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Membership support

During what has been another challenging year for school, college and trust leaders, ASCL has been working hard to ensure that your membership provides the very best value for money. 

We’ve continued to work to ensure members have been kept fully informed on all aspects of managing your school, college or trust, as well as a wide range of other issues and we’ve been supporting individual members with concerns about their own employment. You can read more about how we’ve been supporting you on page 18. 

As well as our regular newsletters and video briefings, Team ASCL webinars and podcasts and our guidance on key issues, we’ve also continued to develop our support for different groups of members through our dedicated communications and networking groups to help members connect with one another. We’re delighted that so many members are engaging with our Ethnic Diversity, Women Leaders’ and LGBT+ Leaders’ Networks, as well as our trust leaders’, primary leaders’ and business leaders’ groups. If you’d like to join any of our networks or groups, please email info@ascl.org.uk 

Make sure you’re not missing out and sign up for our specialist newsletters. Sign in to your ‘My ASCL’ account at www.ascl.org.uk/login to update your preferences and opt in to receive our newsletters for business leaders, trust leaders and for colleagues working in the primary, post-16, independent, SEND or inclusion sectors, or those from Northern Ireland or Wales. 

As you’ll have seen from our newsletters and from our ‘ASCL influence’ articles in Leader, we’ve continued to work incredibly hard to influence government and other policymakers across the UK, as well as maintaining a high media focus on the issues impacting education leaders. We’ve also helped many members avoid potential future issues with their employment through our complimentary contract checking service. All members can take advantage of this service – find out more at www.ascl.org.uk/contractchecking 

ASCL continues to hold a reserve fund that exists for the Association to draw on should we need to support members facing legal challenges. Our Legal Team continues to see a record number of cases requiring the team’s support across a range of issues. 

We continually look for opportunities for efficiency savings without compromising our service to members and we ensure that our procurement policy optimises value for money.

Membership fees 

Following a freeze on membership fees across all categories in 2022, and very limited increases to some grades of membership in the previous five years, it is necessary to make small increases to membership fees across some grades for 2023. Incredibly careful consideration has been given to this by ASCL Executive as we are very aware of the significant pressures on individual and household budgets. However, like all organisations, ASCL is experiencing substantial increases in costs across all aspects of its operations and to sustain the quality and level of support for all members it is necessary to introduce some small fee increases. All members will receive advanced notice of their membership fees for 2023 during November. 

ASCL offers discounted fees for members with a part-time contract and those on maternity or parental leave. Please contact the Membership Team at membership@ascl.org.uk or 0116 299 1122 if you are working part-time or will be taking maternity or parental leave in the coming months. 

Expenditure in 2021 

Approximately 85% of ASCL’s income in 2021 was derived from members’ subscriptions. The largest proportion of our expenditure (74%) was spent directly on supporting our members. This includes regional, field and hotline officers; in-house solicitors and legal support staff; publications; legal fees; dealing with pensions and pay and conditions issues; and training and support for our local representatives across the UK. 

The chart below shows how we used your subs in 2021 to provide you with support and guidance. Don’t forget that if you pay your subscription personally, 100% of the annual fee is tax deductible. Find out more at www.ascl.org.uk/tax-benefits 

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Essential support when you need it most… 

If you need any help or advice about any leadership issues, please call our Hotline on 0116 299 1122 or email hotline@ascl.org.uk

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