Ask any private school parent if their choice of education is better than public and they will usually have a readymade answer that goes further than just ‘yes’.
‘Smaller class sizes, better extra-curricular opportunities and nicer uniforms,’ are all compelling.
But ask a teacher in the private school system if their experience is a good one and you might get a different answer.
Under private school multi-enterprise agreements, rules and regulations around pay, leave and teaching hours are often left up to a school principal’s discretion. Unlike the Department of Education which aims to create fair and equitable working conditions for teachers across all public schools, teaching conditions in private schools are vastly different depending on leadership.
This audio report delves into the careers of three teachers in the Hunter region who have taught primarily in grammar, Christian and Anglican focused schools.
Note, names of some interviewees have been changed.
Main photo taken by Georgia Vaughan.
