Private vs state job?

[Robertsmithdoesmyhair]

Would you rather do 0.8 (3 full days and 2 mornings) at a private school or 0.5 (2.5 days) at a state? Can't decide which to choose!
Obviously the pay would be better for 0.8, but would the workload be awful, or are private schools genuinely lovely to work in?

Depends on the school! Ask about their marking policies and how much (if any) co-curricular you would do. Class sizes will probably be smaller which does make a huge difference in workload (marking, parents evenings, report writing etc...) and you might have more classroom freedom but it very much depends.

Is the independent school in the TPS? A lot are pulling out.
Also, how healthy are their numbers. Tiny little school might not be a safe bet in terms of job security. What’s the reporting policy? Friend of mine spends 30 hours on reports every May because a full block of prose is required for 300 pupils.
Just things to consider about private schools.

Depends on the school! I work at a small private and I'd work full time there over part time at a state. But it's a small school with no Saturdays, no boarding and small classes so it's not that hard there. I have friends at bigger name independents and they have to do boarding duties and Saturday teaching which doesn't appeal to me as I have young children of my own. My school doesn't pay into TPS which I find annoying but many indies are starting to opt out now with the forthcoming increases

No brainer - independent school.

CraftyGin- Why?

Longer holidays - I get 19 weeks a year.

More non contact time - 20% typical.

More independence in the classroom - less micromanagement

Smaller class sizes.

Etc

Private. Without a doubt. No Ofsted, more involved (but sometimes entitled) parents, and I know it's controversial to say this - but the children and far and above better behaved than state school pupils and eager to learn. The occasional exception standing of course. I work in private and love it.

And yes to longer holidays - I get 9 weeks off in the summer.

Depends on the school totally.

I work at a private school. Pros to working where I do are

• less paperwork when compared to state (although this has been steadily increasing over the 10ish years I’ve been in the independent sector)
• Longer holidays (although we are often expected to come in during holidays to offer revision sessions/go to results days etc)
• Smaller class sizes. This is a big one as it then means less reports to write/less parents to see at parents evenings/you really get to give individualised learning and less crowd control.
• Parents are generally fully supportive and interested in their child’s education (not that this isn’t the case at state school, but you won’t always get this in the state sector)
• More freedom within your subject and what you teach rather than being stuck to a specific curriculum (obv this is limited when you have to follow gcse syllabuses etc)
• arguably better behaved students (I say arguably as it depends on the school!)

There are cons, some of which I didn’t realise until I was in the situ, for example

• higher expectations of what you have to offer within the school eg having to do lunchtime and afterschool clubs and/or holiday revision sessions *having to attend out of school events. I work part time but have to attend every single out of school time event. These are frequent eg 12 parents evenings a year (on my day off) , 2 week end open mornings, 4 school plays, Christmas concert, 2 school fairs, prize giving, 3 inset days which always fall on my day off, the list goes on! I get no extra pay for this despite having to do the same amount as full timers and I only get paid for 2 days a week. I have spoken to my union about this and apparently this is totally fine for them to do .
• ALOT fewer employment rights/expectations. For example I get much less sick pay than in the state sector, my maternity pay would be far less than in the state sector, I have to attend things on my days off whereas in the state sector this would be covered as an employment right that I wouldn’t have to attend or I would be paid extra for it. School don’t pay into my teachers pension nearly as much as the state sector. I also don’t get paid for any hospital etc appointments taken in school time. This is a big deal when you add up the rights you have as an employee in the state sector vs in a private school and one that I didn’t fully realise until I was in my job. It’s worth asking to see the contract of employment and getting specific terms and conditions before you agree to work there so you know exactly what is expected of you beyond the classroom.
• school day is longer.
• having to do cover for other teachers when they are out. You’re never guaranteed any non contact time as any ‘free period’ can be taken to cove a colleague. In the state sector they would have a cover supervisor to do this. *lack of progression. Where I work it is not possible to enter the upper teaching pay scale unless you arrive at the school already above the threshold and agree a salary as such. I have been at the threshold for years but there is s zero opportunity to be able to progress above the threshold. I imagine this will be different depending on the school.
• expectations on contact with parents is higher. I’m often emailing parents and have a far closer relationship with parents who have high expectations and expect information compared to when I worked in the state school. In some ways this is good as it benefits the students more but it is more work.

In the private sector a lot depends on the head teacher and/or governors or owners of the school as they can make or break a school and the experience of working there as a teacher. HTH.

Depends on the state school and depends on the private school.

Personally the appeal of going to work on 3 days rather than 5 is high for me, but that is going to depend on your financial circumstances.

Mostly though, it depends on the ethos of the individual schools.