Independent school business or caring environment

[Deadwasp]

I worked at an independent in bham and it was run as a buisness. Didn't care about individual children Kat wanted fees and to increase numbers. When parents took their kids out the head would just bad mouth them as being poor or undesirable.

My kids now attend an ind somewhere else and it's so different. The head teaches lessons so gets to know all the children. The facilities are great kids get a whole peice of fruit at snack time at the other school kids got a custard cream never fruit and often there weren't enough biscuits to go around!

I'm just wondering what other people's experiences are. Are your children nurtured or is your school a bit impersonal and money orientated but you put up with it for good 11+ results?

My school takes the view that we are in business - the business of education. So both caring and finances are important. Without the first, you are unlikely to get the second I would have thought. Just my personal view.

A mixed bag of experiences for us.

We sent our DC to a school as a boarder for stability. The school offered us a huge discount to do this then 3 weeks after he started they announced the school was ceasing to offer boarding at the end of the following term.

Angry does not come close to how we felt at the time. They MUST have known or at least had a vague idea. The thing that really gets me is I aginised over sending him to boarding school and sat in the HMs office discussing with him how hard I was finding coming to to decision and weighing up the pros and cons of the stability BS would give my son. I felt particuarly shat upon when 6 weeks after this meeting he was calling me to tell me my son would have to find another boarding school.

The school went bust and shut a year later. I suppose he was just trying to get bums on seats in a last ditch attempt to save the school but I have never forgiven them for that fuck up.

That disaster led to us finding the most fabulous caring school for my son though. One that I really cherish and have adored and more importantly so have my DC.

My other experiences of independent schools is the smarm that goes with the open days etc until they get you signed up and in the door. Then its Ok and tickety boo. But then when you give the terms notice there true colours shine through. Teaching standard still remain OK but at all 4 schools I have given notice at I have had to chase the heads for confirmation they have received notice. At 2 - I have not even been asked why I am removing the DC (usually house move) and at 1 never even asked where DC were going.

I appreciate they are a business, and so why invest time etc in people who are off but it still feels a bit like Thanks and fuck off then! When we returned to one area we purposely did not go back to one school because of how rude we felt the school was when we gave our notice 3 years before.

My experience of working briefly in an independent school was that it was all about the money. Everything was costed - the pupils were units to be totted up. And corners existed to be cut. I'd never send my child private.

My experience is the same as jabed. Everything is very professionally run and the pastoral side of things is top-notch. Every teacher knows every child's name.

It clearly depends on the individual school.

I dont see the two as being incompatible. If you want to run any business successfully you have to give the customer what the customer wants. Many parents move their children to independent education because they believe the standard of pastoral care is higher and ultimately if they don't find it is they will vote with their feet and no business wants that.

OP that sounds like a very bad but also unusual experience.

A teaching head is not necessarily a good idea- often done to keep costs down. Heads can get to know children in other ways.

Also- unhealthy snacks- this is surely something that could have been picked up on a visit or in their prospectus- not that they'd say they give out custard creams- but better schools would mention healthy eating and healthy snacks as a selling point.

Private schools are first and foremost a business- because without a business model they would not keep going.

But the only way they can keep bums on seats is to give the punters what they want- and that means quality teaching and pastoral care.

If your previous school OP is to stay in business then they will need to make changes as reputation and recommendation is everything.