WHAT’S YOUR TYPE?
There are now over 15,000 international schools, of many different types. Dr Denry Machin stresses the importance of researching which Is the best fit for you when you are searching for jobs Internationally.
Making an Informed choice
Whether it’s your first or your fifth posting, with so many schools to choose from, spanning so many countries, choosing the ‘right’ one for you can be difficult. The whole point of moving into international school teaching is to test yourself in a new and unfamiliar setting. You want the experience to be challenging, but not overwhelming. You want to experience the unfamiliar, but not the downright weird, dangerous, or crushingly disappointing.
Therefore, which international school you apply to must be recognised as one of the biggest decisions of your life.
What to consider
Is a premium, high-fee school for you? Or would you be more comfortable in a mid-tier school teaching a different kind of student, handling a different kind of parent? Would you prefer a small school or a larger one? Cultural context matters too: many schools in Asia and the Middle East emphasise exam prep, while others in Europe or Latin America may be more likely to prioritise holistic development.
Consider also how long the school has been open. New schools can be very exciting but don’t expect there to be established systems and procedures; you will likely be involved in creating these from scratch —appealing to some, less so for others. On the other hand, older schools may have embedded systems, but some may be more set in their ways.
At risk of woeful oversimplification, the table below is an attempt to summarise some of the advantages and disadvantages of different schools. The table compresses a very nuanced reality into simple binaries: large vs small, single vs group, old vs young. However, simplistic as it is, it will hopefully get your thinking.
Possible advantages and disadvantages of different school types
School size/type | Possible advantages | Possible disadvantages |
Smalland/orStart-upand/orPrivately owned single school | · Smaller team, family environment and culture · Strong camaraderie, especially in new start-ups · More scope for creativity · Potential exposure to a range of roles, experiences and responsibilities · Perhaps more flexible policies, regulations and requirements · Greater focus on individual rather than group needs · Closer contact (and more visibility) with heads and senior leaders · Greater chance to be part of decision-making processes and to make a noticeable impact · Individual achievements recognised · Possibly easier to advance to senior positions · Potentially easier to secure employment as an early career teacher | · Possibly lower job security · Lower pay, fewer benefits, less attractive conditions (think instant coffee, not filter) · Smaller budgets; potential for rapid changes or instability if funding fluctuates. · Fewer support staff (yes, you may have to do your own photocopying) · Limited access to professional development, especially funded; you may have to pay your own way · In single-owner schools, you may be beholden to their whims and foibles · Performance management, if it happens at all, might be ad hoc · Flexibility in systems and policies can lead to inequity, less transparency and greater chance of favouritism · You may have to wait years for an entrenched colleague to leave in order to advance |
Largeand/orEstablishedand/orPart of a group of schools | · Better pay, benefits and conditions (think free lunch and free places for teachers’ children) · Diverse student body, offering broader cultural exposure · Possibly better job security (though don’t bet your mortgage on it) · Larger budgets, possibly better resourced and better facilities · Likely there will be at least some ready-made schemes of work and lesson materials · Access to professional development, likely funded · Access to mentoring and career development pathways · Established systems, greater transparency and perhaps more equitable procedures · Possible transfer/promotion between schools in a group · HR department exists to assist with relocation and any issues · Possibly more opportunities for teaching couples · Well-known schools will enhance your CV, supporting future career moves · Big end-of-term parties, possibly free drinks | · More formal environment, more policies and more oversight; in some ways it may feel like the state school you escaped · Staff may not know each other beyond their immediate department/phase; the head may not even know everyone’s names · You will be less visible to senior managers (big pond, small fish) · Perhaps less scope for creativity · Individual contributions watered down by hierarchy and red tape · Less flexible, more bureaucracy: more hoops to jump through and less likely exceptions will be made for individual circumstances · More difficult to gain initial employment |
School ownership
If you are applying for a higher-level management post, it’s also important to consider who the school owners are and, critically, whether the school is not-for-profit, for-profit, or, in some cases, very much for-profit. Ownership shapes the day-to-day reality of senior roles. A small family-owned school can be nimble and values-driven, but decision-making may be idiosyncratic and closely tied to the founder’s preferences.
In not-for-profit settings, surpluses tend to be reinvested into staffing, facilities and bursaries. You’ll get an uncompromised student-first focus and a governance culture willing to invest, even without a clear financial return. But, in return, you might face stronger committee oversight and, at times, slower decisions.
By contrast, in some (though not all) for-profit schools the targets are explicit: enrolment, margin and cash generation. You’ll likely see a sharper performance focus, and faster change. Where a brand licence or managed-operator model is used, a central team may standardise curriculum, assessment and CPD to drive consistency and efficiency across the portfolio. In the best-run schools, this can save time and effort. Private equity can bring further discipline and scale, though priorities can shift away from the classroom towards the bottom line. Constrained autonomy and tighter budgets are not uncommon.
Doing your research
None of this is inherently good or bad. The question is ‘fit’: do the owner’s incentives and governance habits align with how you want to lead or teach, and how you believe a school does its best work? Research annual reports, alumni reviews, or teacher forums for insights.
Ultimately, remember that when you decide to leave your home country to live and work as a teacher overseas for at least a year, perhaps many years, you are not just changing jobs, you are changing your whole life. It’s your adventure, your journey—to make it truly rewarding, choose a school that aligns with your values, your ambitions, and your appetite for excitement. Ownership shapes the day-to-day reality of senior roles. A small family-owned school can be values-driven, but decision-making may be idiosyncratic and closely tied to the founder’s preferences.
Dr Denry Machin is a consultant, author, and university lecturer. He specialises in international school starts-ups and project management. Connect here.
This is an abridged version of content from ‘International Schooling: The Teacher’s Guide’, written by Denry Machin and Stephen Whitehead.
FEATURE IMAGE: by Sara Oliveir For Unsplash+
Support Image: by Rosy / Bad Homburg / Germany from Pixabay
