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.

Then I shall remember never to bother the teacher in our last 2 years of school.

Just contact them during term time. It’s no biggie!

You are very welcome. Just don't expect an answer out of office time.

OP, I don't check school emails in the evenings or weekends. My pupils know that, and it's never been a problem. My out of hours message goes on within half an hour of a holiday starting.

I will answer employment-related emails in work time, not at any other point. The "oh, but it will benefit the pupils" argument is ineffective when tried on me. I would argue that having cast-iron boundaries has helped me to survive in a profession with appalling low retention statistics.

I work in an excellent state school and sixth form. Our head is very clear with us and parents that we are not to engage with emails outside of working hours. We are told to put our out of office on. We have a banner saying so as our signature on all emails and we are expected to reply within 48 hours. Everything you say about the private school will be the same at any state school in terms of the support, communication etc

It's unclear what you wanted from this post, maybe a standing ovation for returning to state schooling?

Teachers never used to be contactable around the clock. Remember the 90's when you got real reports where the teachers would tell parents if you were playing up, being cocky, actually turning up to lessons? We got all that once a term and our parents were probably just as informed as they needed to be. You don't help kids by being a helicopter parent because they can't keep to deadlines.

At our state school parents don’t get teachers’ email addresses. If you want to contact them you email the office or you go through the guidance teacher. Pupils have their teachers Google account details but parents definitely don’t use those and would be told off if they did.

As with most threads of this type, this isn't really a "private vs state" issue. You are comparing two individual schools, one of which happens to be state and one of which is private but there are good, bad and indifferent schools in both sectors. I went to one appalling state school and one not quite so bad one. My DC went to excellent state schools. My DH's independent school experience was pretty indifferent and my nephews, nieces and a number of friends' children have been to private schools ranging from ones that sound absolutely fantastic to places I wouldn't trust with my hamster.
It sounds like you have found a new school that's going to suit your son - I hope it works out well for him. Just remember that nowhere is perfect though and you are very much in the honeymoon period currently. I'll be very surprised if there is nothing that gets on your nerves in the 2 years. I really do think my DC's former school is excellent but there were still a few issues along the way, so don’t set your expectations too high!
Re contacting teachers in the holidays I think I only did that once. One of my DC had significant health problems in the Summer holidays between Year 12 and Year 13 and I emailed the Head of 6th Form as I thought it was better that she had the news waiting for her in her inbox when she started to prepare for the new school year than trying to contact her with a lot of quite complex information on the first day back. I didn't really expect a reply, though in fact she read it and called me to discuss things. Most of my DC's teachers were in school on both GCSE and A level results days and I know that some, mainly heads of department, offered support to pupils who hadn't got the grades they hoped for or were uncertain what they wanted to do, in the days after that. I think that's something that probably happens in most schools. But other than that, I don't think many people would think it reasonable to expect to be in contact with school staff during the holidays.

That's great that it is working well for your DC! Year 12 is a great point to move to state, when the kids in the class probably want to be there, and your DC will already be established in any extra-curriculars they are interested in. Fantastic that he's made new friends too, that must be a relief!

Look out for the various outreach days and experiences he will now be eligible for from universities and companies. There are lots of STEM days if that's his interest. And enjoy the money you've saved - presumably about £60k. Maybe consider using that to get your kids through Uni debt-free, or else giving them a house deposit. Or just enjoy a bit of financial slack!

We have moved 1 child from private to state. The teaching is much better at the state school and he feels he is learning more.

however the downsides are it's way stricter (quite petty), parents evening is online in years 7-9 and the teachers don't see everyone so year 7 we saw no science or language teachers and the teachers rarely reply to emails. So contacting teachers is nigh on impossible..

I would be pretty horrified with myself to teach my ds that it’s ok to expect himself to be a special case when it comes to deadlines and structures, and that services he pays for are available to him at his convenience without any boundaries for the people involved.

Glad you like the school.

I would be pretty horrified with myself to teach my DC that arbitrary rules are more important than people and outcomes. But you do you.