Bedford Borough Council recognises the following trades unions for collective bargaining purposes.

Those which would be of use to schools are listed below:

• National Association of Head teachers (NAHT)
• National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) - The Teachers Union
• National Association Primary Education (NAPE)
• The National College of Teaching and Leadership (accessed via the Department for Education website)
• National Education Union (NEU)
• VOICE - The union for education professionals
• Association of School and College (ASCL)