If you’ve arrived at this blog wondering what the NEU is, how it can help supply teachers, how to get a login and so much more, you’re in luck! Read on…

Here at Elevate Supply, we are incredibly passionate about helping supply teachers in all avenues of their educational journey. Whether this is by providing you with handy tips on classroom management or encouraging you to understand more how to qualify as an educator, we’ll be by your side through thick and thin.

So, when it comes to understanding more about the NEU, we imagine you have plenty of questions. We have created this handy guide to answer loads of different queries, from “What is the NEU?” to the NEU teacher pay scales. This means you’ll be able to keep this blog as a reference point as it’s filled with loads of important information. Without further ado, let’s get stuck in!

What is the NEU?

The educational field is filled with abbreviations and phrases that can be confusing, so it’s understandable if you need a refresher on what the NEU is. If you’re a newbie, you may need an introduction to the union, so let’s take a look.

The National Education Union (NEU) is the largest education union in the United Kingdom. Teaching unions are organisations that represent educators, including teachers, school staff, lecturers, support staff and administrators. These unions advocate for their members' rights, working conditions, and professional development.

The NEU was formed in 2017 through the merging of the National Union of Teachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers.

The NEU advocates for fair pay, better working conditions and high-quality education for all. It provides members with support, training, legal assistance and a strong collective voice in negotiations with the government and employers.

Why is the NEU important for supply teachers?

Now we’ve answered the question, “What is the NEU?”, let’s take a look at why it’s so important! 

As a supply teacher, it’s particularly important to be part of a union, as supply educators may not have the same contractual protections as permanent members of staff. All supply teachers are entitled to fair pay, proper contracts and protection from sudden dismissal, so the NEU can fight against any unfair treatment if it arises.

Unions can also negotiate better pay rates and working conditions. As well as this, if a supply teacher faces unfair dismissal, workplace discrimination or false accusations, a union provides legal advice and representation. Unions also push for better laws and policies, such as guaranteed sick pay and pension rights.

Sounds good?

Our next section explains how you can get your NEU login, so let’s take a look.

How to join the NEU and get an NEU login - 

Becoming a member of the NEU is straightforward. Here’s how you can join:

1) Visit the NEU website – Go to this page and take a look at all of the different options available. The memberships begin on the 1st September and end on the 31st August. Some of the memberships include those for students or trainee teachers, leadership roles and support staff. Below are two examples of membership for two different roles. All of the price details are available on the NEU website.

The standard membership - 

The support staff membership - 

2) Once you have chosen the correct membership, you can click ‘Join Us’ and fill out the registration details. You’ll be asked a series of questions about your role and situation, which confirms the NEU is the right organisation for you. 

3) Set up payment. Membership fees vary based on earrings and employment type, so it’s essential for you to have all of the correct details. You can pay monthly or annually if you wish. 

4) Once registered, you’ll have your very own NEU login and you’ll also receive a confirmation email along with access to resources and an NEU membership number. 

How will the NEU support me as a supply teacher?

The NEU has tons of support systems in place for supply educators. 

• Supply teacher representatives 

If you’d like to, you can join the Supply Teacher Network, which provides support, advice and a myriad of opportunities for you. The NEU also has dedicated supply teacher representatives who can offer guidance on all kinds of issues or situations, such as workload or employment rights. 

The great thing about the representatives is that their job is to help you - they understand the nuts and bolts of supply teaching, as well as the logistical, financial and legal rights. This means you can always be safe in the knowledge that you are getting all of the correct support and entitlements. 

The NEU also has active networks and reps for Black educators, LGBTQ+ members, women in education, disabled educators. Each of these groups faces unique challenges in education. Having dedicated reps means their experiences aren’t overlooked or lumped into generic categories. There’s also a direct channel for raising concerns and influencing policy. As a result, decisions are made with a better understanding of intersectional issues.

To chat to other NEU members, you can attend meetings, join online forums, participate in local events, use social media and connect with a range of other educators. Perfect for creating a lovely community! 

• Pay and conditions advocacy 

One of the biggest campaigns of the NEU is the advocacy of fair pay and improved working conditions for supply teachers. They ensure supply teachers are not paid below their scale point and lobby for all supply teachers to be included in the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS). 

The NEU supply teacher charter outlines fair employment standards that the NEU fights for, including:

• Pay in line with national teacher salary scales.

• Fair access to pensions and sick pay.

• More secure contracts, reducing reliance on agencies.

• Equal access to professional development opportunities.

This charter aims to ensure supply teachers receive the same dignity and respect as full-time staff.

Here at Elevate Supply, we have loads of incredible blogs that are full of important advice that align with the policies of the NEU. For instance, this Agency Workers Regulations Blog would be a brilliant resource for supply educators who would like to uplift their knowledge of pay parity. 

• Legal and professional support 

Unfortunately, it’s no secret that within this industry, supply teachers sometimes face unfair treatment, such as termination of work without notice, discrimination, payment disputes, professional misconduct issues and other issues. 

The NEU aims to help educators in these positions and as an NEU member, you have access to legal representation for employment disputes, advice on contract issues, support in case of unfair dismissal or accusations. They can also help with workplace bullying and grievance procedures.

Sometimes, supply teaching can feel like a solitary profession. Although you’re surrounded by people constantly, you may have to move around a lot and as a consequence, you may not obtain the same community that full-time educators do, who may have been in the same workplace for many years. So, if any issues do crop up, you know you have someone to talk to at the NEU! 

• Training and CPD opportunities

Unlike full-time teachers, supply teachers may struggle to access Continuing Professional Development (CPD). The NEU has a huge platform to counteract this problem and the NEU national professional development programme is available for all registrations! 

Workshops, webinars, training meetings and in-person sessions are available for individuals to attend. This can enhance subject knowledge, classroom management, teaching strategies and more! This can also be a brilliant avenue to access networking opportunities as the events and forums can connect supply teachers and you can share your own experiences with others attending. 

Take a look at some of the upcoming CPD sessions below! 

• Transactional analysis in education - Working with others and stepping out of the drama

• Scaffolding in practice – Empowering support staff to enable all children and young people to thrive

• Understanding dyslexia – A focus on spelling

• Supporting educational professionals with ADHD - An introduction

• Selective mutism – An introduction

• Identifying and supporting children with EAL and speech and language challenges - A focus on inclusivity

• Poverty - Pupil voice and participation

As you can see, the NEU covers an incredibly vast range of topics and subjects for you to dive into.

So, you’ll never miss out on any development opportunities! 

• Campaigning for better employment rights

The NEU fights for policies that benefit supply teachers, such as:

• Ending zero-hour contracts – Pushing for guaranteed work hours and job security.

• Fair treatment in schools – Ensuring supply teachers have access to resources, training and support like permanent staff.

• Better working conditions – Addressing excessive workload expectations and ensuring fair holiday pay.

• Advice and transparency - Elevating awareness of pensions, statutory sick pay, maternity pay rights and more.

As discussed above, many of the issues that supply teachers face have been tackled and turned into important policies for part time educators. 

There are also plenty of campaigns that are currently taking place that will influence supply teachers, such as pay campaigns, risk assessment changes, OFSTED issues, assessment indicators, primary and early years assessments, secondary internal and external examinations, reviewing the curriculum and child poverty.

• Strike action and industrial support 

Supply teachers often wonder if they can participate in strike action. While supply teachers do not have a single employer, they can still join picket lines to support full-time colleagues and refuse to cover for striking teachers if asked by a school or agency. 

The NEU also campaigns for supply teachers to be included in future pay negotiations, ensuring their concerns are addressed.

What’s next for me? 

Platforms like us, here at Elevate Supply and the NEU exist to ensure that supply teachers are not left behind. We are powerful allies for supply educators across the country, and we see your value. 

Did you know, you can get access to a FREE Twinkl Ultimate Membership when you work with Elevate Supply at least once a month for access to top-quality resources to make life in the classroom easier? So, you will always be able to instantly download excellent activities from one of the global leaders in Ed-Tech publishing. 

Twinkl’s resources will be able to help you in many ways - from providing incredible supply teacher packs to teacher toolkits, there are loads of amazing resources for you to access.

Whether you're just starting out or have years of experience, we can equip you with the tools, knowledge and support to navigate the complexities of supply teaching with confidence!