In 2025, the National Education Union (NEU)’s general secretary, Daniel Kebede, with the agreement of the national executive, commissioned an independent review of key NEU practices and policies.
The review was conducted by Karon Monaghan KC – a barrister accredited by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), with extensive experience working with trade unions and a strong track record of delivering constructive, practical recommendations. Its purpose was to help the NEU become the best union it can be: modern, effective, and fit for the challenges facing education now, and in the years ahead.
In her report, Karon Monaghan KC concludes: “The NEU is a strong union with clear and progressive values. Many members I spoke to were proud to be members of the NEU and strongly committed to its aims. Also, many staff that I spoke to said that they enjoyed working for the NEU and were committed to its values. The commitment of members and staff provides a strong foundation, and the recommendations in this report are intended to build on it.”
With over 500,000 members and around 550 staff, the scale of the NEU brings both opportunities and challenges.
The review sets out evidence-based recommendations to further strengthen the NEU and enhance the experience of members and employees alike. From deepening engagement and participation, to fostering trust, ensuring compliance, and supporting long-term retention; this work marks an important step in our ongoing commitment to build a union that reflects the aspirations and needs of everyone in our community.
The importance of this work cannot be overstated. A union is strongest when its members and employees feel heard, involved and confident in the organisation that represents and employs them.
The inquiry has given the NEU a valuable foundation. It has identified what is working, where there are challenges, and where change is needed. However, reports and recommendations alone do not create change. What matters now is what happens next.
The task ahead is to translate those recommendations into practical, visible changes to policies and culture which members and staff can see, experience and help create.
That means turning evidence into action. It means ensuring that changes are not just written into plans but are felt by members and staff in how they engage with the NEU, in how we inspire and support new and diverse pipelines of activists and how the union empowers members in their professional lives.
Nazir Afzal and Rise Associates have been asked to provide independent support in this next phase, helping to turn the inquiry’s findings into meaningful change that encourages participation, enhances our community and reinforces the NEU as a confident and effective union - clear in its purpose, decisive in its action, and ready to meet the challenges ahead. They will support us in working with our members and our staff to build a clear roadmap that addresses the recommendations where we do not already have plans in place.
This will take collaboration, openness and commitment. It presents an opportunity to build on the inquiry’s work and ensure the NEU continues to inspire, empower, and organise our members so collectively they have impact and influence, both nationally and locally, in shaping the future of education.
The focus now is simple - to help make those recommendations real, so members and staff don’t just hear about change, but genuinely experience it.