
Alastair has been an AMMA/ATL member since 1985, teaching in the independent sector in Scotland and England. He has been a day and boarding housemaster and is currently head of biology. Alastair is the executive member for Scotland and is branch president.
Lesley Ward served as president of ATL in 2009/2010 and is the officer on IPSAG. She joined ATL in the mid-80s and has been teaching in the same primary school in Doncaster since 1975, where she now works part time as a supply teacher.
Richard is a teacher of over 30 years' experience, and has taught in four independent schools in Portsmouth, Carlisle, Liverpool and Chester. He has been a member of IPSAG for the two years, and is the ATL representative at his school in Chester, and staff representative on the school's governing body. He has been a member of the staff and governors' JCC.
Alan has been a member of ATL throughout his career and has sat on the Gloucestershire branch committee for the past eight years, including three years as president. He has been a member of the IPSAG for five years, during which time he has attended Conference. Alan is deputy director of studies in an independent secondary school.
Peter serves on number of ATL committees and works as a local casework officer in the Norfolk branch, specialising in the independent sector. Peter is a regular speaker at national conferences and has worked with an ATL special task group to develop the policy and guidance on the use of CCTV in schools. He has retired from full time teaching but sometimes fulfils short term contracts in the private sector.
Deborah has been a member of ATL since 1988, and has been a biology teacher at the North London Collegiate School since 1990. She has been an ATL representative at her school for the last four years, and is chair person of London Wide.
Helen has been a member of ATL since 1982 and is Deputy Head of Science at St. Gabriel's School, Newbury. She has taught in the senior school for 12 years and being the ATL representative for whole school (10 years). She was educated in the Bristol area and has taught in Cornish Schools for 13 years. She was also a member of the Cornwall Branch Committee of ATL during the 1990s.
Rod has been a member of the IPSAG for three years and serves on the executive committee of the Lancashire branch. He has been a teacher for many years including 20 years as a head teacher in three different schools. For the last 12 years he has worked at a preparatory school in Burnley with responsibility for physical education.
Tim has taught for 20 years, and has been an ATL member since he started teaching. He currently teaches at Seaford College, Sussex. Tim has been the ATL rep for his school for three years, and is president of ATL's
West Sussex branch.
Rick has taught at a co-educational boarding school for over 30 years. He is a house master and head of department. For last seven years Rick has been a member of the Dorset branch committee. He is a hockey coach and official.
If you have an issue that you would like the union to take up, then the group can be contacted via ATL's national official for independent schools at ATL's London office (via email or tel: 020 7930 6441).