To assume teachers will leave private schools

[BagGreen24]

I'm a teacher and looking at new jobs. A job in a local independent school has come up. When I looked in to it the salary is the same as the local comp but the pension offer is much much lower as they are no longer in the teacher pension scheme.

Am I being unreasonable to think it'll be difficult to attract, recruit and retain staff now independent schools? I get behaviour will probably be significantly better and classe sizes smaller etc but I imagine it's still a difficult job and the pressure for results will be the same if not worse.

That’s just a ridiculous and stupid thing to say. I cared very much about my pension and so should everybody else. Now I’m nearing it I’m very glad I’ve got good provision.

Ha yes grim behaviour knows no class bounds! Which is why I find it mildly annoying when parents think you can “buy your way out” of issues with difficult people.

Personally think schools deal with the sharp end of wider issues in society. Private schools of course insulate against that to some extent as everyone there is wealthy (they are in comparison to many at state as are we). So comparing results is comparing apples and pears.

I totally agree. Pension is 100% important. I have understood the importance of it since my 20s and I am in my 30s now, I top up my a private pension on top of my NHS pension to make sure I will have enough. The longer you delay a pension then there is less chance of a comfortable retirement. You need to start your pension yesterday!

There are some long running threads on here about the pensions issue but in a nutshell, TPS is unfunded so one has to consider it may eventually collapse or at least be significantly watered down (and the risk is higher the younger you are); state schools currently have to offer it; there are certainly some staff who'd take a pay rise over a better pension (ones who want to get on the housing ladder in the SE for instance) which independent schools are free(ish) to offer; and the independent sector isn't, I think, having more difficulty than the state sector with hiring overall. Everyone is struggling to hire some of the time. The pool is small and diminishing hence all the overseas trained staff.

So it is all very school and situation and location dependent and getting informed is an excellent idea.

Wesleyan is one suitable financial advice source.

Please get pension advice before making a decision based on your pension. You are not comparing like with like. You are not receiving a 28% pension vs a 10% pension in a new job.

The TPS costs employers 28% but that is not what you receive. The TPS is a defined benefit pension scheme. The 28% is paying for current pensioners. It is not related to what you will receive.

The 10% contributions offered by the private school is a defined contribution pension scheme. You are actually receiving that 10% and invested well, could come close to providing a similar pension on retirement depending on how old you are.

The TPS rules have changed many times over the years so what you receive on retirement if you leave now or if you leave in your 60’s will depend on when you entered the scheme. Look into all of this before you make your decision. I think you’ll probably find that you’ll not be that worse off from a pension perspective.

As ever these threads fill up with anecdata on both sides, proving absolutely nothing. There are good and bad teachers, parents, leadership, kids and T&C's in both sectors. An army officer might make a fab teacher in a school where the prime concern is classroom management, an academic don the better teacher in a highly selective environment. One is not better than another, just better suited. Let's not all rush to denigrate the "other" side of whatever fence we are on.

Entitlement is bad.
But the state teacher I know regularly receives death threats from parents.

Not really, I said ‘top up’ not complete pension. You out in whatever you can afford. It’s tax free.