Furloughing of staff in Independent schools

[jeanne16]

The small independent school my DD attends appears to be furloughing a large number of staff. This not only includes all support staff, all SEN staff but also at least one teacher in every department. Given that there are only 3 or 4 teachers in each department, this amounts to around 40% of the staff in total, including all support staff.

They are offering only 10% reduction on next term’s fees.

I am completely outraged by this. Does anyone else know how many staff are being furloughed in their schools?

[WoollyFoolly]

Piggy I can't, because I don't know. But I would not be surprised if it was quite a lot of the sports staff and some part timers.
I'm very happy to be furloughed! I earn very little so its no great loss to our household income (they are not topping up) and it means I can concentrate on my own kids.

[WoollyFoolly]

Also, it doesn't affect my pension contribution, the school are continuing to pay the normal amount.

[Piggywaspushed]

Hmmm...OK.

I wonder if they have furloughed staff with medical conditions...

[Greendayz]

I know of an independent school that has furloughed most of its staff just over the Easter holidays! Seems an outrageous abuse of the furloughing system to me, as the teachers would obviously not be working then anyway. Apparently the parents are still paying full fees.

[MrsPworkingmummy]

I find this dispicable and hadn't considered this could happen to teachers. I'm Head of Department of a core subject, have been told to self isolate for 12 weeks, yet I'm still attempting to work from home. I set students weekly work online, then mark these individual pieces when they are sent back in. I've also been asked to do lots of planning for September. Some staff are still in school but others are doing similar to me.

[EasyPeasyHappyCheesy]

Why would people not want to be furloughed? My husband has been furloughed (though on full pay as company is topping up) and he is loving it. Concerned there is some hidden bit he didn't look into

[RAOK]

PE teachers and PPA teachers seem to he’d been the first to be furloughed along with most non teaching staff.

[Piggywaspushed]

That makes no sense green as teachers aren't paid for holidays.

[WoollyFoolly]

I suppose easypeasy the thought is that you are more likely to be made redundant at the end of it I guess if whoever you work for struggles to bounce back.
I believe they have to pay the statutory minimum into a pension scheme for the duration, but worth checking if that's also being topped up if they normally pay more. As I said, mine is being paid as if I were on full pay.

[Piggywaspushed]

I think furloughing and then topping up is one thing but I don't get the impression that this is happening.
The point of furloughing teachers is that you can no then expect them to do any work at all : meetings, planning etc. That's a false economy as it creates problems later.

[DorsetCamping]

We've not had fees through yet - expecting them anyday now.

School is delivering 2 hours (4 lessons) of online lessons per day with a large amount of self-study/assignments which is marked and feedback.

No mention of any reduction as yet. It's a tiny through school and are probably very anxious how to play thing as even a few children being pulled out could probably send them under.

I would certainly hope for some gesture

[DorsetCamping]

Sorry should add I'm not aware of any teaching staff being furloughed. They are WFH

[Whiskersandtwitch]

They are using it as a way of making money out of the pandemic. Even though they are still receiving the fees and have lower costs they are getting the government to pay their staff their wages and banking the wages they would have otherwise paid. Immoral and greedy.

[SayNoToCarrots]

That's not necessarily the case for teachers in independent schools, piggy

[peacebypeace]

I work in an independent school and if it meant the difference between the school surviving and not surviving, I would be fine with being furloughed.

[Singingrain1223]

OP, the schools im aware of are furloughing lots of staff including teachers from PE, drama etc. The teaching staff are taking pay cuts, 80% or back to £2,500 per month. The teachers who are working are on full pay as normal & have to provide the distance learning & on a rota for children of key worker provision. I think this set up is standard in private schools at the moment with the saving passed on in the fees. For the schools the wage bill including Teachers' Pension contribution is still large as teachers are so much more expensive than lots of TA's. The teachers' pension contribution for an employer is 23.6% whilst a TA in a different scheme might be 3%.

[MarshaBradyo]

That is tough but it really may be that or close.

[Piggywaspushed]

What's not necessarily the case carrots ?

[WombatChocolate]

But isn't furloughing people protecting their jobs at least in the medium term?

I think it's something fee paying schools need to do. There is no need to keep paying staff who cannot work and bear the costs of them, when the government has a scheme that will pay them 80% of wages. The school I have heard of doing it are topping up to 100% so the staff are not financially worse off.

This means the schools can offer a small discount to parents and manage their costs a bit, meaning there is more likely to be a job for the furloughed staff in Septemeber or January. Isn't it just common sense?

Some staff might have to work a bit harder, but actually any furloughing should be happening to people who cannot carry out their work whilst schools are shut. If people are having to do a little bit more whilst at home, do we really think there should be a huge objection and union resistance, when actually this government scheme is designed to help employers and workers.

[mrscampbellblackagain]

We are getting our fee bill through nearly next week but have been told there will be a reduction. At other local schools staff are being furloughed, teaching assistants and sports staff seemed to be first in line after catering etc.

I know bursars have already been inundated with people saying they won't be able to pay next terms fees at all so am assuming like every other Financial Director they are crunching numbers to see how they can attempt to break even. Our school has a lot of overseas boarders whom won't be back next term and who knows if they will be back in September either. I just don't know how schools are going to manage financially in the next couple of years unless they have vast cash reserves.

[missyB1]

I’m a TA in a private school and I’ve been furloughed. I have no idea how many other staff have as we are strictly forbidden to discuss it amongst ourselves 🙄
The impression I get is that none of the qualified teachers are furloughed but I’ve no idea if that is correct.
The fees for parents have been reduced by 20%.

[Piggywaspushed]

Some staff might have to work a bit harder, but actually any furloughing should be happening to people who cannot carry out their work whilst schools are shut.

Bit this is the rub : teachers CAN do their work form home so shouldn't be furloughed. DfE did say this.

I agree it is fine for people who definitely can't (eg librarians) , so long as the wages are topped up. But I do think private schools could also look at other expenditures, such as the costs of their often lavish marketing materials : I am hopeful that they are!

I imagine MATs are doing the same.

[mrscampbellblackagain]

We are always told that the school's biggest cost is staff so I imagine that is where they are looking to make savings but who knows?

[Musmerian]

Me and DH both teachers in independent schools. Mine is big city day school- currently everyone on pay roll and 10% fee reduction to reflect savings school is making. DH’s school boarding and smaller so more vulnerable. Furloughed some support staff but not teachers. SLT taking pay cut, teachers losing school allowance about 1500 pa and fees cut by 10% for day pupils and 29% for boarders.