I've just moved my DC private to state

[OhNameChangeyThingie]

I took my DC out of private school this year and moved to state. We are a week in, and I have to say I am really impressed.

Perhaps it is because I was disillusioned with our private. Whilst my DC got great GCSE's there, I found the 6th Form lacking and TBH I think my DC received good grades as we took a lot into our own hands.

When my eldest was there he was refused the EPQ as he was a day late with signing up. Apparently a deadline is a deadline (early Dec year 12). My DC, a model student with great grades and who represented the school and had responsible roles there, dropped a 4th A'level and then decided they wanted to do the EPQ. DC didn't need it in the end, but I was really cross about this hardline NO. It could've resulted in a lesser uni place if it needed to be relied on. I know DC who had their entry requirements reduced as they got a great grade at EPQ. Even when the head got involved, the teacher in charge of the EPQ said no. I think that is really inflexible.

Both my DC had small class sizes. In one subject at A'level DC1 was in a class of 1. The biggest class was 9. Both my DC were told by many of their teachers during mocks and final exams not to email them over the holidays. Whilst I appreciate that teachers need a break, why wouldn't you want to support your students who want to better their grades and are asking you a question? It's not 30 kids, there are a few of them. Isn't it in a teacher's interest DC to improve their grades? In any other profession you wouldn't take 3 or 4 weeks off without logging in to work. I kind of get this, but I don't. I just think if I was a teacher, I'd want my students to do better and I'd feel good if they got better than predicted grades. I'm not talking about loads of work. I'm talking log in once a week!

This is just 2 examples. I have been to my local state school about 4 times now to meetings, and presentations and I am just really impressed. They seem really organised, passionate, and interested. They seem very focused on everyone being supported. My DC has been there just over a week and has made lots of friends and is loving it.

Many schools now have a communications policy as. Post covid teachers are getting so many emails at evenings and weekends and in holidays from students and parents.

yes, teachers want their students to do well. No, this does not mean you can expect a reply from them during the holiday period.

The state may well be better but you’ve been there for one week. The things you’re criticising about the old school are pretty unreasonable.

Your son missed a deadline and that was on you and him. I think your expectations are also too high about teachers having to be on call during holidays. They’re not paid, not contracted to be working and they shouldn’t have to be thinking about work.

So, you moved him for Y13?
It doesn't sound like he was being very organised but if this suits him then I guess you'll be able to save enough to get him a car and a house deposit now, at least! Glad it's all looking good 2 weeks in.

Good for you, OP. My experience was at the very other end of education - moving from a pre-prep full of v wealthy families to a Sure Start nursery in a rough estate. There was simply no comparison - the Sure Start was amazing.

Really pleased it is going so well. I am a huge fan of state education

However, I think you are being unreasonable expecting teachers in state or private schools to answer emails over the holidays. They are on leave, the queries can wait.

Hope all goes well for your DC.

surely by this stage of the game the difference between private and state has significantly decreased with unacademic, unmotivated and young people with behavioral and emotional needs having exited for different pursuits.
an odd stage to compare.

It’s not just a few queries though is it; they’re not just dealing with your child. Your expectations are unreasonable.

Oldest is at Uni, youngest just moved to state 6th Form year 12.

Some of my DC’s teacher’s said they were happy to respond to any questions or mark a past paper. That was really nice of them. I just found the attitude of some of them awful. If you have 1 student in your A’level class, you can answer a question that might make them get better marks.

I thought teachers received their salary over the whole year? They aren’t unpaid in holidays.

Also, my DC was one of their top students. Dropping a 4th A’level and picking up the EPQ is not disorganised. The EPQ deadline was too early. I checked with local 6th forms and their deadline was months later. I’ve been told that since this happened to my DC they’ve moved the deadline back.

The 6th Form had 75 DC in year 12 and the biggest class was 9. I think that they were really inflexible and at the end of the day that’s what you pay for in private school. Small class sizes and you expect a bit of flexibility and help in return for a lot of money.

I found it poor value for money and that’s why we’ve left.

I had an acquaintance move her DD from a very prestigious London school to our local state secondary, though I didn't know her reasons, and she raved about the latter. Structure, clear behaviour expectations and reward system etc.

Teachers are not paid for all of the holidays. They are paid the statutory minimum for holidays which is added to their contracted pay and then divided over 12 months. So you are being very unreasonable expecting staff to be contactable on their leave time.

I think the ‘not paid for holidays’ argument is a very weak one. How the final salary is arrived at is irrelevant - that is the annual salary. Certainly they don’t pro-rata it up when comparing it to others. OTOH holidays are holidays and they absolutely shouldn’t have to respond in them. It is not just the students in the A level class that may put in queries, it is also AS and GCSE pupils sitting exams. And if they are responding to them then what about other pupils or management after all if they are answering some work emails?

Private schools are open during holidays for management and admin because they must also carry out a sales and PR function to attract new pupils. State school are normally completely closed.

Do you work in your holidays op?

I also agree with PP that by sixth form (especially if just a sixth form and not a school teaching all year groups) you have bypassed most of the benefits of private school. Sixth forms are generally selective based on GCSE results, classes often smaller and pupils more motivated. Though they won’t teach a class of one - that is the product of a small school needing to maintain subject choice. In large state sixth form they would just drop that subject and make you choose another. Deadlines in state schools may also be hard deadlines.

Tbf an awful lot of people do, especially those working at the level to afford private school.

You should not be emailing a teacher and expect a response when they are on holiday - in the same way any employee is entitled to a work free holiday.

I have to say our experience of private was very different.

That said, a lot of kids move to state for sixth form. We asked both of ours if they wanted to (Older DS had been devastated when he didn’t get into our nearest comp with his friends from primary) but both were settled and happy.

I’ve taught and if I had a class of one student I would log in once or twice to offer email help, if not for the student then for my own ‘100% A* grade’ boasts to help me secure promotions etc

I’m not a teacher. It doesn’t matter how their pay is structured. I would be mortified to ask anyone to work through their annual leave. Confused why anyone would expect this.

I hope you’re not expecting the stare school teachers to answer emails during holidays!

Once my out of office is on, that’s it. I am not entertaining looking at anything work related until I return.

yabu to expect otherwise, whether that’s from a teacher in a private school or state.

Deadlines are deadlines whether you agree with the date set or not. Hopefully your dc learnt an important lesson there.

So they are paid pro rata?

So is the advertised teacher salary the "pro.rata" amount? And the "full" amount would be way higher ?

Or does it get reduced pro rata for holidays?

Or is this just a contractual fiction to deal with teachers leaving /joining etc?;

Either way, teachers salaries are decent for a full time job with normal holidays so this argument is pretty nonsensical

I suppose there's good and bad in both, right?

Some of the students that left DD's private school to go to the highly rated local sixth form, came back after a year, and had to redo year 12. Reasons were varied, but for them it was not a good move.

Of course a lot of people work in their holidays. As a teacher I regularly work weekends, evenings and in my holidays. I don’t expect any professional I deal with to though.

I don’t do lots of work, but yes I log in to make sure everything’s OK. I also teach/ coach children and it’s in my own professional interest for them to do well. Personally I’d be mortified if I logged on 4 weeks later to find a student had sent me an email asking for support.

I get 4 weeks a year holiday. Teachers get at least triple this.

I don’t understand why the amount of holiday a teacher gets has any relevance to whether they should work in it. I don’t demand a doctor works in their holidays quoting the amount of weeks they get. I also don’t buy the ‘won’t anyone think of the children’ bollocks. It’s been thrown at teachers for years.