Around the world there is a huge and growing market of international schools - recent data from ISC Research reports just under 15,000 of these schools.
While historically these schools have served ex-pat communities, such as military families or children of parents working in industries with a large overseas presence, the sector is now far more diverse with the majority of pupils being from the region in which the school is located.
This change has been driven by the emerging middle class in many nations who are keen to access the best possible education for their children.
What are international schools?
An international school is a fee-paying school that will usually deliver a curriculum different to that taught in local schools.
The most common types of international schools are British curriculum, International Baccalaureate, American curriculum and those teaching the International Primary Curriculum.
British curriculum schools teach the English national curriculum and American curriculum schools usually teach a version of the Common Core State Standards.
Other international schools offer the Canadian or French curriculum, although these are rarer.
None of these schools have any affiliation with the state school system of the country in which they are located, but they may be subject to the same inspection regimes and any local laws governing education or children’s safeguarding and wellbeing.
The staff are a mix of English-speaking teachers hired from the UK or the US, Canada, Australia or South Africa, as well as local teachers.
Many schools have entrance exams, although not all. Some schools are boarding schools or offer boarding alongside day admissions, although most are standard day admission schools.
How many international schools are there in the world?
The latest ISC Research data lists 14,833 international schools worldwide - an increase of almost 4,000 since 2019, when there were 10,937.
Asia is the biggest market, accounting for 58 per cent of international schools (although it should be noted that this includes the Middle East, such as the United Arab Emirates, which is a strong area for these schools).
The Americas have 15 per cent of international schools, Europe has 14 per cent and Africa, 12 per cent. Oceania accounts for just 1 per cent.
In the past China was the fastest growing nation for international schools and it is still the largest per-country market, with more than 1,000 schools. However, India is now outpacing China for international school growth and will likely overtake it in the coming years.
West Africa is also a strong growth area, with Nigeria, in particular, expected to become a large hub for international schools.
Do they charge fees?
Yes, international schools charge fees - as private schools, they generate all their income through fees, which are usually paid termly. Fees range from the most expensive in the world, traditionally Swiss boarding schools, to more affordable “entry-level” fees in emerging markets, designed to entice dual-income families with disposable income.
While international schools might appear wealthy from the outside, many often operate on lean margins, with outgoings including high salaries and perks for staff (such as flights home) and the requirement to spend on marketing and other external costs to maintain business.
Furthermore, changes in exchange rates, geopolitical situations and new government mandates in certain regions can have an unexpected impact on operations.
How do admissions work?
Most international schools will have a standardised entry process that requires an application to be made, followed by a mix of interviews or academic tests that will determine whether they believe the student is right for the school.
These applications often cost money that is lost if the child is not successful. There are often also onboarding fees, as well as costs for uniforms and other sundries.
Do international schools offer scholarships?
Yes, many schools or groups (see below) will offer scholarships to students to help cover part or all of the fees. This will often be based on a mix of academic credentials but also often excellence in sports, creative arts or performance.
Who owns the schools?
Generally, international schools are either for-profit or non-for-profit, depending on their set-up.
Many international schools are owned and operated by individual owners or small groups of individuals, although increasingly there is a move towards consolidation in many large schools groups that own many schools across the world. Among the largest of these are:
Furthermore, many prestigious independent schools have licensed the use of their name for others to open international schools abroad, such as Dulwich College, Wellington and Harrow.
Sometimes these are operated under a franchise model with only light-touch oversight from the original school. In other cases there are more direct management set-ups, with the original school regularly engaged in day-to-day operations.
What curricula do they follow?
As noted above, most international schools use either the English national curriculum, the International Baccalaureate, the Common Core State Standards or the International Primary Curriculum.
For assessments, most schools while therefore offer either GCSEs and A levels, akin to state schools in England, or the International Baccalaureate’s Diploma Programme. Some schools will use GCSEs before switching to the IB for the final two years.
Most universities will readily accept these qualifications and are well versed at working with international school applicants. IB students can sometimes benefit from the university admissions system in England because they receive their grades far ahead of A-level students, giving them more time to consider their options and prepare for clearing if required.
Many international students opt to move to the UK for university study, although increasingly the cost of living and rising political tensions have resulted in other European destinations become more popular, such as the Netherlands.
Meanwhile, the US has always been a top destination for its main universities such as Harvard, Yale and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Do they teach in English?
Most international schools will teach in English, although increasingly many are becoming bilingual in recognition of the growing local cohort within their host country. Regulations in nations like China also require more bilingual education.
Furthermore, many schools are increasingly recognising the need to be respectful of their host nation by sending out communications in the local language.
However, the majority of schools are English language - and, indeed, this is one of the draws for parents seeking a “British education” for their child.
How are they regulated?
There are numerous regulatory routes that international schools can follow. Within individual nations there will be inspection regimes that they must adhere to; for example, the Dubai government’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority runs the Dubai School Inspection Bureau (DSIB), which inspects international schools as well as local schools.
British schools can also apply to be inspected under the UK government’s British Schools Overseas (BSO) framework, via one of three inspectorates: the Education Development Trust, Independent Schools Inspectorate or Penta.
However, recently Penta received a critical report from English school watchdog Ofsted over how its inspections were conducted, and it is having to make changes as a result.
Only schools with BSO can be used to help overseas teachers to secure the international qualified teacher status (iQTS) award.
There are also accreditations schemes, such as those run by the Council of British International Schools (COBIS). These allow schools to be proactively inspected and receive accreditation if they pass. They can then use as a kitemark of quality in any marketing and promotional activities.
The Council of International Schools (CIS) also rus its own International Accreditation, with 675 schools currently holding this certification.
What’s it like to work in an international school?
Teaching in an international school will, of course, vary depending on each individual setting. However, many schools pride themselves in securing strong academic outcomes for pupils, so teachers will almost certainly be expected to deliver good results.
A focus on extracurricular activities and enrichment opportunities is also found in most international schools, with staff again expected to get involved and help out in these areas as part of ensuring a well-rounded curriculum for pupils.
There can also be differences in managing certain aspects of school life, such as the reality that some parents will be very well connected, very wealthy or even members of the royal family in that nation. This potentially requires sensitivity and tact when discussing difficult issues.
One key difference to teaching in the UK is that employment protections are often far less stringent - or non-existent. In some circumstances a teacher can be told their role is no longer required with little warning or without a requirement to work a notice period.
What qualifications do you need?
Most international schools will require any UK teachers to hold qualified teacher status (QTS) to take on a full-time teaching role. However, there can be opportunities to gain this on the job in some instances for staff working in a non-full-time role.
The iQTS route was introduced by the UK government to help more teachers in this situation gain accreditation, particularly local teachers, with the aim that having achieved this they would then be enticed to move to the UK to teach, too.
Local teachers will be subject to local regulations specific to that country.
When does international school recruitment begin?
The teacher recruitment windows often begin long before a school year starts, as teachers need time to prepare to move abroad and set up a new life.
As such, recruitment rounds often begin before Christmas, with leaders travelling to the UK to conduct multiple interviews with applicants. The use of video interviews, certainly for the first round interviews, has become more common since the pandemic, although many leaders still prefer in-person interviews.
Traditionally, teachers sign two-year contracts and after this time they can move on to a new school - either within that country or in another new destination - or re-sign to stay on.
In the past many staff did move on after two years to continue exploring the world while teaching. However, since the pandemic it has become more common for staff to stay in post longer due to concerns about uncertainties in the world, ranging from visa changes to geopolitical situations.
