Membership

The Schools Co-operative Society is a member owned Co-operative, registered under the Industrial and Provident Society Act 1965, Registration Number: 31278R

A co-operative is owned by its members. In our case we are owned by the many Co-operative Schools, Co-op Trusts and Co-op Academies across the country. Membership is therefore very important to us as an organisation.

Our co-operative structure makes us unique in the school education sector of the UK.

• As we are owned by our members we are truly a 'bottom up' organisation that is created for our members and is designed to be responsive to their needs.
• We are based upon a set of Co-operative Values and Principles that are internationally agreed and have been instrumental in transforming millions of lives across the world.
• We are part of the UK Co-operative Movement and have unique links with the hundreds of other co-operative organisations in the UK. Two of the most important organisations within the movement are our partners.
• The UK movement is part of an international co-operative movement
• Through one of our partners the Co-operative College we can create links with co-operative schools and organisations in other countries.

More about Co-operative ownership.

In a co-operative:

• each member has one vote in decision making regardless of their investment in the society.
• new members can join on the same terms as the existing members.
• are values are central to our work.