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The staffroom

Whether you're a permanent teacher, supply teacher or student teacher, you'll find others in the same situation on our Staffroom forum.

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Original poster

Discount for staff at independent school

13 replies

roslet · 19/02/2016 11:52

I'm about to move to a new area with several private schools.
My children (aged 6 and 7) have had a fantastic start in their state school, but I'm sad to think of how stressful the last years of primary school are due to SATs. I've taught in several "Outstanding" state schools during the past 20 years and I hate the way that older pupils are put under such stress. I'm confident that both my children will achieve well academically anyway, but I want them to enjoy a more carefree childhood with a full curriculum.
Ideally I'm hoping that if I teach 2 days a week without a wage, then my children could attend for free. Has anyone managed to negotiate something similar? Maybe I'm being wildly optimistic!

OP posts:

RockCrushesLizard · 19/02/2016 11:54

I know of a couple of teachers who've done this - in their cases its more in the range of one full time teacher gets a 40% discount on fees. I imagine there's a quite bit of variation among different schools though, depending on desirability...

Siolence · 19/02/2016 11:56

Most independent schools offer a substantial staff discount. You might want to start by finding out what the ones local to you offer.

They also expect substantial extra curricular commitment from their staff.

AnotherNewt · 19/02/2016 12:09

I've also posted on your other thread.

I think you're being wildly optimistic.

Staff discounts vary, can be hefty (33-50% region). But it's possible you may have to have been teaching at the school for a while to qualify (have heard of 2 years, don't know if that is common). You would be paid for your teaching role, then receive the discount on the fees in line with their staff policy, and you should expect the discount to be pro rata for part time staff.

Have you already seen a part-time vacancy advertised?

TheBalefulGroke · 19/02/2016 12:11

Surely if your children are in school FT, you can work more days? Or do you have other commitments?

LazyDaysAndTuesdays · 19/02/2016 12:12

I think you're being wildly optimistic.

I do too tbh.

SavoyCabbage · 19/02/2016 12:14

Two days a week teaching for two places at private school would be a good deal for you if you could get it!

DSClarke · 19/02/2016 12:23

I'm afraid you'll have no chance. Staff discounts vary, and in some schools they only offer then from Y3.

However, if you view it that your salary will pay for your kids that's a different matter. However, the challenge is then to find a good local school that you like, that has space for your children, that will accept your children at their current level, and just happen to have a part time role available.

LIZS · 19/02/2016 12:32

Our local one offers 10% per day of teaching. So on 2 days you'd get 20% plus a sibling discount of 5% on second child's fees.

NoSquirrels · 19/02/2016 12:36

My parents were teachers at an independent boarding school. All 3 of us went there as day pupils - there was a substantial discount (don't know the details, but must have been a lot to enable us to all go) but as someone else has said, substantial commitment too. Think every weekend in term-time (Sat & often Sundays too), every day 8-6pm minimum, for most of my childhood both parents were employed as house parents, so live-in and responsible in loco parentis 24 hours...

I think for 2 days work and 2 DC, you will not get much of a discount.

Original poster

roslet · 19/02/2016 14:03

Thank you everyone, all opinions welcome and helpful! It seems clear that it would be more usual to receive a normal salary and then apply any discount to fees. We can afford to pay anyway, but my husband feels it is not a good use of cash right now. We will see how they settle in to their new state school.

OP posts:

GinandJag · 19/02/2016 18:13

Any school will have their own remission policy, from 0 - 80%. There shouldn't be much negotiation room.

If school fees are, say, £3000 per term (cheap), that would be £18000 per year for two children. That is basically the take-home pay of a full time teacher on M6. You would need to find a school with 60% remission to get away with working 2 days. The remission, however, is likely to be pro-rata for part-time work.

Can't you work full time?

teacher54321 · 19/02/2016 20:11

I've got a Ds at the same school as me and I get a fee remission. I don't think they would employ you and then give places in exchange as surely that would create tax/pension nightmares. It's brilliant logistically but they do get their pound of flesh...

OkaZaki · 21/02/2016 22:46

No school is going to employ you without paying you. That would be bonkers for a wide range of reasons. They will also want to employ you for your own merits as a teacher so don't give them the impression you only want to work there for the sake of a discount. What others have said about not qualifying for discounts immediately I would also echo.

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