The NEU’s Expanding Membership: What It Means for Recruitment Agencies and Agency Staff

​The NEU’s Expanding Membership: What It Means for Recruitment Agencies and Agency Staff

The education landscape is evolving rapidly, and so are the organisations that represent the workforce within it. In recent years, the National Education Union (NEU) has been actively expanding its membership beyond traditional classroom teachers to include a much wider range of education professionals. This shift has important implications not only for schools, but also for recruitment agencies like Step Teachers and the agency staff we support every day.

Understanding what this expansion means – both the opportunities and the challenges – is essential for agencies and educators alike.

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A Broader Union for a Broader Workforce

Historically, teaching unions were largely focused on qualified teachers in maintained schools. The NEU’s current approach is far more inclusive. Membership is now open to almost anyone working in education, including:

• Support staff such as teaching assistants, nursery nurses, midday supervisors and cover supervisors

• Early years professionals, including room leaders and practitioners

• Staff in independent schools, from teachers to technicians, librarians and support roles

• Further Education and Sixth Form College staff, including lecturers, managers and administrators

• Students and trainee teachers, allowing individuals to join before they are fully qualified

Membership categories and subscription rates are structured around role and hours worked, making union representation more accessible to lower-paid and part-time staff who have traditionally been underrepresented.

The NEU’s stated aim is to represent the entire school community, recognising that education is delivered by teams, not individuals.

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Why Is the NEU Expanding?

There are several clear drivers behind this strategy:

1. Inclusivity and Representation

Many support staff and early years professionals are among the lowest-paid workers in education and historically the least unionised. Bringing these groups into the union gives them a stronger collective voice.

2. Strength in Numbers

A larger and more diverse membership base increases the union’s negotiating power on pay, conditions, workload and funding across the sector.

3. Tackling Inequality

By actively recruiting staff in undervalued roles, the NEU aims to address structural inequalities within education employment.

Members are also organised into sector groups (such as independent schools or post-16 education) and equality sections (including Black members, LGBT+ members and Disabled members), allowing for more tailored support.

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The Benefits for Agency Staff

For agency workers – including supply teachers, teaching assistants and early years staff – NEU membership can offer several advantages:

Professional Support and Advice

Agency staff can sometimes feel isolated, particularly when working short-term placements across multiple settings. Union membership provides access to professional advice on pay, contracts, workplace issues and employment rights.

A Collective Voice

Supply and temporary staff don’t always feel confident raising concerns individually. Being part of a larger union helps ensure that issues affecting agency workers are represented at a national level.

Early Career Protection

For trainees, newly qualified teachers and early years practitioners, joining early can provide reassurance and guidance during what can be a challenging transition into the profession.

At Step Teachers, we recognise that confident, well-supported educators are more likely to thrive in their roles – which benefits schools, pupils and the wider education system.

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The Considerations for Recruitment Agencies

While increased unionisation brings clear benefits for individuals, it also presents practical considerations for recruitment agencies and schools.

Pros for Agencies

• Clearer Standards: Union guidance can help set expectations around fair pay, workload and professional treatment, supporting better long-term placements.

• Improved Retention: Staff who feel protected and valued are more likely to stay in the profession, helping to stabilise the supply workforce.

• Professionalisation of Support Roles: Greater recognition of support staff can elevate these roles, making them more attractive career choices.

Challenges to Navigate

• Industrial Action: Agencies must be prepared to respond sensitively and lawfully during periods of strike action or union-led campaigns.

• Complexity Across Sectors: With union membership now spanning maintained, independent, early years and FE settings, policies and expectations can vary significantly.

• Balancing Flexibility and Rights: Supply work relies on flexibility, and agencies must carefully balance this with evolving expectations around terms and conditions.

At Step Teachers, we see these challenges not as obstacles, but as part of a changing employment landscape that requires clear communication, strong relationships and ethical recruitment practices.

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A Changing Sector, A Shared Responsibility

The NEU’s expansion reflects a broader truth about education today: schools and settings rely on a diverse workforce, and all roles matter. For recruitment agencies, this means adapting to a more informed and empowered workforce while continuing to provide flexible, high-quality staffing solutions for schools.

For agency staff, it means greater access to support, representation and a sense of belonging within the wider education community.

At Step Teachers, we remain committed to working collaboratively with educators, schools and the wider sector. By understanding developments like the NEU’s expanding membership, we can continue to support our candidates and clients in a way that is fair, transparent and forward-looking.

If you’re an educator considering agency work – or a school navigating a changing workforce – our team is always happy to talk.