GDST Trustees

[Common]

How has the GDST Board of Trustees managed to create the first strike by staff in 149 years?

Cheryl Giovannoni and her board have treated a unique educational institution in the UK based on values, ideals and morals like a business because they fundamentally fail to comprehend the ethos of service that powers the GDST.

@sunshineclouds24 that again is a bit out of date. Some of those trust-funded schools are already coming out. We looked at Surbiton for DD - they wouldn’t give an answer - I read into that. Emanuel is already “discussing it with staff” and when we visited trinity they said they were “considering options” - to me that means “watching to see what happens and then coming out”. We also asked at Alleyns and got a similar response “no decisions have been made”. Wetherby already out, Reeds already out, we didnt look at Hampton, City of London Freemans would not discuss it, which make me think they will! Also went to see Kew House who seemed to suggest they might come out slowly. It honestly seems like only a matter of time for most.

@sunshineclouds24 is that true about united learning? So again, these are big trust schools coming out and closing off to nee teachers. This only heightens my opinion that recruitment will not be an issue. That’s most of our local ‘big’ schools covered. Surbiton wouldn’t answer me when I asked. But sounds like they are just closing off to new staff then? I can’t find that online though

[quote 1forward2back]**@HighRopes* ask directly - that’s what I’ve been doing. But although I’m not a teacher, I have a family full of teachers or married to them, several at non TPS schools with no plans of leaving, so don’t let this scare you. In fact, it has never been mentioned, until I have asked them about their pensions. @TheReluctantPhoenix* your question is interesting. My uncle was in the police for a long time, after the army, where strike action is not permitted in both fir public protection, and I feel teaching should be the same (also fire service). In the end it’s the kids missing out and they are powerless in this (especially after the past two years).

Having done a bit more googling @WombatChocolate I can see that the following is the case. It’s on the nEU’s own pages. In September 2020 there were only 995 private schools in the TPS. So over half were not. Those schools include a very wide range (the list is on the NEU site). Including a school that was recently voted best prep school in the country and another that won an Indy award in secondary boarding school last year - so two years on, still winning awards. I also started checking inspection reports and all looked ok. There is an FOI online showing that a further 87 have come out this year and around 190 are planning to. If those all come out (I imagine that includes the gdst school I am looking at for my DD) then in just two years (during a pandemic) that would be an increase from half of schools not in tps to surely three-quarters! that’s a large majority of schools not in TPS and I think it would very quickly become more, especially once the effects of a pandemic are seen - why would those other quarter stay? Many teachers I know have trained with the intention to work in the private schools and they will want jobs. If they were being offered no pension or even offered my 8% pension (!), maybe they would be put off. But they are being offered 20% contributions! In London, where I am, five of our local schools are already on the list of coming out and are still seen as amazing schools locally. The teachers might get younger - I could see a lower pension being really attractive when I was mid 20s and trying to buy a house for example. Don’t forget that one of the main perks in Indy schools is additional holiday days - 3-4 weeks in some. Plus higher pay to start with. A quick Google of the gdst pay scale shows it to be a lot higher than the state sector to begin with. A teacher after a year of qualifying would be 3k above state pay. A teacher at the top of what looks like the ‘normal’ teacher range is at £52k in London (£5k above state) and that’s before we look at pension (plus I can only find the 2019 scale). Looking up the scale shows a state teacher with the biggest ‘responsibility alliwance’ in london working for £53k. On gdst scale that’s £63k.
I’m not saying that all teachers will stay in these schooos - they will have a choice and that’s my point. I am saying that, weighing up all of the above, I doubt it will impact quality of the teaching for my kids. In fact from looking at the list today, I see that my daughter’s school was already out in 2019 (as parents we had no idea and nobody went on strike) and yet I would say the teaching is superb. My son’s school is not on the list (though might be amongst the schools considering it now) and I have had some issues with the teaching. Many factors impact teaching quality - this might become one of them, but I seriously doubt it. Just my opinion.[/quote]
Can you post a link please to the info on private schools and the tps

United learning run the recruitment at all their schools, on their website for vacancies it says under remuneration packages - access to a contributory pension scheme relevant to your role.

On the LEH and Hampton website vacancies amongst all the small print both say TPS is provided for all teaching staff.

I'm not looking for a school place and would hate to see anyone swayed in their dc schooling decision by this issue but I'm familiar with it in the prep sector where the cost is unmanageable for small independent preps.

Also I wouldn't talk about it at home but my ds said to me on last Thurs, "you won't believe it but XXX's sister had a strike at her school today, she had to go in but not be taught by teachers! " So I could then explain unionisation / rights of workers to him!

@1forward2back,

I find it fascinating that you don’t think recruitment will be an issue.

A couple of London private schools I know of got no decent quality candidates for Physics or Chemistry vacancies and had to readvertise.

You will always recruit some sort of teacher, of course, with a vaguely related degree from an average uni, but teaching quality does suffer.

At the national level, applications for PGCE places have collapsed since bursaries have been reduced and since Covid, where teachers were expected to go above-and-beyond, with maybe a card from the head as their only thanks.

Teaching for most is not a vocation, like priesthood. Teachers are committed to their pupils, but you can only push them so far.

Why would someone with a good STEM degree from a good uni work for 1/3 or less of what they would earn in industry or finance? And then take a further kicking to avoid private fees going up a few percent?

Ultimately what will happen is teachers with choices (the good ones) will either be offered far superior pay or will leave the profession, and the average ones with fewer skills will remain.

Of course, private school parents have very varying incomes and some make huge sacrifices to pay fees. But most don’t; that is the reality. And when appeals go out for building development, parents willingly contribute millions. Ultimately, the battle is about a school’s priorities and whether looking after teachers is one of them.

Most teachers (unless married to professionals in other fields) cannot afford school fees, even 50% discounted.

Here’s one of the links I found neu.org.uk/sites/default/files/2021-08/Schools%20out%20of%20TPS%20or%20leaving.pdf @sleepyhoglet but the NEU pages have lots of other facts on there too aboit numbers and you can Google the same list from 2019. @TheReluctantPhoenix we just have to agree to disagree - I don’t think it’ll be an issue, you do. That’s ok to disagree on. However, I do find your university snobbery a little worrying. Where a degree is from has no bearing on ability. In my field, some of the worst practitioners I work with went to the ‘top’ unis and the reverse is also true. I went to what you would probably see as a ‘mediocre’ uni. Hasn’t hindered my career or (I hope) my ability to do my job abs manage people.

I have said this already, but girls' schools taking an action that they know in their heart of hearts is likely to impoverish the women working for them is not a great look. Some are registered charities too, including GDST I believe.

For me the most salutary aspect of the whole affair has been the realisation that in the final analysis my school sees us as overheads and not as assets.

I think that in other types of occupation I'd make my peace with that, but in one where I'm required to be a role model for young women every day...not so much.

But that’s every business! @Phineyj

Fundamentally, you are a Cost, not an asset, as the business assets will be the pupils and buildings. I’m sorry if that is upsetting but I am also a cost to my (charity law) company, regardless of how much good we do abs how I work every day to support others. If costs are unaffordable, the business (and this will be true of ALL businesses) will fold. Look at the number of Indy schools that closed last year…I’m actually more encouraged to send DD to a school knowing they will be reducing that risk of closure. Her current prep is teetering on the brink, in spite of coming out! Numbers are falling, inflation is rising and schools (private ones) are businesses.

Well, apart from the ones that are registered charities of course.

And surely pupils are beneficiaries and the parents are customers - not assets either if we're going to talk accounting.

Come on. Schools are only pulling out of the TPS because it's a cost reduction they will get away with (in part because the majority of teachers don't really understand what's at stake, the issues are complex and the effects will happen a long time in the future).

It's not like schools can tell their power supplier or the builders of their latest shiny building they won't pay.

@Phineyj again, not true. Charities are treated the same as businesses under the rules of ‘going concern’. They are not in existence for teachers, but for educational purposes, which means that the pupils are really to be considered an asset. Charities have to follow regulations regarding safeguarding against future financial threats, e.g. pension increases. They also have to have reserves. The reserves for a charity should be 3-6months of running costs, so for a school with around 650 pupils, each paying 15000, assuming staffing costs at even 50% (in practice would be higher) would be 2.47 million per school. This must be held in reserve. I think you are arguing my point for me by saying they have to pay the other costs, e.g. energy. These are wholly unavoidable costs, the pension is not and is consequently being looked at as a means to sure up financial stability, mainstain reserves and keep schools open! There are very few other costs a school can cut - and this includes capital expenditure, which is often necessary in order to attract the biggest asset - pupils, and to ensure the stability of the biggest investment asset - the buildings.

You mention that your daughter's prep is still in financial difficulty despite coming out of TPS.

It's not about the teachers, I think we agree on that. Any problems caused to us are collateral damage. Teachers obviously feel more strongly about that part.

It's about reducing risk to the school.

The market is polarising. At the moment there are too many independent schools for all to be financially viable. This is especially true outside of the south east and in niche schools, which could include girls schools or those with boarding or those that have traditionally had lots of overseas students. It also applies more to Preps.

The trend over the last years has been for closures and mergers. This will continue. Some struggling schools (think those with small year groups, those who haven’t been able to invest in the fabric of the school in recent years, those with falling numbers) will close or merge to survive. This could be a Prep merging with another, joining a chain or becoming part of a senior school, or often just closing down.

Saving the teacher pension costs won’t make much difference to this at all, given the schools pulling out are committing to 20% employer contribution into DC pension. However, the fact it’s going into DC instead of DB pension makes a huge difference to what teachers will receive in retirement in terms of amount and in terms of certainty. Many of these struggling schools will close anyway, especially in areas of the court try where the population that can afford fees is smaller. There are always reports of smaller schools closing with little notice snd teachers and pupils having to scrabble for somewhere else.

Definitely worth scrutinising the financial position of any school. Don’t think withdrawal from TPS will suddenly make a struggling school have a vibrant future. Just as letting your facilities decline doesn’t attract people, having a pay and pension policy which doesn’t attract the best teachers, are things speeding up the decline. Often there are just too many schools. The ones that will survive will have to be offering good value in terms of their offer. Of course the teachers themselves are a vital part of that.

Even I. LOndon and the south-east the market is polarising. Stand-alone Preps are finding it hard to weather storms. Many have sought out educational trusts to join, to help boost investments snd give some security. But some of these are asset strippers. They keep the struggling school open for a couple of years, before closing it or merging it and sell off the valuable land.

Who looks strongest? It’s the larger schools with big numbers and academic success. Being co-Ed, day school and not reliant on international students helps too. Being in an affluent area with a history of sending kids to independent schools also helps. Those at the cheapest end of fees often struggle to provide what a good state school offers. These kind of schools were the quickest to withdraw from TPS. They increasingly are less attractive as employers.

I guess some parents like the idea of independent education, or perhaps shiny facilities (to be found in successful schools, but often not at those struggling) and don’t really consider what it is that allows the school to be successful and worth paying for.

Teachers that leave the profession will likely find out that most industries don’t have access to Defined Benefit pension schemes anymore either - the last time I was in one was in 1999 - and then it was closed to new entrants and subsequently to existing staff. We were all moved to Defined Contribution schemes.
Additionally, leaving the teaching profession, teachers also need to consider the holiday situation - independent schools generally have 17 weeks paid holiday. That’s rather more than most people working in industry who usually have 6 weeks at the most.

@CiderWithLizzie

Teachers that leave the profession will likely find out that most industries don’t have access to Defined Benefit pension schemes anymore either - the last time I was in one was in 1999 - and then it was closed to new entrants and subsequently to existing staff. We were all moved to Defined Contribution schemes. Additionally, leaving the teaching profession, teachers also need to consider the holiday situation - independent schools generally have 17 weeks paid holiday. That’s rather more than most people working in industry who usually have 6 weeks at the most.

@CiderWithLizzie it isn't a race to the bottom. Teachers put up with poor pay because they were told there was a DB pension scheme when they entered the profession. Now, because of the Tories trashing workers' rights, we can be fired & re-hired under worse conditions.

I'd also happily have fewer weeks' holiday if I could go away when there aren't bloody kids everywhere and prices have been jacked sky high. Tenerife in November sounds lovely.

Solidarity with the GDST strikers.

Minor point but nothing the Tories have done has made it easier to hire and refire workers under worse conditions other than those with between 1 and 2 years service.

In my view the TPS situation is one of a number of factors that is making me question whether the independent school model is broken. The possible loss of charitable status and the resulting loss of business rates relief and requirement to pay corporation tax plus VAT on school fees will be the final straw for many independent schools.

Oh plus inflation too of course. Fees may need to rise by 5-7% just to cover higher commodity prices not taking into account the TPS issue.

VAT on school fees is nothing to do with charitable status. It's a VAR exemption on all schools (crammers, where you buy single courses fall outside that). There are none on ant schools fees, regardless of whether the school is a business ot a charity

Charitable status is estimated to be worth about £200 per pupil per term, and that would be absorbed by a small fee rise.

The reason schools remain charities is that they are bound by the law on winding up charities, which requires them to sell up all assets at full market value and donate proceeds to similarly aimed charities. Education is currently one of the legal charitable aims in all parts of UK.

There aren't queues of buyers in the wings. It is an important safeguard for charities that there is no way to just turn charity assets into privately owned ones.

The former CEO of the GDST has now spoken up for the teachers in this dispute. His words speak volumes 🙂

Ouch! Especially the bit about above-inflation SLT salary increases.

Indies will struggle to attract skilled teachers from the state sector. Young teachers don’t always understand the benefit of the TPS.

My school was considering withdrawing from the TPS at the end of the academic year when they introduced a new pay scale. However it has all gone very quiet and we have not received the formal confirmation yet. I suspect the bursar is watching GDST, and hoping that LEH/Hampton/Reeds/St George’s make a move. I would strike to stay in TPS and if the strike failed I would be back in state sector asap

Michael Oakley left the GDST in 2000. A lot has changed since then. I’m not sure his supportive letter holds much weight tbh.

@Anjo2011

Michael Oakley left the GDST in 2000. A lot has changed since then. I’m not sure his supportive letter holds much weight tbh.

Yes. Sweet letter but it’s 22yrs since he was last involved.

Agree, back in 2000 the pension world was very different- very generous public sector pensions across the board (not even sure most in the civil service were contributing and if they were it was 1%). Since then every public sector scheme has changed, including the TPS, at least once and eligibility to remain in a scheme has also changed or employers remaining in a scheme, if it was an option.

This will be a long term decision made by private companies where the long term trend is increasing contributions by employers.

If it means the best teachers remain in the state sector, that will be to the benefit of the state sector. With any profession, in every employer there are good and bad, like there are benefits to teaching in the private sector beyond the pension.

My DC have attended both state and independent secondary schools. Some of the best teaching they had was actually in the state sector. The independent school gave them smaller class sizes, possibly more extra curricular activities (not sure about this as most of the independent experience has been during the pandemic), more teaching hours, posher friends and better food.