tiffin boys' finances
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My son at Tiffin is doing triple science and I believe 80 boy are doing triple science with the remaining 60 boys doing double science. Students starting the 2008 A-level curriculum can be awarded A* as the top grade from 2010. However I do hope Tiffin will take up the Cambridge Pre-U as a replacement to the A-level.
I see this thread has wandered off the tiffin finance issue, but I just wanted to add a word of warning to anxious parents like me who form most of their opinions from posts on this forum, given the lack of information from the school.
I have heard some interesting and credible remarks and I now believe the situation is not quite so cut and dried. Some of the posters have provided loads of information, but it's probably only part of the picture. I now no longer agree with some of the things I thought and even posted and would urge parents in a similar state to take everything they read here with a pinch of salt.
I'm not at all sure now there is any one person or people to blame for what's happened and Mr Heslop may have been taking too much of the stick. I'm told he did have a vision for the school and really wanted all the boys to have opportunities, particularly in extra curricular activities. Some of Tiffin's financial difficulties possibly pre date Mr Heslop and may well have come to a head, in some way, sooner or later. Perhaps the school is trying to offer too much, given its resources.
Maybe the audit report will throw up something different, but from what I have heard, I very much doubt there will be anyone to blame, and that's probably a good thing. I no longer feel angry, just rather sad that Tiffin doesn't have the money to do all the things it could. My main concern is that the good teachers stay. I'm hopeful though because Tiffin seems to inspire loyalty from past pupils and staff - I was interested to learn that the current chair is an ex Tiffin boy and his own sons went there.
I have heard some interesting and credible remarks and I now believe the situation is not quite so cut and dried. Some of the posters have provided loads of information, but it's probably only part of the picture. I now no longer agree with some of the things I thought and even posted and would urge parents in a similar state to take everything they read here with a pinch of salt.
I'm not at all sure now there is any one person or people to blame for what's happened and Mr Heslop may have been taking too much of the stick. I'm told he did have a vision for the school and really wanted all the boys to have opportunities, particularly in extra curricular activities. Some of Tiffin's financial difficulties possibly pre date Mr Heslop and may well have come to a head, in some way, sooner or later. Perhaps the school is trying to offer too much, given its resources.
Maybe the audit report will throw up something different, but from what I have heard, I very much doubt there will be anyone to blame, and that's probably a good thing. I no longer feel angry, just rather sad that Tiffin doesn't have the money to do all the things it could. My main concern is that the good teachers stay. I'm hopeful though because Tiffin seems to inspire loyalty from past pupils and staff - I was interested to learn that the current chair is an ex Tiffin boy and his own sons went there.
Hi G55
I don't want to get the old debate going again and I am sure you are right but, in my area the teachers are not paid to do extra curricular activities (sports etc) and so they don't. The local state schools either find money (how?) to 'buy in' from external providers or, like the three nearest us, just don't do it at all. I suspect that the shortage of teachers in London and schools desperation to recruit them might mean that obligatory extra curricular duties is one of the first 'extras' that goes out of the window during negotiations. I appreciate this is not the case elsewhere, but in pockets of London it certainly is. I am equally aware of some London schools with fantastic free teacher led extra curricular stuff, so don't want to be seen as overgeneralising, just relating my experience here.
Either way £520 always felt like a lot for that and I suspect when the dust settles it will become apparent that money was being spent on other things as well.
I don't want to get the old debate going again and I am sure you are right but, in my area the teachers are not paid to do extra curricular activities (sports etc) and so they don't. The local state schools either find money (how?) to 'buy in' from external providers or, like the three nearest us, just don't do it at all. I suspect that the shortage of teachers in London and schools desperation to recruit them might mean that obligatory extra curricular duties is one of the first 'extras' that goes out of the window during negotiations. I appreciate this is not the case elsewhere, but in pockets of London it certainly is. I am equally aware of some London schools with fantastic free teacher led extra curricular stuff, so don't want to be seen as overgeneralising, just relating my experience here.
Either way £520 always felt like a lot for that and I suspect when the dust settles it will become apparent that money was being spent on other things as well.
mad?
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Tesla_Magic
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Wed Feb 11, 2009 11:40 pm
I would like to shed some light on the current proceedings:
The work/home balance agreement between government and teachers unions due to some into force in september states that teachers are to be rarely used for cover. This means schools have to use supply teachers/teaching assistants etc instead of teachers to provide cover for absent staff. The use of non-teachers/ supply has been increasing over the last two years. The knock on effect of this is that costs for non-teaching staff at Tiffin has increased dramatically (like a lot of schools).
Exam invigilation costs have also increased. Teachers at Tiffin are no longer used for external exams. They are used for internal exams and 11+ invigilation. You can iagine the number of exams taken at Tiffin Boys, a much bigger school than Tiffin Girls.
When Heslop became Head, the school had an excess of £700,000 in the kitty. This has now been spent.
The work/home balance agreement between government and teachers unions due to some into force in september states that teachers are to be rarely used for cover. This means schools have to use supply teachers/teaching assistants etc instead of teachers to provide cover for absent staff. The use of non-teachers/ supply has been increasing over the last two years. The knock on effect of this is that costs for non-teaching staff at Tiffin has increased dramatically (like a lot of schools).
Exam invigilation costs have also increased. Teachers at Tiffin are no longer used for external exams. They are used for internal exams and 11+ invigilation. You can iagine the number of exams taken at Tiffin Boys, a much bigger school than Tiffin Girls.
When Heslop became Head, the school had an excess of £700,000 in the kitty. This has now been spent.
