From the Teacher Support Network, www.teachersupport.info.

ATL PRESIDENT RECEPTION

There were a lot of firsts last night.

It was my first outing as Press and External Relations Manager for Teacher Support Network, it was new Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) President Andy Brown's first speech and for many it was the first time they had chance to meet with Education Secretary Michael Gove since coming to power.

"Do you trust teachers?" asked Andy Brown, in a measured and confident speech that managed to both chastise the Secretary of State and the Government for listening to some 'dud' advice in the past, whilst calling for a partnership between the coalition and the teaching unions.

As it was not only my first event, but that of my colleague Leigh's (Acting Head of Communications and Business Development) too, the night was about meeting as many of the key figures attending and putting faces to names of the many key stakeholders that Teacher Support Network works so closely with. Luckily, Kevin, our Policy and External Relations Officer, was on hand to make the all important introductions.

This year would be the first time that Lesley Ward, ATL's immediate past president would not be quite so involved in the organisation and she shared her highs and lows of the past year.

It was our first chance to discuss Conservative party conferences past and present with Lord Hill, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Schools, while tactfully reminding him of his invite to our own fringe event during this year's conference next month.

Our first meeting with Brian Lightman, new General Secretary of Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) and Russell Hobby, new General Secretary of National Association of Headteachers (NAHT) went well, as did the first day of the Teacher Support Network, Parentline Plus and National Union of Teachers (NUT) Behaviour Survey 2010, which we were able to share with John Dixon of the NUT.

It was also the first chance I had had to thank Dr Mary Bousted, ATL General Secretary for her and her organisation's help in promoting our School Environments survey earlier this year.

Finally, the night ended with my first real education 'debate' with Pete Henshaw, editor of SecEd.

As I left my first union event on behalf of Teacher Support Network, what struck me most was that whatever union, political party or paper those attending last night were representing, the one thing first and foremost in everybody's minds was: how to put the teacher first.