ATL's structure

The Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) is a fully-democratic organisation. Members are actively encouraged to participate in the ATL’s work at both local and national level.

ATL representatives

Every school and college is encouraged to elect an ATL representative. ATL reps act as the first point of contact for members, distribute information, offer ‘on-site’ support, and maintain contact with the branches and ATL's London office.

For more information about representatives, see the Get Active pages.

Branches

Local branches are normally organised within the same areas as local education authorities or groups of unitary authorities. Most branches have an elected committee, headed by a branch secretary. It is the branch that deals with matters affecting local members. The size of the branch varies enormously from a few hundred, to several thousand. Most local branches meet once per term.

To contact your local branch, complete the online helpdesk form on the main ATL website (you will need to login to the site as a member first).

Conference

Conference is the main policy-making body of ATL. It meets annually in the four days before Good Friday, and is held at a different location each year. 

The 600 members who make up Conference include ATL’s Executive Committee, together with representatives elected by the branches. The number of representatives each branch can send to Conference depends on how many members it has. There are also opportunities for members to attend as observers.

Conference has the power to pass resolutions which the Executive Committee then implements. Both ATL and Conference are governed by the Constitution and Rules, which can be changed only by Conference itself.

To find out about conferences that have taken place in previous years, or for information about this year's conference, see the Conferences section on the main ATL website.

Executive Committee

ATL’s Executive Committee is elected every two years to run ATL and to develop every aspect of its policy, work and services. It acts on resolutions passed at the annual Conference, and operates through a number of committees (see below).

The Executive Committee comprises up to 80 members and eight national officers, and meets seven or eight times a year at ATL’s office in London. 

Committees

The Executive Committee operates through a number of advisory, operational, and policy committees, which focus on different aspects of the overall work of ATL. These committees consider a wide range of important issues from continuing professional development  and conditions of service, to independent schools and special educational needs.

The committee structure provides many opportunities for members of ATL to participate in its activities and to contribute in areas where they have expertise. 

For more information, and to get involved, see the Get Active section of the ATL website.

National officers 

ATL has eight national officers, elected by the members: junior vice-president, senior vice-president, president, immediate past president, two honorary treasurers, and two honorary secretaries. The current president is Stuart Herdson.

Once elected, the junior vice-president follows a set path through the ranks, over a four-year period. In their second year they become senior vice-president, in their third, president, and finally they become immediate past president.  

There are always two honorary treasurers and two honorary secretaries, one being elected each year to serve for two years.

Every five years there are elections for the position of ATL general secretary. Every member has the right to vote, and all elections are by secret postal ballot.

ATL staff

Specialist staff, with an in-depth understanding of education and employment issues are based at the ATL’s office in London, and at offices in Cardiff and Belfast. ATL staff offer advice, help and information to members, and promote their professional interests to government, employers and education stakeholders.

Regional offices and regional officials

Members also have access to local advice and support through regional officials – experienced education practitioners who assist individual members at branch level – and a mobile taskforce of national casework officials, with first-class negotiating skills and a thorough knowledge of education and employment issues. 

Members working in Wales or Northern Ireland can also request help and advice from ATL's regional offices in Cardiff and Belfast.