Is there less pressure in the private sector?

[Pud2]

I'm a disheartened primary deputy head, feeling the pressures of all that is demanded of us. I'm contemplating moving to the private sector as the idea of no SEF, RAISE, OFSTED, new assessments, data etc etc is quite appealing. However, I'm sure there would be different pressures. Has anyone else moved across?

Could have written your op!

I have friends who have moved. Longer hours in term time actually at school, often including weekends. Usually have to run a club and of duties. Higher marking expectations in some ways and often much higher parental pressure. Arrogance and a 'we pay your wages' mentality from some parents and students. More insecurity in smaller schools that are struggling in recession. And finally, my friends feel they have deskilled to a point-they don't need as robust behaviour management skills and have no idea about things like differentiated learning outcomes, assessing progress continually in lessons, pupil premium etc. they all say they would find it difficult to go back to state system.

I've only known one private school teacher and that was quite a few years ago. She said the main difference was the parental support. But the expectations are different. Much more weekend and after school expected. Oh and parental pressure too. But she really enjoyed her job.

My friend who made the change a couple of years ago, loves the fact they don't have to jump to every politician's whim - MUCH more sensible from that pov.
She says that in KS2 the day is longer - but then the terms are shorter... on average she finishes a good week before state schools do each holiday, but it's not in FOundation / KS1.
Parents can tend to have an expectation of 'we're paying so you need to produce the results', but the vast majority are lovely. It's better than the vast majority being lovely but some being violent and aggressive that she got in state school.
She likes the fact she gets real coffee and bowls of fruit every day in the staff room without there being a tefund! . Oh, and the fact they get treated to their Christmas meal out!

Thanks for your comments. Sounds appealing Backforgood! I'm quite used to parental pressure as the intake at my school is predominantly middle class. Becoming de-skilled is something that could be a worry though.

I made the jump and have not looked back.

In the state sector I found teaching was no longer fun and I was not instilling a love of learning into my pupils. Instead I was asking them to jump through more and more hoops. There was a constant pressure to get evidence/work in books as there were always SLT book scrutinies. I did not realise it at the time but I was so miserable. I hated Sundays as it meant it would be Monday tomorrow with the dreaded moany 'You all need to do better' lunchtime staff meeting. At one point I thought of leaving the profession and I know 2 outstanding teachers, still at the school, having the same thoughts. This was not a school in SM, but an Ofsted graded outstanding school- however in the last 12 months few of the staff would agree with this grading.

So I made the leap. The hours are longer. I am now at school at 7.30 rather than 8am. I leave at 5-6pm most nights rather than 4.30-5pm. I have a class of 17, so nearly half the number of pupils... it's lovely! I get a free school lunch each day and proper coffee. I do not do any playground duties, bu I have one before and after school duty plus a club each week. The parents and children are wonderful and have been so welcoming. I love teaching again and feel like i'm doing a half decent job whereas before we all began to feel we were rubbish.

Go for it... it's great.

(Pay is £1000 less, but longer holidays, free school lunch, free Christmas do etc and a lovely supportive school with a great Head make up for it by a mile!)

Watching with interest as have indie school interview next week...

Good luck! Having said all my negatives, I absolutely would snap up a job in a nice private school!!

Why would the 'de-skilling' be relevant, anyway unless you like practising those 'skills?' And if you do, then you wouldn't move sectors anyway.
Whenever you change jobs, you practise some things more than others. I changed jobs and now never need to speak Japanese at work. But I didn't let the fear of losing my Japanese skills prevent me from changing careers... No-one would ever progress if they let that type of fear keep them always on the same role. And if I did decide to 'go back' to a mgmt. role in a Japanese company - would easily pick up that skill again anyway.

All really interesting comments. Thanks. Has anyone moved across at a leadership level, ie, deputy head? I just wonder if it's a really different role, or much the same.

Do you keep the same pension?

My experience is as follows:

Longer hours (including Saturday school, and boarding duties for most staff at my school), lots of co-curricular activities expected, no protected time for planning, etc. Expected to do cover, invigilation and so on. But shorter terms - broke up for summer this year at the end of June so had two full months off.

Very high expectations from parents, with some explicitly stating that they are paying for certain results. But they are in the minority, I have to say.

Lots of marking and so on but I don't have to do all this stuff that I read about on here in terms of hoop-jumping, bureaucracy and so on. I don't know what lots of the terms used actually mean, TBH. I get to go into work and teach my lessons with minimal interference. I get observed roughly every two years for my appraisal. I don't have to produce schemes of work or lesson plans.

I am probably completely de-skilled as far as the state sector goes but they would never have me back anyway TBH, I have zero desire to work in the state sector judging by everything I've read on here!

I suppose the danger is if you moved to a private school but had to then move back to state sector on the future (school closes, awful head etc) it could be very tricky.

My children's father moved sectors and would never go back. Everything much better. He worked until 6pm which is probably later than the state sector and did a lot of out of school activities but longer holidays. Pay for him was better - head of department. Also we only had to pay 15% of the fees for our son which is a massive perk and had use of extensive grounds and an outdoor pool where hardly anyone ever swam in the summer where our first son learned to swim (and to start with a school flat).

Longer hours wouldn't be a problem. At the moment I get to school at 7.15 and leave about 12 hours later, so used to that!

He certainly said he would never go back and it was heaps better. However people differ.

There are heads who move across. I think the head of my daughter's old school North London Collegiate moved from a high performing school in the state sector originally.

Pud2 Sat 08-Nov-14 21:13:45
Longer hours wouldn't be a problem. At the moment I get to school at 7.15 and leave about 12 hours later, so used to that!

But would you want to work longer hours than that, I know I wouldn't and people seem to be saying that you will be working longer hours in the independent sector.

Having worked in several different independent schools and state schools, I'd say that there's not less pressure - just different pressure!

No teacher at my indie prep works 7.15am-7.15pm! Are you looking at a primary or secondary position?

OH works in an Independent Day School (3-16) in the secondary school as a Head of Dept. He leaves at 7am and gets home at 7pm but it is a 35 minute drive. He rarely marks at home, does not run a club, does not have weekend duties. He teaches some classes of 6 pupils (bottom groups) the biggest class he teaches is 16. He has worked in the independent sector for 12 years...I am a newbie and can't understand why I did not move sooner!

Our pensions are the same as the state sector- Teachers' Pension Scheme.

Move overseas. International schools in Asia are an easy life. Good pay, long holidays, small classes of well-behaved kids. Lots of time within the day for prep and marking. Parents can be a bit OTT re 'will my 6 yr old get intoYale?' but at least they're all on message re. reading, practicing tables etc.

I teach in a private prep, and I hate to say it but we still have masses of paperwork, appraisals, lesson obs, the SEF, inspection (ISI rather than ofsted but similar in framework) we also have to do development plans, all SEN paperwork , data tracking etc. you name it, we have to do it. However there is more freedom in lots of ways. We are following the new curriculum though abd am having to adjust all SOW this year to accommodate that change. I am a subject specialist-not classroom teacher.

I have worked in both state and private sector. I would say there are different pressures- so very much swings and roundabouts.

I also think it depends which role you want in a private school.Yes class sizes are much smaller- but too small can bring problems. I worked in a school which literally closed down overnight and didn't recognise unions. Parents do seem to be getting much pushier and expect alot in return for the fees. It is a business so you will get treated as a business provider- you are expected to deliver. You do get more non contact time as specialists teach quite a few subjects, but days are much longer (7am-7pm if Prep School, although Pre-Prep until 5.30pm. You still have work to catch up on at home. Our school holidays aren't that much longer than a state school- although it is lovely to have a 2 week Half Term.

I actually preferred teaching in the State Sector but it wouldn't be fair on my children.