TPS demo at Independent school

Independent sector

We represent more teachers and support staff working in independent schools than any other union.

Independent support staff

Support staff are the backbone of every school, yet often taken for granted. As the biggest union in the independent sector NEU will use our strength to organise and campaign for support staff in the sector.

See how

NEU is recognised by more independent sector employers than any other union, where schools negotiate staff terms and conditions with NEU. In roughly half this includes all support staff as well as teachers.

As a modern trade union, NEU believes in the ethos of the school community and that the contribution of all staff is equally important. Consequently, the NEU welcomes into membership all staff working in the independent sector: teachers and teaching assistants, technicians and librarians, office administration and cleaners, grounds and caretaking staff.

Specialist support

In addition to all the usual services you would expect such as first-class advice and support, NEU commits considerable resources to supporting our members in the independent sector.

NEU is the only trade union to offer all of the following:

Active members

NEU Independent school reps are actively making a difference in their schools and across the sector. NEU members benefit in general by leading role our active reps play in the Rep Networks and WhatsApp Groups in shaping and driving forward on campaigns on pay, pensions, and workload. 

Pay

Sign saying ♥ union recognition

Pay

As private businesses outside the national collective bargaining structure in the maintained sector, independent schools have greater freedom to set their own terms and conditions of employment.

Woman with grey hair talking in group

Collective bargaining

How to negotiate on pay in the independent sector, with some relevance to further education workplaces or academies where there is collective bargaining. 

Contracts and working hours

Dog in front of sign calling for union recognition now!

Rights at work

Your statutory rights are the minimum you are entitled to as an employee of the school.

Teachers at St. Augustine's Priory, Ealing, 2023

Protecting pensions

We will support members opposing any proposal to remove teachers’ membership of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) or enforce pay cuts to pay for the pension.

Support staff

This advice is designed to help support staff working in independent schools to deal with the increase in the quantity and complexity of work for school support staff that has now reached crisis point.

SEND STEM female teacher

Support staff

The NEU represents support staff members across the UK in the maintained, academy, free school, independent, further education, sixth form and university sectors.

WhatsApp logo

NEU independent sector workplace reps

Join our WhatsApp community to discuss the pay campaign, defending the TPS and support staff issues.

Apply to join
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