Moving from state to independent

[Shadowboy]

I’d like to apply for a job in a girls Indy. I’ve been teaching in state schools for 12 years and I’m beginning to be worn down by it. Is the independent sector any better?

I’m currently in an OFSTED outstanding school and have been here for 8 of my 12 teaching years.

Would it be a bad move? Should I just leave teaching altogether?

Any experiences from others here?

I only reach in the independent sector.

I've taught in independent for 3 of 6 teaching years. I'll never ever go back to state.

I went to indy and it was bliss. Had to return to state for various reasons and now I don't teach at all and went back to a previous career.

Yeah it's loads better. I taught in state for 8 years, in quite a good comprehensive school.
I moved to an indy in September and it's changed my life in the following ways:
classes half the size so half the assessments and marking
trusted to do my job and don't have constant observations and unrealistic demands from SLT.
Behaviour issues are very unusual
The day is longer but so are the holidays

I taught in independent schools for 33 out of 35 years. (Now retired.) 15 years in a co-ed boarding school, 5 years in an international school, 13 years in two girls' day schools. Loved it. Still miss the interaction with young people.

Class sizes 16 to 24. (Smaller at A level.) No discipline issues (the deputy head of the last school used to hold a detention session once every three weeks - if required). Longish day (8.30 until 4, and I was usually there 8 until 5.30). But by staying late and with the non-contact time included, I could get all my marking done at school. And summer holidays start beginning of July.

But, parents expect results. And the pupils - especially sixth-form - were not afraid to speak up if they weren't confident you knew your stuff, or even if they didn't like your teaching style.

Overall though, go for it!

There are definitely many aspects that are better - I'm on top of my workload for the first time ever as I have sufficient time during the day to plan/mark. However, parents can be really difficult. Go into it with your eyes open. There is an element of 'I am paying therefore I expect...[possibly unreasonable things]...'

Taught in both state and independent schools. I hated the independent sector. And... here's why...

Totally unreasonable parents expecting you to change the curriculum for them just because they didn't like/ understand something.

SLT expecting you to do as parents requested then use it against you in appraisals.

Staff constantly worried about losing their jobs. Staff utterly overqualified and expected to study for MAs/ phds in spare time and at their own expense as the letters look good after their names on the website.

Severe lack of resources. Everything done 'for show' to sell the school - independent schools are a business after all.

Constantly feeling bad that the children were getting a poor education (cross-curricular teaching frowned upon, collaborative/ group work not allowed ,very worksheet-heavy, old resources, etc)

No amount of extra holiday days are worth that. Every school IS different though.

Knobzombie
I disagree with every one of your points.

I mived from state to independent four years ago and would never voluntarily go back. In theory:

• less paperwork
• less governmental constraints
• better behaved/ motivated pupils

-more holidays

However, I would say that it can vary from school to school. My head is great, we are not expected to check emails at weekends, unreasonable parents (who are a tiny tiny majority) are discussed and I am supported in the two occassions it has happened. The other thing to consider is days are usually longer and weekends are more expected - for example we all have to take a sports team so i have about 5 saturdays a year where I am expected to be in school/on a fixture. The other thing I would say is don’t assume pay will be better.

However, as I said, even with this list - I have never looked back. I love my job and it is tough but an enjoyable tough. I don’t recongnise anything in knobzombie’s post.

Sorry - fewer contraints, not less. Apologies.

My DH works in a private school and doesn't like it. It is a mixed sex school which used to be a boys' school. It's often the girls he says he doesn't like though!

He mainly doesn't like the same things a teacher in state might say : lots of initiatives, learning walks for form time/ spying through doors and declining behaviour standards. He used to work in a state school in a deprived area and was happier : that said, that was years ago and I reckon he'd get a big shock if he returned to the state sector.

He doesn't like his SLT who can be bullies (no time off allowed for anything, for example) but they can be like that anywhere!

His school probably ahs better staff cohesion than mime : papers and a telly in the staffroom, staff socials. \He used to go out a fair amount with staff, although he does this far less. I can't decide if this is him being older or whether the school ahs changed. Both, I think.

The grass is not always greener on the other side. He really ahs very little support or equipment (I have a laptop for example; he gets nothing) and the buildings and classrooms he works in are run down, as are mine but I expect it!

An ex colleague of mine went to work in an all girls school and is very happy despite a longer commute - mainly because she has more autonomy and no more difficult boys. She does comment on her marking, though. There is an expectation of thorough marking and girls write a lot!

Don't forget private schools often expect a commitment to extra curricular .

I think some of it may depend on the subject you teach : DH is a maths teacher so doesn't want to be particularly creative or autonomous,; friend is an English teacher so is enjoying the opportunity to take longer over teaching texts and be more creative.

In general, class sizes are smaller , but DH does have classes of 28. Any state school 'initiative' does tend to reach his school, with maybe a two year time lag. He has longer holidays : but he gets bored! he's really easy to live with

Go and visit the school ; you'll get a good sense of it from doing so.

I have been for interviews twice in all girls' schools and withdrew each time : I found them too staid for me. I also couldn't really buy into the smug ethos which I sensed . I would say you have to buy into the concept of private education to feel comfortable in one.

Thank you all for the responses. It’s helped me think about what it is that I want- I did apply but not herd either way so we shall see. If I do get an interview, I will know to keep eyes very wide open!

I should have also mentioned it is worth knowing there is a prevailing attitude in quite a few private schools that staff need to be grateful that they are working there, and there is, therefore, sometimes limited support if one is struggling. there are usually no union reps or union presence , so workload issues can be very much swept aside. DH ahs very few meetings, I must say (there is one timetabled in a free) but it is worth you knowing that he has had SEVEN parents' evenings since January!!

I have worked in both State and Private . My overall preference s for State. Although ,I am sure some Private schools are great to work in.
The Private school I worked at was very cliquey. The head's son worked there as an Art Therapist . He had a degree in Art but no Teaching qualification. Lots of married couples were imploded there.
Favourism was rife as was unprofessional practice .

Employed not imploded !
Lots of affairs amonst staff too .

Oh, and I forgot to mention cover. DH's school has just joined the 21st century and employed some cover teachers but he does lots of cover. I know some state schools still have teachers covering but lots try to avoid it. DH has at least one cover a week.

All things worth knowing!

Ophelia I work in a comp : loads of married couples here ,too, staff who are children of other staff also - and affairs! In fact, we once had a memorable leaving speech in which a departing staff member reminisced about shagging in a cupboard... Maybe it's just teachers!!