Does fee subsidy for teachers annoy you? (private schools)

[manicinsomniac]

I teach in a private school. Single mum of 3 kids. Chose to go into teaching to get free wraparound care and needed a family friendly job. Admittedly the massive fee reduction was a huge draw too. (Plus it seemed a more responsible career choice than my other option of struggling and probably failing actress/dancer!)

I was talking about schools with an acquaintance this morning and she said something about not wanting her child to go to a private school because all the families are rich and she doesn't want her child in that environment. I said most are but not all and pointed out that I'm a long way from rich. She then said (she's quite forthright!) that my situation was even worse because I get other people to pay for my privilege as well as their own!

I was a bit taken aback but now also a bit worried. I get on well enough with most of the parents at school but don't make friendships outside of those who are also colleagues because it's a bit of a professional conflict. But now I'm wondering if they're all secretly smiling at me through gritted teeth thinking that, not only are they paying my wages, but that they're paying my kids' fees too! I've never really thought about it like that. I think it's more that the school still makes a bit of money (school isn't full) and gets to have us in school for a lot more hours than might otherwise be possible.

So if you are (or if you were) a parent paying school fees - do you resent staff discounts and would you prefer it if they weren't there?

Fee discounts do not bother me at all. It makes sense as it means that it makes things easier logistically for teachers who have their DCs at school and also means that they have an extra interest in supporting the school!

I have absolutely no problem with the staff the staff at my dd's school getting a fee reduction. Most staff work very long hours during termtime and it means that they get to see their children in performances, assemblies, sporting events etc that they probably wouldn't otherwise. I actually think it's quite tough to be a staff child. The staff members I know go out of their way not to favour their own child which means their own child sometimes misses out.

That's an extraordinary discount and very, very unusual.
We get 75% discount as standard discount for teaching staff. I have heard of other schools with similar discounts - usually boarding, rather than day.

I get 100%, 75% & 50% off fees for my 3dc at an international school.

Lots of teacher's kids attend. Don't think any of our rich local (ME country) families resent subsidising our fees, although the mums do feel desperately for us poor female teachers... Imagine, we have to WORK to send our dc to school! No husband to support us! No lovely life of coffee mornings & perfect nails...!

I've not known anyone to voice the opinion, however if a member of staff removes their child from the school that really makes people worry as in "what do they know that we don't"

(May be slightly jaundiced after dd2 attended a birthday bash yesterday & I was outnumbered 12 to 1 by fragrant local mommas being Terribly Kind to me )

Certainly not. I own a nursery and staff children go free.

However, and I'm aware this isn't what you asked, I am personally quite opposed to children attending the schools their parents teach in unless in very exceptional cases.

Doesn't bother me and think anyone who it does bother as being slightly odd. The fees are what they are and the staff getting a big discount isn't going to make much difference in the grand scheme of things.

Teachers generally can't afford to pay school fees, and schools that offer generous fee remission want their teacher's children to get the same experience as other pupils.

When my children were in the same school as me, I was able to work the long hours the school required, thanks to fee remission. I also had a lot invested in the school and was a long term employee.

The school my girls are in now has no fee remission for teachers.

I have never ever seen a class divide between rich and just about managing families in any of the schools I have been a parent or teacher in. The richer families are magically more generous with sleepovers and family barbecues.

As my children get more independent, they see the advantage of us living in a slummy town centre minutes away from the cinema and have an advantage over their classmates who live in 10 acres, two miles away from the nearest bus-stop (with once a day service). They are more than happy to invite their friends over, and will even clean the house in anticipation.

It didn't bother me at all, i never gave it a second thought. I think though at the back of my mind I did know that for many of these kids they wouldn't have been there if their parent didn't work there.

It's because my daughter was friends with a girl and when her mother teacher was forced to stop working there due to family changes she had to leave the school and there was a huge amount of upset for the girl. 😔

I suppose it's not different to every other staff discount scheme, where we all pay extra to benefit a few.

It may retain staff but are they the right ones? If people go into the role purely for the benefits then no.

Parent to two children in private school. Your friends comment has never entered my mind - nor any of my friends minds. We actively include teachers (parents) of children at the school and they are certainly not serving class citizens!!

Well, I don't know that I agree with that Rainbows, although it's a popular and frequently expressed view even amongst teachers that in order to be an effective and talented teacher it should have always been a burning desire (preferably from an early age) and that any consideration to how it might benefit you is a personality flaw which in all likelihood will send you screaming from the classroom within six months.

I know many teachers who entered teaching for pragmatic reasons, including (in my younger days!) a boyfriend who was a Geography graduate and still had the 'travel bug' - he went into teaching purely for the holidays. I've also known many excellent career changers who entered teaching to fit around their own children. For my part, I needed something stable and reasonably well paid so entered teaching at 22.

Most good companies will offer perks to try to attract and retain the best staff and the staff who apply for these roles don't lack dedication or commitment. Sometimes, and especially with regard to working life, pragmatism wins over emotion.

Agree it's no worse than any other staff discount. Lots of teachers kids at the school probably helps with teacher motivation and high standards. Don't get me started on scholarships though- rewarding the most tutored.

No-one's forcing them to send their kids to private school. If they disagree with the way it's run, no-one is forcing them to stay.

I wouldn't have a problem in the slightest.

I think it reflects well on a school if the staff are happy to send their kids there. I think your friend should be more worried if the staff didn't want to send their children to the independent school in which they worked!!!

Aww what a lemon. Does she get angry at people who get company cars because she had to pay full price for hers?
What about her phone?
Does she not use sick time or maternity pay? Because I can guarantee the customer/client of her company pays that for her too.

Ds is private and i have never even thought about it beyond being glad we can attract good teachers. Our staff get a house on site too (free!) and I was really jealous of that as it's a gorgeous location, but then the wife of a teacher was telling me that everyone knows your business, and that they are in varying states of disrepair because whilst no one pays rent, some staff haven't maintained them as if they were their own so they are desperate for new kitchens / bathrooms etc.

That paragraph above is essentially the whole of my musings on the subject though, I'm just glad ds has nice friends to play with and great teachers.

I didn't think about it too much, but depends on the size of the school. In a school with 1000 pupils the discounts for teachers is not really significant but in a school with 200 pupils it must make a difference. . I know that some of the teachers worried about being seen to favour their children and after they left the school one told me that their child had been bullied quite badly but the teacher was unable to get the situation resolved. ( Head with his head in the sand- bully had siblings and he didn't want to upset mummy and her coven) School lost a good teacher.
Never saw any sign that teacher's kids got into sports teams without merit- schools want to win so won't favour a weak team member
Don't worry about it.

DS goes private and I have a friend whose DHteaches there who pay 50% of the standard fees.
Doesn't bother me a jot, I know he is expected to do a lot at weekends to support the rugby, they also help out a lot at the DOE trips.

What does make me green with envy is their school parking badge - now that's a benefit I'd love to have as its a mare trying to get parking near the school.

The school is not paying out any extra money to educate these staff children, the cost of anything that the child uses, e.g. Books, lunches etc would be covered by the fee that is paid. It's the same with bursaries, there isn't a pot of money to lay for bursaries to mak rip the income for the school, the school just has a smaller income, but some income is better than none!

Honestly, anyone who gets bothered by this is pretty odd. Your friend also doesn't sound 'forthright' she sounds like a bitch.

I would view the fees as part of the total compensation package, like getting a company car as a saleswoman, or health insurance.

The other parents aren't paying for your children, the school is as part of attracting good quality people to come and work for them.

You know I'm less fucked off now I've read this thread.

An ex colleague of mine (solicitor) really nice man, married with 2 boys, retrained as a teacher about 2 years after getting married, taught in a state school for about a year after getting qualified now teaches at a local private prep and onwards private school and has said his children will both be going there (with the discount).

I think it's an excellent decision and if that's his perk why not. He told me his parents were rich enough to send him to a top private school when he was younger but times change and circumstances and fees seem more expensive than when I attended a private school as a teenager.

If I were a parent paying private school fees and I wouldn't give a second thought re fees being my concern nor re your kids being there and I think your friend is either envious and/or a bit of a snob in her attitude towards you and your DC where they go to school.