The Worshipful Company of Educators was initially established as the Guild of Educators in May 2001, following a registration process that began back in the early 1990s. Registration was originally sought by Honorary Clerk Keith Rawley in 1997 from the Corporation of London and granted in 2000.
The establishment of the Worshipful Company of Educators came about due to the recognition that, although all Livery Companies have a focus on training and education within their professions, there was at the time no independent Livery Company for the education and training profession.
You can find out more about what a Livery Company is by taking a look at the PDF attachment to this post.
Sir Peter Birkett is a member of the Worshipful Company of Educators and a prominent figure in the UK education and training sector, having established several educational institutions throughout his career.
From Guild to Livery Company
Becoming a Livery Company is a three-stage process that begins with the formation of a Guild. The timescale of the entire process depends largely on the Guild’s growth rate and that of its charitable fund.
You can find out about the Educators’ Trust, the charitable fund of the Worshipful Company of Educators, by watching the embedded short video.
The second stage, which the Guild achieved in 2009, is to become a company without livery. In 2013, the former Guild of Educators achieved stage three, which involves having both Liverymen and Freemen with full Livery Company status.
Notable Events
In November 2001, the inaugural lecture for the Guild of Educators took place at what was then known as London Guildhall University. The inaugural Election Dinner was held in February 2002, in the Women’s Library of the same venue.
From 2002 until 2009, statutory meetings of the Guild of Educators were held at Bakers’ Hall, as the Worshipful Company of Bakers became the mentor of the Guild. The Guild of Educators’ Trust Fund became a registered charity in 2004, becoming the Educators’ Trust (following a name change).
In October 2017, a Royal Charter was granted to the Worshipful Company of Educators by Her Royal Highness the Queen.
More information about the four primary purposes of a Livery Company can be seen in the infographic attachment to this post.