Our vision
We are committed to internationalism. The international trade union movement is the largest civil society organisation in the world and we believe NAHT has a vital role to play as a leadership union within this movement.
We recognise that school leaders across the world and at home play a pivotal role in leading education systems to ensure a peaceful and prosperous future for all.
As a movement, we must work in solidarity to confront new challenges with global consequences for workers, such as climate change, technological advances, and humanitarian frontiers.
NAHT believes in education rights and trade union rights as internationally recognised human rights obligations to which the UK government(s) must be held to account. Every child and young person globally should have access to a fully-funded education system no matter who they are.
School leaders and education workers across the world must have a democratic say in the implementation of fair pay and conditions and the internationally recognised rights of unions must be upheld.
Our four pillars
Our international work has four key pillars:
1. Engage international law and practice for change
Our international policy work encompasses engagements with various international bodies, including submissions to COP28 and the ICCPR. You can find our submissions to COP28 and to the ICCPR [here]. Additionally, we are actively involved in lobbying efforts with international monitoring bodies.
In parallel, our domestic responses are guided by international law. We have campaigned strongly in the wake of the government’s anti-strike laws. You can read more about our campaign against minimum service levels in education here.
2. Enhance participation in international solidarity
To enhance participation in international solidarity, we encourage our members to engage with the European School Heads Association (ESHA). ESHA provides a platform for networking, collaboration, and sharing of best practices among education professionals across Europe. By joining ESHA through your NAHT membership, you can contribute to and benefit from a vibrant community dedicated to advancing education and fostering solidarity on an international scale. Together, we can leverage our collective expertise and resources to address common challenges and promote positive change in education systems worldwide.
3. Empower members to be part of a global movement for change
Empowering officials to be active participants in a global movement for change is key to fostering meaningful progress and positive impact. We invite you to join us in this endeavour by getting involved in upcoming events and initiatives. Reflecting on our past efforts, we successfully organised a refugee event, symbolising our commitment to addressing humanitarian crises and supporting vulnerable communities and we supported the Svitlo School World Record Attempt. By participating in events such as these, officials have the opportunity to contribute to a broader movement for change, inspiring action and making a tangible difference in the world. Together, let's seize the opportunity to create a brighter future for all.
4. Enable global learning opportunities
We know schools across the globe face similar challenges to us in the UK. It is important that we reach out to our international community of educators to learn from one another and exchange best practices. From examining other cultures’ practices and perspectives, we can help our schools to enrich their teaching and, most importantly, deliver the best education for our children.
Our international work is spearheaded by our international secretary, Helena Maccormac (helena.macormac@naht.org.uk).
Our international committee
Our strategic international plan of work, overseen by NAHT’s international committee, upholds and actions these values.
Our international committee is chaired by Dave Woods and includes the following members; Jonathan Gray l (vice chair), Angi Gibson, Andy Mellor, Chris Hill, Steve Baker, Julie Kelly, Lorna Legg, Jackie Bartley and Simon Kidwell.
Our international network
Join our international network mailing list and we will keep you informed of our international work and related member opportunities and initiatives.