- Department for Education
The Department was formed in May 2010 and is responsible for education and children's services in England. - Scottish Government
The Scotland Act 1998 gave Scottish Parliament legislative control over all education matters. - Welsh Assembly Government
Education and skills in Wales is the responsibility of the Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (DCELLS), within the Welsh Assembly Government. - Teacher Support Network
Teacher Support Network is a group of independent charities and a social enterprise that provide practical and emotional support to staff in the education sector and their families. There are networks in England, Scotland and Wales. - Office for Standards in Education, Children Services and Schools (OFSTED)
OFSTED inspect and regulate to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages in England. - Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education (HMIE)
HMIE is an executive agency of the Scottish Government, responsible for the inspection of public and independent, primary and secondary schools, as well as further education colleges, community learning, Local Authority Education Departments and teacher education in Scotland. HMIE is due to merge with Learning and Teaching Scotland in July 2011. - Estyn
This is the office of Her Majesty's Inspectorate for Education and Training in Wales. They are an independent inspection service, led by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales. - National College for Leadership of Schools and Children's Services
The National College works to develop and support great leaders of schools, early years settings and children's services so they can make a positive difference to children's lives. - The Association of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS)
ADCS is the national leadership association in England for statutory directors of children's services and other children's services professionals in leadership roles. - CLEAPSS
CLEAPSS provides support for a consortium of Local Authorities and their schools. It is controlled by its 180 members throughout the British Isles (not Scotland). It is a nationwide advisory service for subscribers specifically for practical science, Design & technology and Art providing advice to schools and colleges (including special schools and pupil referral units) from nursery through to A level or equivalent. - Scottish Schools Education Research Centre (SSERC)
SSERC covers science, technology and safety in schools. They provide a range of services and products to members in Scottish local authority establishments and to other individual subscribers or member establishments elsewhere. - The Independent Schools Council (ISC)
The ISC represents 1,260 independent schools educating more than 500,000 children in the UK. Member schools are inspected in England by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI). The Head of each ISC school is normally a member of one of their Heads' Associations and most schools are also members of either their Bursars' and/or Governors' associations. - Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI)
ISI is the agency responsible for the inspection of schools in membership of the Associations of the Independent Schools Council (ISC) . The ISI reports to the Department for Education on the extent to which these schools meet statutory requirements. - Independent Schools Bursars Association (ISBA)
The ISBA is a charitable company limited by guarantee. Their objective is the advancement of education through the promotion of efficient and effective financial management, administration and ancillary services to over 900 independent member schools. - The Independent Association of Prep Schools (IAPS)
A professional association for head teachers and deputies of 600 independent Prep schools in the UK and worldwide. - Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS)
SCIS represents about 70 member schools in Scotland – independent, private fee paying schools. - Welsh Independent Schools Council
The Council acts as a consultative and advisory body for independent schools in Wales. - Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT)
SSAT is an independent, not-for-profit membership organisation dedicated to raising levels of achievement in secondary education. - Association of Colleges (AoC)
AoC is a not for profit organisation established in 1996 by Colleges for Colleges. It exists to represent and promote the interests of Colleges and provide members with professional support services. - The Association for College Management (ACM)
ACM is the trade union and professional association representing managers working in further education and other post 16 learning and skills provision formed in the early 90s. Following a recent vote ACM is to form a partnership with ATL, forming a new organisation on 1st January 2011. ACM will become the AMiE section of ATL and will represent leaders and managers from colleges, schools and elsewhere in the education sector. AMiE is a partnership between ACM (The Association for College Management) and ATL (Association of Teachers and Lecturers). - Scotland's Colleges
Scotland's Colleges exists to support, represent and promote the Scottish college sector. - Co-ordinating Health and Safety in Tertiary Education (CHASTE)
CHASTE is a not-for-profit project, under the direction of the University of Edinburgh (due to finish in March 2011). It provides health and safety support services to the colleges and universities in Scotland. The work will be taken forward by Scotland's Colleges, Health and Safety Communities of Practice. - Fforwm
This is the national organisation representing the 23 Further Education (FE) colleges and two FE institutions in Wales. It was created in 1993 as an educational charity. - Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE)
Working in partnership, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) promotes and funds high-quality, cost-effective teaching and research, meeting the diverse needs of students, the economy and society - Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HECFW)
HEFCW is responsible for funding higher education (HE) in Wales. HECFW distributes funds for education, research and related activities at twelve higher education institutions (HEIs), including the teaching activities of the Open University in Wales. Funding is also provided for higher education courses at further education colleges. - The Skills Funding Agency
An agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).The agency funds and regulates adult further education and skills training in England. It is part of a network of organisations in the country that commission, manage and market training for adults. - Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SFC)
The SFC is the national, strategic body responsible for funding teaching and learning provision, research and other activities in Scotland's 43 colleges and 20 universities and higher education institutions. It is more commonly known as 'the Scottish Funding Council' or 'SFC'. - Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA)
UCEA provides UK higher education institutions with a framework for discussion, advice and guidance on a range of pay and employment matters. UCEA aims to be a representative of, and advisor to, HE employers on the delivery of excellence in HR management. - Universities Scotland
The organisation is the representative body of Scotland's 21 universities and higher education colleges. - Universities Safety and Health Association (USHA)
Formed in the early 1970's USHA's mission is to ensure the wellbeing of university staff, students and visitors through the promotion of health and safety in higher education. There are 150 universities in its current cohort. - Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS)
BIS was created in June 2009 from the merger of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. BIS brings all of the levers of the economy together in one place. Policy areas from skills and higher education to innovation and science, to business and trade. - University and College Union (UCU)
UCU was formed in 2006 by the amalgamation of the AUT (Association of University Teachers) and NATFHE (University & Colleges Lecturer's Union). UCU is the largest trade union and professional association for academics, lecturers, trainers, researchers and -related staff working in further and higher education in the UK. - National Union of Students (NUS)
NUS is a voluntary membership organisation and a confederation of 600 students' unions. Through its member students' unions, it represents the interests of more than seven million students. There are also networks in Scotland and Wales. - Association of School & College Leaders (ASCL)
ASCL is the only professional association and trade union in Britain to speak exclusively for secondary school and college leaders. - National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT)
Established in 1897, NAHT is an independent trade union and professional association representing 28,000 members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Members hold leadership positions in early years; primary; special and secondary schools; independent schools; sixth form and FE colleges; outdoor education centres; pupil referral units, social services establishments and other educational settings. - Scottish Secondary Teachers Association (SSTA)
From its inception in 1944 the SSTA has been a trade union with aims to advance education in Scotland, and to safeguard and promote the interests of Scottish secondary teachers in all matters, especially those which affect salaries and conditions of service. - National Union of Teachers (NUT)
NUT is the largest teachers' union representing qualified teachers in England, Wales, Channel Isles and the Isle of Man.
- Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS)
Scotland's largest teaching union. - Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL)
ATL is a trade union originally established in 1884. It is a teachers union and professional association affiliated to the TUC in the UK representing 160,000 members across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Members include teachers, supply teachers, heads, lecturers, managers and support staff in maintained and independent sector schools and colleges. - National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Woman Teachers (NASUWT)
NASUWT is the only TUC-affiliated teachers' union to represent teachers in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. NASUWT organises in all sectors from early years to further education and represents teachers in all roles including heads and deputies. - Voice
Voice is the union for education professionals, from teachers, lecturers and nursery nurses, to head teachers and school support staff, including teaching assistants, technicians and administrators and students. - UNISON
UNISON is Britain and Europe's biggest public sector union with more than 1.3 million members including people working in the public services, for private contractors providing public services and in the essential utilities. They include frontline staff and managers working full or part time in local authorities, the NHS, the police service, colleges and schools, the electricity, gas and water industries, transport and the voluntary sector. - UNITE
Unite was formed by a merger between the T&G and Amicus. Unite Education Sector covers all areas of education in the UK and Ireland. Members can be found in Universities, Colleges, Tertiary, Secondary, Primary and Nursery establishments in the UK and Ireland. Members can also be found working with organisations providing educational support to any of the above mentioned educational establishments. - GMB
GMB is a general union with members in every part of the UK economy doing a wide range of jobs. GMB members include men, women, young and old or even retired, working full and part time, and are made up of a wide and diverse cross section of Britain's society. - Trades Union Congress (TUC)
The TUC is the national trade union centre in the UK, representing the vast majority of organized workers. - Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC)
STUC co-ordinates, develops and articulates the views and policies of the trade union movement in Scotland - Institution of Occupational Safety & Health (IOSH)
IOSH is the Chartered body for health and safety professionals and Europe's leading body for individuals with a professional involvement in occupational safety and health.