10 questions International schools need to answer if they want to attract talent:

Before getting close to filling in an application form, international teachers want to know what their new life at your school will look like. Here are 10 questions you need to be able to answer. 
English-medium and English-bilingual schools are opening across the world in large numbers. And that means leaders are not only having to persuade increasing numbers of teachers to work abroad but to relocate to cities of which they’ve never even heard.
Most people have an idea what the major world cities like Dubai and Hong Kong are like, but most will not have idea of cities beyond the capitals. How does one sell working in Almaty in Kazakhstan? Or in Chongqing in China? Or Yangon in Myanmar?
In such a competitive marketplace, schools need to devote as much time and effort to recruiting staff as it does pupils. Here’s some questions that schools need to answer if they want to attract talent.

LIFESTYLE 

Anyone moving abroad is going to want reassurance about the quality of life they will experience living and working in new country. Schools need to address the basic questions about lifestyle by unpacking what day-to-day life might look like for the prospective teacher:
1. Where will I live? Accommodation is going to be high on the list of questions. Schools need to be clear about whether or not accommodation is provided, its location in relation to the schools and the city centre. They also need to outline what support they will provide in helping staff find their own housing and to settle into life in the new country.
2. What will I eat?
Families will want to know about the availability of western foods. Schools can allay fears in this area by providing information on what restaurants and supermarkets are like.
3. Will I be able to communicate in English or will I have to learn a local language?
One important factor living abroad is the ability to carry out day to day business in English. This varies hugely around the world. Whilst English is spoken and understood in most major cities, what often matters most on a day-to-day basis is the ability to communicate with shopkeepers and taxi drivers. Schools need to be clear about any challenges that potential recruits are likely to encounter.
4. What is the Healthcare like? 
Given that health care is free in the UK, it is perhaps not surprising that very few prospective teachers think to ask about the quality of the health provision - but they should. Most schools have excellent health insurance schemes and access to excellent (private) healthcare.
5. What’s it like living there?
One of the reasons why people want to move abroad is to have a base for travel, so schools would be well advised not only to sell the country, but also to outline the local entertainment options in the evening and at weekends. One important question is whether or not It is important also to clear up misconceptions and be transparent about local customs. For example, schools in Muslim countries should explain about expectations about dress code, or access to alcohol, which can vary even in the same country – Sharjah is dry, whereas Dubai is not.
6. How safe is it?
Often the only reason why a prospective teacher has heard of a given country is because it’s in the news because of some natural disaster or political crisis. This inevitably focuses on the hazards and dangers of living abroad and schools therefore need to allay fears about the safety of living and working overseas. Teachers (and the families they are leaving behind will need reassurance. There are typhoons at times of the year in in South East Asia, but there are effective systems in place to support and protect people during these times. The same is true of political unrest where it is very rare indeed for expats to be targeted.

SALARY 

7. What are the living costs?
Most people moving abroad see it as an opportunity, not only to have an adventure, but to experience a better standard of living. Schools not only need to be transparent about the salary and package, but also to help prospective teachers understand what that means on the ground. For example, salaries in Hong Kong are high and tax is low, but the cost of living and accommodation are very high. Conversely, salaries in Malaysia are low, but so is the cost of living.
8. How much can I save?
 Many staff, especially teaching couples, see working abroad as the opportunity to save for the future and the chance to save for a deposit on a house or to pay off a considerable portion of the mortgage. Financially savvy teachers will need the information to do the sums before committing to working abroad.

PROFESSIONAL 

9. What will the school be like?
For many, moving to an international school is a step into the unknown. In practice they are very similar on the ground to schools in the UK and schools need to get this across. There may be questions about the demographic and language background of the pupils and the staff and about the standards of discipline in the school.
10. What are the professional development opportunities?
One of the most popular questions that I am asked at interview is about the professional development opportunities available. This is understandable because talented individuals do not want their time abroad to become a step backwards. Schools who can provide internationally recognised training opportunities will have an advantage in the recruitment marketplace because it is seen both as the passport to the next promotion; or the ticket that will allow them to get a job back in the U.K.

How to do it:

The best way for schools to answer these questions is to produce a video which interviews current staff which can systematically address any concerns of potential recruits. A really good example of this is the Haileybury Almaty’s staff recruitment video which features a teacher talking openly about her initial concerns about moving as a family to Kazakhstan; and a colleague having a coffee in Starbucks and shopping in a local supermarket which is reassuringly like Waitrose.

This article was published in Tes on 09/12/2019

Politicians and Digital Tattoos - my letter to The Times

My letter to The Times (published 21st September)

Schools have an important part to play in teaching young people how to remain in control of their digital footprint online.

Sir

Justin Trudeau joins the growing line of National leaders where the indiscretions and misjudgements of youth are visited on the older statesman. His ‘blackface’ photograph will sit alongside Tony Blair’s ‘air guitar’ and the notorious Bullingdon Club photo of 1987 of David Cameron and Boris Johnson. This pattern is set to increase as Millennials with significantly more extensive digital tattoos begin to take up political office. Looking ahead as society we face a choice: we either draw our leadership from the narrow pool who have never committed an indiscretion; or we accept leaders who have made mistakes and have learnt from them. Accepting Justin Trudeau’s contrite response of ‘deep regret’ is surely the preferred path.

September recruitment pitfalls and how to avoid them

A new teacher no-show can throw an international school's staffing plans into turmoil. Here's a few thoughts on how to make sure it doesn’t happen;

It’s the start of year surprise that all international school principals and HR departments dread: that excellent young teacher who was so keen to move abroad and join the team has just phoned to say that she is now not coming. There’s a week until the pupils return, you’re a teacher down and there’s no supply agency within 3,000 miles. The post-mortem questions flood one’s mind: “Why did this happen?” “What could we have done to avoid this?” “Where were the signs that this could happen?” Soon, however, these are subsumed by the pressing concern, “What are we going to do to solve this crisis?” This was not the start of term that we wanted. 

Catastrophes and cold feet 

September nightmares broadly fall into two categories. 

First, there are changes in personal circumstances: such as the break-up of a relationship or the close relation who has an accident or is diagnosed with a terminal illness. With changes of this nature, it is quite understandable that a teacher might not want to be embarking on a new adventure thousands of miles from home. It’s just bad luck for all concerned. 

Second, there are times when the teacher simply gets cold feet and either doesn’t get on the plane or they head straight back home after a week or so in the school. These occasions should be avoidable. They are usually due to poor communication, a lack of due diligence on one side or the other or unmet expectations. 

Sometimes the school has not conducted a sufficiently rigorous interview process to check that the teacher has thought through what is entailed in moving abroad; at other times teachers can have a romanticised view of what it is to live and teach abroad. 

One common area of contention is that the standard or location of the accommodation provided by the school falls short of the teacher’s expectations. For some, this is a deal-breaker and they vote with their feet and head to the airport to go home. 

International recruitment is expensive at the best of times (adverts, visas, repatriation packages), but the cost of a no-show goes well beyond the financial. Having to find a replacement teacher at the end of the summer often means compromising on standards or the existing staff teaching over allocation. Either way, it is not good for morale and stops any beginning-of-year momentum dead in the water.

So, how can schools dodge the bullet? 

How to avoid the September nightmare 

The initial stage of moving abroad is an act of faith on both sides and there needs to be a transparent, open dialogue. Here are four ways that schools can ensure this: 

1. Don’t oversell your location There is a tendency in international education for schools and recruitment agencies to over-sell locations. We see it all the time: the pictures in overseas teaching advertisements that focus on iconic skylines, five-star hotels and sun-kissed beaches give a false impression of what it is to be an expat working in a school in a suburb. Yes, there can be beach days and it’s possible to dip into the holiday life, but the reality is that staff won’t be living in five-star accommodation and that the daily routine is far from a holiday experience. Schools would be well-advised to dispel the romantic notions at an early stage. 
2. Be transparent Schools should be as open as possible about what the job entails, how much holiday entitlement there is, the quality and location of any accommodation provided, and especially how the package works. They need to be clear about what costs are covered fully or in part by the school. It’s easy for teachers to look at a higher-than-UK tax-free salary, not realising that the cost of living in the city is much higher and that there may significant expenses that they haven’t thought through. One reason for a no-show is undoubtedly that, on reflection, the sums just don’t add up. Packages vary around the world so schools are best advised to be clear about any contribution that teachers will have to make to school fees, medical insurance and travel costs for the family. 
3. Caveat emptor Schools need to do their due diligence as part of the interview process, probing key issues such as the candidate’s motivation for working abroad. Will the candidate be able to cope with living at a significant distance from family and friends; and have they done their homework about some of the challenges that they might face? It is perhaps not surprising that things go wrong when a school appoints a teacher who has never lived abroad before or even visited the country or region. 
4. Deliver on promises One of the reasons that things go wrong is that schools move the goalposts and do not deliver on the promises made at interview. Sadly, this happens, often as not, when the owner goes over the head of the school principal to enforce cost-cutting measures to balance the books. Relocating a teacher to an apartment in a different part of town or providing smaller accommodation may be allowed within the letter of the job contract, but it can be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. 

Solutions 

Schools often turn to their extended community in a crisis situation. There is sometimes a suitably qualified parent or a retired member of staff who is willing to step into the breach on a short-term basis. If all else fails, and in absolute extremis, the only solution is to draw on the considerable expertise of the senior leadership team and put them to task until a suitable replacement is found.

This article was published in Tes on 13/09/2019

Ten ways that international schools differ from their UK counterparts:

In this article I outline some of the ways in which International schools differ from UK schools in structure and on a day-to-day basis.

Structural Differences 

1. Schools are fee-charging and often are run for profit 

Most International schools are not owned by the state, rather they are independent institutions which charge fees. Although there are a small number of older schools that operate on a not-for-profit basis, almost all of the schools established in the past twenty years were set up for-profit. This means that they have owners who control spending on resources and have varying degrees of influence on how the school is run. One other consequence of this is that parents tend to complain more because they see themselves as paying for a service. 

2. Different regulatory framework 

Governments around the world set the regulatory framework and inspection regime for their country. This means that, even if a school is following a ‘British curriculum’ there may be other aspects that are required to be taught. For example, in China it is mandatory to teach Mandarin and in the UAE it is mandatory to teach Arabic, Islamic Education and Moral Education. There is a huge range of practice when it comes to school inspections, ranging from annual OFSTED-style inspections in Dubai, to no compulsory inspections in Hong Kong.

3. Schools tend to be new - ‘schools without history’ 

Because of the explosion in English medium K12 International schools over the past twenty years (from 2,584 in 2000, to 10,400 in 2019 - ISC Research May 2019) these schools tend to be new with up-to-date facilities and greater access to new technology. In their initial growth period, they are usually operating below full capacity, giving a sense of space and being over-resourced. It can be very exciting to be part of a founding school’s journey as it is a real opportunity to shape its future direction.

4. Random holidays 

One of the quirks of working in an international school is that there are quite regular seemingly random holidays which fall during term. Religious holidays tend to move around because many of them are based on a lunar calendar, so no two years are the same. In addition, there are often a number of national holidays marking the founding of the nation or its independence. My particular favourite was ‘Flag Day’ in the UAE. These can bring both a welcome break and be hugely disruptive to the curriculum. At times these holidays clash with key points in the UK schools year (such as when the 5-day Eid break coincided with UK GCSE examinations) necessitating key staff to go ‘above and beyond’ and forego their time off; but for most staff they are a very welcome bonus.

Day to Day 

5. Range of cultural backgrounds of the pupils and more EFL 

It is not surprising that the pupils in international schools tend to come from a broad range of cultural backgrounds: it is not uncommon for schools to have a student population who, collectively, hold passports from more than 80 countries. However, what struck me going abroad for the first time was the complexity of some of the pupils’ backgrounds (e.g. Kuwaiti-Romanian; Thai-Swedish). This cultural, ethnic and religious diversity brings with it not only a richness of experience, but also some challenges for teachers. One important consideration is that the range of linguistic diversity can mean that a significant proportion in a given class are operating their second, third or even fourth language.

6. High pupil and staff turn-over 

International schools typically experience a relatively high level of pupil and staff turnover, as fixed contracts come to an end and families move to the next posting or back to the UK. There can also be significant movement of pupils between schools within the same city as pupils and teachers move either opt for a "more prestigious" school or look for a better financial deal..

7. Younger demographic of staff 

Staff in international schools tend to be younger than in the UK, with the ‘centre of gravity’ being somewhere in the early/mid-thirties. There are two factors that drive this. First, many teachers take the opportunity to travel and work abroad before they settle and have families; and, secondly, a large proportion of international schools are relatively new and therefore haven’t yet had the opportunity to grown into being a more senior staff room.

8. It’s a long way from home at times 

The teaching staff is predominantly made up of expatriates. A whole community living away from their home country support network has its own challenges. It simply isn’t possible to have the same level of regular face-to-face contact and Skype is, at best, a poor substitute. The most difficult aspect of being a long way from home is that there are times when expats miss out on key events in the lives of their family and friends such as weddings, christenings and even funerals.

9. Very limited number of supply teachers to provide cover 

Most countries do not have supply agencies, so schools must make their own arrangements to cover staff absence. Most schools will have lists of people on whom they can call, but, in many cases, teachers will have to rally round by merging classes or providing cover during their non-contact time.

10. Local challenges determined by geography, climate, and politics. 

Internationals schools certainly do the weather differently, be it ‘Avalanche Warnings’ in Switzerland, ‘Rain Days’ in Dubai, or ‘Typhoon Warnings’ in Hong Kong. In similar vein, crisis management goes way beyond the termly fire drill – with staff practising lock down and bomb evacuation procedures, not to mention measures to protect children from kidnapping attempts.

This article was published in Tes on 29/08/2019

The importance of building a network as an international leader

“No man is an island.” – John Donne’s observation that human beings need to be part of a community in order to thrive is never truer than when moving overseas into a position as a school leader. Regardless of your experience, moving to a new international context is always challenging. Not only do you have to come to terms with the foibles of the new school, but there is inevitably much that you need to learn about the regulatory framework in which you will be operating. 

‘No substitute for local knowledge’ 

You can spend hours on online research, but the reality is that there is no substitute for local knowledge. The most efficient way to get up to speed is to build a local network of more experienced colleagues and tap into their experience and expertise. 

Building a local network can be more difficult than it sounds. Most international schools are operating in a highly competitive fee-charging environment, where margins are tight and the recruitment of every pupil matters. 

 In this context it is difficult for school leaders to set aside their differences to collaborate or to help newcomers find their feet. Yet there is much to be gained from working together. 

Take Dubai for example. There are 58 British curriculum schools in Dubai, most are for-profit and the heavily regulated market is over-supplied. There is intense pressure on school principals to get high ratings in annual inspections and to grow pupil numbers. It is no surprise that the average tenure for a school principal is a little over two years. However, despite the fierce competition, there is a vibrant British Schools in Dubai (BSID) group of principals and headteachers who work together to navigate the changing regulatory landscape - “we don’t compete on compliance” is their mantra. The BSID is a valuable network for old hands and newcomers alike: the collective wisdom, understanding and knowledge of the group far surpassing that of any one of its individuals. 

If a local group of this nature doesn’t exist it makes sense for a school leader to meet with a few like-minded colleagues to start one. 

The importance of International networks: 

International schools have much in common with UK schools, but they are fundamentally different in a number of significant ways. Firstly, the children and students are usually drawn from a huge range of countries (JESS Dubai has some 82 different passports) and many are not native English speakers. Secondly, the teaching staff are expatriates, often living away from their home country support network. Also, staff and pupil turnover can be high; and there are other local challenges determined by geography, climate, politics and religion. 

It is hugely beneficial for school leaders to build a network with colleagues who have an understanding of these and similar challenges. The best way to do this is for schools to join a major international schools group such as the Council of British International Schools (COBIS) or the Federation of British International Schools in Asia (FOBISIA). These organisations curate the expertise of international school leaders and, though annual conferences and webinars, provide forums for them to share best practice and ideas. 

The importance of UK networks: 

One of the dangers of working overseas is that it is very easy to be become out of touch and dislocated from the issues which are driving education in the UK. This can have a negative impact on the school because UK debates ultimately impact on the international sector; and it can be detrimental for the school leader in terms of professional development and career progression. By maintaining close links with a UK-based network, international school leaders can remain part of the conversation and stay abreast of key developments. 

The importance of social media networks: 

Social media allows international school leaders to keep up to date, to play an active part in educational debates and to build a local and global network – indeed I have developed strong professional links with a number of colleagues whom I have never met in person. 

At a local level, Twitter and LinkedIn allow school leaders to build picture of their contexts by collating information from a range of sources, such as local media channels, government and regulatory agencies, good schools guides, relocation agents, other school leaders, and rival school feeds. 

At the same time, they are a forum for regional and global thought leaders and provide a platform for school leaders to publish their ideas and be part of the conversation. Social media is perhaps the most effective way for school leaders to promote their schools and to tap into a network of like-minded school leaders. 

Networks – the antidote to “it’s lonely at the top.” 

There are times when all school leaders feel isolated – even lonely. It goes with the territory. However, that isolation and loneliness can be magnified when working overseas. Here it is more important than ever that school leaders develop a strong professional network to whom they can turn for support and advice.

This article was published in Tes 24/07/2019

Horses pulling Automobiles: The Impact of AI on Education

Cars were forbidden in the town of Nantucket, Massachusetts, until 1918 – some 25 years after the Duryea brothers set up the first car manufacturing company in America. The story goes that, during this time, Clinton Folger, the Island’s postman, towed his "gasoline buggy" to the state highway so that he could then drive to Siasconset on the other side of Nantucket Island to deliver the mail. The picture of the horse-drawn automobile is an apt metaphor for what is happening with Artificial Intelligence in Education today. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) learning platforms began to be launched at the primary and secondary education market a little over a year ago. We are still at the pioneering stage where the early adopters are trialing products, suggesting improvements and trying to evaluate their impact on teaching and learning. 

It would be wrong to see AI learning platforms simply as the next in a long-line of new technologies which have been harnessed to enhance what we are doing in the classroom, although there is little doubt that they can do this. AI is likely to transform nearly every industry; indeed, it will change society as a whole. It goes without saying that it has the potential to disrupt education. To understand the drivers behind this disruptive potential of AI we need to consider Education from a global perspective. 

Education is very big business. According to IBIS Capital [Global EdTech Industry Report 2016], education was $5 trillion industry globally in 2014 and is growing at $600 billion a year. However, only 2% of it is digitised – education as an industry is a ‘late adopter’ at best. So, EdTech is increasingly being seen as a ripe market for investors. Three factors make it very attractive: the importance and cost of education to Governments and parents; the global teacher shortage and the unsustainability of the present model of one teacher to 20-30 students; and the abundant scope for new markets (there are currently 263m children in the world not in education). Thus, the Holy Grail of EdTech is an effective AI platform that will solve these problems in a scalable and affordable way by providing a personalised learning experience with minimal teacher input. There is scope here to be the ‘Amazon of Education’ - no wonder the Venture Capitalists are turning their attention to EdTech.

To date, the AI platforms which have been launched are automating and enhancing aspects of the teaching and learning process. Typically, they conduct a base-line test, they introduce relevant content, which they then test, and using adaptive algorithms provide personalised feedback to the learner, their parents and the teacher. This is helpful but it not really embracing the full transformatory power of AI. In short, we are using AI in education to achieve C20 educational outcomes. It is rather like the situation faced by the postman of Nantucket: we have invented the automobile, but we are being forced by the regulators to pull it along with a horse because it doesn’t fit with their outdated view of the world. There is huge latent potential in the way in we AI is being developed that will change radically the educational landscape globally and in the UK. 

Teacher-Pupil contact time is the most precious resource that schools have. This is particularly true of specialist teacher time (e.g. suitably qualified Physics teachers) which is already a scarce resource. Looking ahead five to ten years, AI learning platforms will not replace teachers, but they will change what teachers do, especially in secondary schools as new technologies, including AI, allow schools to make the most of the limited teacher time available. Looking at things globally, in this Brave New World, the quality of the education available will be driven by cost; and the amount and nature of the human contact time available will determine the price-point. 

As Clayton Christensen has argued, disruptive technologies get their foothold in new and emerging markets and then gradually work their way into the mainstream. On this basis it is possible to predict how AI will transform education. AI learning platforms will have their greatest impact in markets where there currently there is no education available. Budget Secondary Education will not have face-to-face contact with qualified teachers but will be delivered totally through online courses on learning platforms. This is not a form of schooling that is recognisable to western educationalists, but for many young people around the world this will be better than the present situation of receiving no education at all. Moving up to Mid-Range Secondary Education, this will be delivered through blended learning programmes which combine AI learning platforms, subject specialist teaching via Virtual-Reality conferencing, and some face-to-face contact with teachers in a bricks-and-mortar environment. The US Public School system is in the vanguard of this (for an overview see Keeping Pace with K-12 Digital Learning Reports). However, to date, there has been little appetite for adopting this model in the UK as was witnessed when counsellors rejected the plans to use Blended Learning at the Ark Pioneer Academy in Barnet (see Tes 30/01/2017). Finally, it will only be in top fee-paying private schools and in the state sector in the wealthiest countries of the world that Premium Secondary Education that will be delivered by specialist teachers in classrooms. Face-to-face teaching in a class of 20-30 will be a luxury (indeed from a global perspective, it already is). Here AI platforms will enhance and augment the learning process. 

Given the level of investment by the private sector into EdTech, it is clear that AI in Education is here to stay and the days of the Horse-drawn Automobile are coming to an end. So how best to prepare for the future? Perhaps the most important thing that educationalists can do at this time is inform themselves as to how AI works and to join the debate about what constitutes the ethical use of AI in education before it’s too late.

This article was published in Tes as 'Teaching's use of AI is like a horse-drawn automobile' 16/05/2019

Seven ways to help new staff settle at your international school

Most international schools need to recruit between 10% and 25% of their staff each year. They rely on being able to attract talented individuals to move to a new country or to move abroad for the first time. Given that the prospect of relocating can be very daunting, a school which develops a reputation for having effective structures in place to support these teachers will have an advantage in what is an increasingly competitive international recruitment market. Here’s seven ways in which international schools can build an effective induction programme to support staff moving abroad. 

1. Guiding new staff through the red tape 
   The induction process for teachers moving to work abroad usually starts months before the adventure begins. There is a certain amount of paperwork that is much easier to do whilst still in the UK, such as getting a local Police Clearance or producing attested copies of Degree and Teaching Qualification Certificates and, where relevant, Marriage Certificates. Given that most teachers haven’t even heard of ‘attestation’ let alone how to complete this complex process, it is important that schools have a strong (and patient) HR team who will put new joiners at ease by guiding them through what they need to do in a timely manner. 
2. Connect new staff through Social Media
   Teachers who are moving abroad can feel quite distant and isolated from the school community they are joining. One way to overcome this is to connect those joining the school in September via Social Media. For example, at JESS the HR Department run a ‘JESS New Starters’ Facebook group which allows the new cohort to get to know each other, to ask questions and, which, over time, has become a repository of FAQs. The group builds a sense of camaraderie so that when they all finally meet at the ‘New Staff Social’, they already know each other. 
3. Relocation Advice 
   One of the most difficult decisions for someone moving abroad is to work out what items they need to take out to the new country. The temptation is to ship too much out of a fear that it won’t be available or will be too expensive abroad. Rather than reinventing the wheel, school HR teams can help by pointing new staff to local online forums and networks (such as ExpatWoman.com). 
4. Meet and Greet 
   The most seasoned traveller will tell you that arriving in a new country knowing that this is now ‘home’ is a totally different experience to going on holiday. It can be an emotional time and a familiar face can be most welcome. It is common practice for members of the school’s senior management team to meet new staff at the airport and to ensure that they are settled into their accommodation, which is usually provided or arranged by the school in the first instance. 
5. Teacher Buddy 
   Schools often allocate new staff ‘teacher buddies’ in the summer term prior to the ‘big move’. This gives an important point of contact for the new teacher, who can help the new staff member both before their arrival and to settle into the school and the expat community.  
6. Living in Limbo 
   It usually takes a number of weeks for Visa and Residency paperwork to be in place. During this time, it can be difficult to buy a car, lease an apartment, get insurance and set up a mobile phone account. A good HR team provide support by advising new teachers on what they need to put in place for this transitional time. (In practice new teachers usually need to take the same steps that would were they to be visiting the country as a tourist.) One of the most practical things that a school can do is to help new staff with WIFI in these early days, for example by lending 4G dongles to new staff. 
7. Introduction into Local Laws and Customs 
   One of the most important parts of new staff induction in an international context is to provide some guidance on local laws and customs. It is vital that ex pat staff understand the expected norms of behaviour when in public, especially at times of key religious and national festivals. For example, there are a range of attitudes in the Middle East around dress code, which not only vary from country to country but also from context (the street, the shopping Mall, the Government building, the beach). It is much better that schools take the time to run sessions on local expectations, than their new staff learn what is and what is not acceptable the hard way. Some schools take the process of induction to the next level by providing classes in the local language to facilitate this process. 

First impressions count, and that applies as much to schools as it does to teachers; so, HR Departments are very much in the front-line when it comes to recruitment and the on-boarding of staff. In the highly competitive world of teacher recruitment, a good HR team who communicates well and puts candidates at their ease is an enormous asset that can make the difference between securing and losing the top applicant. The HR team’s work is not over once the preferred candidate has accepted the post: HR’s role in the induction process is crucial in ensuring that new staff settle and quickly find their stride in the school. This is true of all schools, but the challenges facing HR teams in International schools are even greater as they play a crucial, guiding role in helping staff and their families through the process of moving abroad and finding their feet in what is often a strange, new country.

This article was published in Tes 12/06/2019

How to make your international school appeal to candidates

As the number of English-medium International schools increases around the world, the market to recruit the limited pool of native English-speaking teachers who want to work abroad has become highly competitive. International schools no longer can rely on simply placing an advertisement in Tes to attract an employable shortlist. It is a buyers’ market and schools need to sell themselves to candidates. This article looks at eight ways beyond salary and benefits packages where schools can stand out from the crowd. 

There is something attractive about experiencing exotic cultures and seeing new places, so it is not surprising that one of the major reasons why people look to teach abroad is that they want to travel and explore the world. However, alongside this Wanderlust, there is often an underlying concern that the price of the adventure is a damaged career which will remove the option to return home, should the desire or need arise. Schools need to recognise and harness these emotional drivers in a systematic way if they are to attract top international talent. 

1. Sell your location: One of the unique features of International recruitment is that schools have to sell both the organisation and the city - clearly this is easier for some than others (Dubai v Chongqing). Schools need to paint a picture in the recruitment pack of what it is like to live in the particular region. This need not be an onerous task - local tourist guides can provide suitable copy. 
2. Promote your training and development opportunities: A common question asked by teachers moving abroad is whether or not they will have similar training opportunities to those available in the UK. Millennial teachers are particularly interested in the opportunities for professional and personal development. Most international schools provide routine INSET, but schools can set themselves apart by providing access to portable formal qualifications and training that is recognised in the UK, such as NQT support and the NPQML or NPQH. 
3. Establish the school brand within the region and around the world. Schools that have established reputations within a region or globally are likely to be more attractive to talented teachers. Effective ways of putting a school on the educational map include playing an active role in international schools’ organisations (such as HMC, COBIS and FOBISIA) and applying for (and winning!) international schools’ awards. 
4. Maintain close links with the UK It is all too easy for an international school to sit comfortably and distance itself from the issues which are driving education in the UK. This is a huge mistake. It is important for international schools to remain part of the conversation. Schools should encourage contributions to contemporary debates about educational developments in the UK on social media, by writing articles and by speaking at conferences. 
5. Promote what your staff are doing: Schools that provide opportunities for teachers to share what they are doing and to develop their professional reputation are hugely attractive to prospective candidates. For example, hosting a regional ‘Educational Summit’ can reap great benefits: talented staff have a platform to share their expertise; the school will be seen as a centre of excellence leading the debate; and it will be, in effect, a prospective staff Open Day by drawing in hundreds of teachers into the school. 
6. Develop an International Presence on Social Media Some teachers are happy working in a silo – their classroom is their castle and they are comfortable there. However, increasingly there is a generation of teachers, who have grown up in a world of social media, who want to network with like-minded colleagues and share what they are doing professionally. An effective social media strategy is a cost-effective way of promoting the school both at home and around the world, at the same time as providing an important platform where teachers can connect and gain recognition from their peers. 
7. Use your website: International school websites typically are designed to recruit pupils and to provide information to parents. Few schools consider their potential to be a shop window for recruiting staff – this is to miss a real opportunity. Consider developing a section of your website on ‘Working at Our School’ which includes sample videos of staff talking about what it is like to be part of the school community; and a blog which pulls together contributions to the regional and international educational debates. 
8. Set up a LinkedIn School Past and Present Employees Group. Any school that can establish a professional network of influential and successful past and present employees will be attractive. Such a group would provide evidence of the sort of roles former employees went on to do and shows that the school is sort of institution that is genuinely interested in developing its staff even after they have moved on to their next challenge. 

The quality of teachers determines the quality of a school. One of the most important factors that distinguishes great international schools from their competitors is the ability to recruit and retain talent. International schools would be well advised to put as much effort into building their ‘Employer Brand’ for staff recruitment as they do marketing their ‘School Brand’ to attract students.

This article was published in Tes on 12/06/2019

The State of Independence: the International Challenge

This article discusses the international challenge of educating the 263 million children in the world who are not in education and the part that both digital technologies and profit-making educational providers are likely to play in meeting this challenge. 

The International Challenge 

The past ten years have seen a rapid expansion in British curriculum education overseas. According to International Schools Consultancy (ISC Research), there are 5.15 million pupils studying at more than 9,854 English medium international schools around the world, of these more than 3,586 are British schools. In this time UK Independent schools have begun to establish overseas campuses which have focused on educating the rising middle classes. 

Despite this rapid growth, there is still a huge shortfall in the provision of schooling from a global perspective. Arguably, the greatest challenge facing education today is that there are an estimated 263 million children who are not in education (UNESCO Institute of Statistics Fact Sheet October 2016, No.39). Furthermore, the same report estimates that the world will need 3.3 million more primary school teachers and 16.7 million more secondary teachers by 2030 to meet future demand. 

Two important conclusions can be drawn from these projections. First, that the not-for-profit sector is not equipped to meet this level of demand; and, secondly, the traditional model of one teacher taking a class of 20-30 pupils is unsustainable – it is a luxury form of education which most developing societies cannot afford or achieve. 

Not-for-profit and For-profit Education 

Education in the West has traditionally been provided on a not-for-profit basis either by governments for state education; or, as in the case of most of the UK independent sector, by charitable organisations. State education provided by profit-making commercial companies is not common or popular in the West and is alien to the British psyche: a recent survey of parents by the Varkey Foundation found that UK parents are the least likely of parents surveyed in 29 countries to approve of private companies providing state-funded schools. Conversely, for-profit education is the norm in the aspirational developing world, so it is no surprise that Indian parents are the most likely to approve of private company involvement in education. 

Experience in Dubai has shown that the not-for-profit sector was not equipped to cope with the rapid increase in demand for expatriate school places as the city grew in population. Consequently, the for-profit sector stepped in, adopting a segmented approach to the Dubai market place. The larger for-profit schools’ groups offer parents a choice of price points ranging from ‘premium’ to ‘budget’ The level of provision, which equates with the fees payable, are differentiated by class size, the provision of on-site facilities, the amount of contact time, and the calibre and experience of the teachers. The Dubai for-profit sector has developed scalable models which benefit from economies of scale and from centralised administrative and training functions. 

For-profit schools’ groups, such as GEMS education, already see the developing world as a potential market and have begun to transfer the expertise gained from establishing schools in the Middle East to building and running schools on an ‘affordable model’ in India, South Asia and Africa. These firms have real potential to have a significant impact on the global demand for education over the coming years. 

Alternative Models for Schooling – Commercial Investment in Online Learning 

The sheer scale of the challenge of educating the hundreds of millions of children presently not in school, combined with the likely acute teacher shortage means that we need to find alternative models which extend the impact of a single teacher beyond the 20-30 students who are in their physical classroom. It is clear that digital technologies have the potential to play an important role to play in alleviating this pressure. 

Global education is very big business - it was a $5 trillion industry in 2014 and is growing by about $600 billion a year. It is no surprise that commercial investors are lining up to step in to offer solutions that will harness technologies to drive the education system of the mid-twenty-first century. The investment by these firms means that online learning programmes are becoming increasingly sophisticated. They promise to do tasks currently performed by teachers by offering personalised learning experiences at a fraction of the present cost. Typically, the program ‘teaches’ a topic (through online videos and interactive exercises); then uses low-stakes testing to assess the student’s knowledge and understanding, highlighting areas of strengths and weakness; before recommending which courses or units to do next. 

One of the great advantages of digital technologies over traditional industrial models is that they provide a cost-effective model for making education available on a huge scale. Once a digital lesson has been produced, the marginal cost of distributing it around the world approaches zero. 

Ten years ago, it was unthinkable that mobile phones would transform local economies in Africa , yet today it is a reality. Is it unreasonable to suggest that in ten years’ time a large proportion of those hundreds of millions of children who currently are not in school, would have access to a basic education through the internet?

This article was published in The State of Independence Eds. David James and Jane Lunnon

“What is it about your nasal cavity that you think will help you get this job?”

First impressions count in interviews, don’t they? Most people make an extra effort with how they dress, fix their hair and do their make-up. We all know that strong posture, firm (but not-too-firm) handshake and eye-contact are the order of the day. But why does this all go out of the window when it comes to interviews on Skype?
In the dozen or so interviews which I have conducted in the past fortnight, I have looked up several noses, looked down on bald patches, spoken to cut-off heads and even been introduced to a cat! Furthermore, it’s difficult to make a connection when candidates are checking out how they look on screen or look as if they are speaking to someone over my left shoulder.
 So, given that Skype interviews are becoming increasingly common - here’s a few dos and don’ts:

1. Take some time to adjust the height of the camera. Make sure that the screen and camera is at eye-level when you’re sitting down. 
2. Practise speaking into the camera. Anyone who has done media training knows that the key to coming across as authentic on camera is ‘to look through the lens’. (When I’m doing a Skype interview, I have the camera on a stand just in front of the screen so that when I’m looking at the interviewer’s eyes on screen, I am looking through camera.) 
3. Don’t sit too close to the camera. There is no reason to sit right at your desk, push back a metre or so – there is less of a sense of invading each other’s space and it makes the whole experience less intense. 
4. Invest in an Extension Microphone. A USB extension microphone is very cheap – it will improve the sound quality and will allow you to sit further away from the camera. Don’t forget to test the sound levels. 
5. Think about what’s behind you. A good background can make a positive impression, a busy or untidy one can be a distraction. 
6. Avoid backlighting. The angelic halo tends to get in the way. 
7. Never wear a headset. Do I really need to explain why? 
8. Take time to prepare for the Interview. There’s an element of ritual about face-to-face interviews that prepares candidate for the interview (getting dressed, travel to the school, checking in with Reception, waiting for the interview). Much of this can be lost when you are fitting in a quick interview between lessons or between breakfast and heading to school. Try to arrange the Skype at a time when you have the opportunity to prepare physically and mentally.
9. Don’t put Post-its around the screen – you wouldn’t have notes at a face-to-face interview, so why do people think that it’s acceptable on Skype? It’s so obvious and shows a lack of confidence.
   Oh, and finally, 
10. Make sure that you’re fully dressed! You never know what might happen during the call!

This article was published in Tes 08/02/2019 as '10 steps to acing a Skype job interview'

Mobile Phones in Schools - Letter to the Times

Sir
Schools can only do so much in the battle to limit the amount of time that young people spend on mobile phones (‘Ban mobile phone use in schools’ 2nd February 2019). It is parents, not schools, who are responsible for purchasing mobile phones, and, whilst one can accept that children may need to carry a mobile phone as part of their personal safety, there is no need for this to be a smartphone which facilitates full, unfiltered web and social media access. In contrast, where schools allow or supply tablet devices or laptops for educational purposes, responsible institutions usually provide full web-filtering and a device management system that allows the teacher to monitor and take control of the pupil’s tablet.
Yours faithfully,
Mark S. Steed
Director
JESS, Dubai

Published 5th February

Growth Headset? The Use of VR and AR in Schools

The lift doors closed, and I ascended to the 45th floor. When they opened again, it was not to the ubiquitous corridor, but to a plank extending out from the building. It was a test: did I have the nerve to walk out there? I was experiencing acute anxiety and the inevitable vertigo associated with looking down from a skyscraper. I froze – I could not leave the safety of the lift. I was simply terrified. I had failed. So I removed the headset.

The Power of VR

It was at this point that I realised the power of Virtual Reality. Part of my brain knew that I was in the safety of a classroom room in the Sixth form block at my school and that the plank, in reality, was an expanse of carpet extending in front of me. Despite knowing that I was in no immediate danger, I was terrified. My senses had been hijacked by Virtual Reality and some primal sense of survival deep inside me had kicked in and try as I might I could not overcome it. The ‘Plank Experience’ has been part of our IB Diploma Psychology unit on fear and anxiety for a couple of years now. It is an extraordinary way of approaching the topic. It is one of many examples of how Virtual Reality is transforming the classroom experience of pupils.

Trips in VR

At a very basic level, Virtual Reality gives almost limitless scope for teachers to take pupils on trips anywhere in the world without leaving the grounds. A class can visit China and experience what it is like to walk up and down the crumbling steps of the Great Wall, they can take a stroll along Wall Street, gasp at the view from the top of the Burj Khalifa, or even dive the Great Barrier Reef. In the past six months, Year 7 went to Africa, Year 3 have been to the Pyramids, Year 4 visited the Vikings, Year 5 went to Ancient Greece and Year 1 even travelled into Space. All these ‘school trips’ are available in the classroom within a matter of minutes – a further bonus is that there’s no disruption to the curriculum, no additional paperwork, no buses to order, and the hi-vis jackets can stay in the cupboard. 

Over the past twenty years, we have seen videos, DVDs, classroom projectors, interactive whiteboards, 3D projectors and computer games recruited to improve the learning experience of pupils. So, is Virtual Reality just the latest in that long line of new technologies which teachers harnessed in the service of education? Is it just another gimmick to grab the attention of a new generation? It is understandable that teachers and school leaders are sceptical.

Research-backed Pedagogy

We know that each invention that is deployed in schools requires the development of an effective pedagogy which enables teachers to get the most out of the new technology. This, in turn, poses several important questions about the value and effectiveness of the new technology in promoting learning, understanding, empathy and in improving learning outcomes. With the luxury of hindsight, too many schools deployed new technologies without really knowing what they were doing or why they were doing it. History teaches us that effective implementation is facilitated by twin drivers of collaboration and research. With this in mind, the Independent Schools Council Digital Strategy Group launched an action research project last spring. The study was managed by Ian Phillips, Assistant Headteacher at Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School (@IanHabs) and involved teachers and pupils from seven schools completing questionnaires and interviews on the impact of the introduction of Virtual Reality into the classroom. 

The results of the study were published in November as Growth Headset: Exploring the use of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality in Schools written by Dr James Mannion (@RethinkingJames). The most common theme to emerge from the research was that Virtual Reality technology can be used to facilitate learning in two ways: first, through visualisation and seeing in 3-D; and, secondly, by providing an interactive and more immersive learning environment which makes topics more memorable compared to textbooks. Whilst some teachers in the study expressed concerns about the logistics of using Virtual Reality in the classroom, the majority of students and teachers were able to share examples of where they felt using Virtual Reality had had a positive impact on learning, or where it is likely to have a positive impact on learning in the future. Thus, the Growth Headset report provides some initial insight into how Virtual Reality might be deployed in schools and seeks to answer some of the important questions about the place that this technology might play in schools over the coming years.

The verdict

The use of Virtual Reality in the classroom is still in its infancy but there are already signs that this is a much more powerful technology than its more passive predecessors. The lessons from the pioneers is that VR is not just another way of conveying information, but there is something distinctively powerful about the fact that the viewer is in control. This makes the experience active and so immersive that they evoke an emotional as well as a rational response. 

Virtual Reality allows the teacher to put a young person into the shoes of another person. Early adopters are divided over whether or not Virtual Reality is what Chris Milk in his TED Talk describes as the ‘ultimate empathy machine’ . Some believe that Virtual Reality has huge potential to foster greater awareness of what it is like to be a refugee or live with a disability; and that its contribution to the educational armoury will be as an effective tool for teaching empathy, a trait so often lacking in teenagers. However, some respondents in the ISC Research project expressed scepticism, as can be seen in the following exchange: 

 I’ve heard a lot of positive things about the creation of empathy, and I am very sceptical about that… [they say] it's a wonderful experience to be able to teach students to be empathetic like what's it like to live in a slum. And I feel that they just can't be right because it's a bit like giving someone a seat and saying “this is what it's like to not be able to use your legs”, or “this is what it feels like to not be able to hear”. The students will never be able to know that because that's something that's really personal and I think that we dumb down the experience by suggesting that in any way we can replicate it. It might give an insight, but it doesn't create empathy in and of itself. 

Best Practice

Going forward, we need to develop policies and protocols to disseminate best practice. For example, at JESS, we have found (the hard way) that primary children are best using Virtual Reality headsets sitting down and that that they hold the viewer to their eyes, rather than being strapped on, so that they can disengage from the experience more easily. Furthermore, as my lift experience illustrates, Virtual Reality is a very powerful tool which can elicit a whole range of emotional responses from the participants and thus needs to be used with care. Teachers need to be sensitive and alert to the potential that the experience of ‘going over the top’ from a First World War trench might be so real that it is traumatic. Lessons need to be planned so that there is time to allow children to talk about their experiences and to ‘decompress’ before heading off to their next lesson. 

One of the determining factors in whether or not Virtual Reality has an impact on wider schooling will be the extent to which industry can supply a broad range of high-quality content that starts with the curriculum rather than teachers having to appropriate apps for use in the classroom. As with so many new technologies, educational priorities must drive the technological ones. Without this, it is likely that the adoption of Virtual Reality in schools remains the preserve of a few schools with dedicated enthusiasts. 

• The ISC Digital Strategy report can be downloaded from http://iscdigital.co.uk/growth-headset-the-report/ 
• Videos of most of the VR projects at JESS, Dubai, can be found on the JESS Digital YouTube Channel 

This article was published in Tes on 29/01/2019 as Virtual reality: not the edu-fad it is made out to be?

A Short Guide to Overseas Teaching Contracts

As more teachers consider a time working abroad, here's a simple guide to how teaching contracts work in international schools and some insights into what to look for before signing on the dotted line . . . . 

1. Fixed Term Contracts are the norm – most international schools offer an initial contract of two years which can be renewed either annually or every two years. But be aware that there is not the same job security overseas as there is the UK, although in some countries ex-pats do accrue more employment rights after a period of time (often 5 years). It is usual for there to be a number penalties if the teacher breaks contract by not completing the agreed period, such as a penalty of a month’s salary and the right to any end of service benefits. 
2. Beware the difference between “Overseas” and “Local” Contracts. “Overseas Contracts” are contracts where the teacher gets a salary and also receives a benefits package (flights, medical, housing etc. – see below); whereas teachers on a “Local Contract” will only get the salary. Local contracts are a way in which schools can save money by employing the spouse of someone who is working in the country who has a full overseas package. Teachers should make sure that they are clear about the nature of the terms of the job offer before they sign a contract.
3. How does Sponsorship work? Many countries overseas have a requirement that the employee has to be sponsored in order to get a residency or work visa. The School will usually sponsor teachers, unless they are sponsored by their spouse (as in the case of a local contract). Any teacher who has a spouse or children should check whether the school will sponsor their family or whether the teacher will be responsible for them, which can be an additional cost. 
4. Is there a Pension? What are the End of Service Benefits? Teachers working in the UK benefit from a pension scheme to which both the teacher and the school contribute - this is not the case overseas. Instead, teachers are paid a “gratuity” or lump sum on completing their contract (some countries pay this at the end of each contract, some pay it at the end of service). Typically, the gratuity is worth 3 weeks or a month’s salary for each year of service. Beware that this is usually only calculated on basic salary and not on any bonuses or other allowances.
5. What should I look for in a Benefits Package? There are five key benefits which any teacher moving overseas should consider. 
   1) Medical Insurance – Coming from a country where private medicine is a luxury, it is easy to forget that ex-pats are responsible for putting their own medical insurance in place. Schools will usually pay for this – indeed in many countries it is a requirement for employees to provide a basic level of cover. However, it is worth new teachers getting details of the insurance provision and ensuring that this is adequate. Anyone moving abroad with a family should check that the school’s medical provision for dependants is sufficient. 
   2) Accommodation Allowance – Some schools will provide school accommodation, at least for the first year of contract. Thereafter many offer an “Accommodation Allowance” - It is worth doing some research into what level of accommodation the housing allowance can afford. 
   3) School fees for Children – Unlike the UK, most educational systems overseas are fee-paying and the costs can be quite considerable. Most international schools give either a significant discount (75%+) or up to two free places for children of teachers in the school. Anyone moving abroad with a family should do the sums before they sign a contract. 
   4) Flight Allowances - It is usual for international schools to pay for the flight out at the start of the contract and the flight home at the end. Beware that, in many countries, the return flight will not be paid if the teacher breaks contract or moves to a different school in the same country. Furthermore, most schools will provide an annual flight allowance to allow the teacher to return home each summer. 
   5) Relocation allowance. Moving overseas can be very expensive. In addition to flights, some schools will provide an allowance for shipping personal items and even furniture. The old adage “time spent in reconnaissance is rarely wasted” is ever true. Although some international schools are beacons of best practice, it is a world with less regulation, and sharp practice is not uncommon. For example, some will increase bonuses and allowances in order to keep the basic salary low, in order to pay out a reduced gratuity at the end of service. 

Anyone looking to move abroad should do his/her “due diligence”: find out about the country and research the school. Teachers heading to British curriculum schools overseas would be well advised to move to schools which are in COBIS membership and have a British Schools Overseas (BSO) Inspection report.

This article was published in Tes 'What you need to know about overseas teaching contracts ' 26/01/2019

Some tips on how to get a job in a British School Overseas.

January is the time when teachers in International schools need to decide whether or not to extend their contracts and that’s the reason why this week’s Tes is flooded with advertisements for international school posts for a September start. Here's some insights into the questions that International schools will be asking themselves when shortlisting and interviewing.

1. ‘Will this candidate cope with the demands of living and working abroad?’ There is little doubt that an overseas posting has additional challenges to working in, say, a different part of the UK. There are significant relocation costs for schools in recruiting a teacher from the UK, so schools will want to be confident that the candidate will complete the (typical) initial two-year contract and not leave the school in the lurch after the first month. Candidates need to show that they are able to cope with living at a significant distance from family and friends. Interviewers undoubtedly find it reassuring when candidates have lived or worked abroad, even if it is only for a few months on a gap year. It can also be helpful if the candidate has some sort of local support network in the form of friends or family working in the same city as the international school. 
2. ‘Does the candidate know what the city/country is like?’ There is always an element of a leap of faith about moving abroad, but interviewers will want to be satisfied that candidates have done their homework and have some idea of the context to which they are applying. It is undoubtedly an advantage to have visited the city/country even on holiday. Indeed, anyone thinking of moving abroad might want to invest in their relocation project by planning holidays around visiting potential work locations. 
3. ‘Is the candidate sensitive to cultural differences?’ Anyone living and working abroad needs to be comfortable with having respect for local customs and traditions. This is particularly important in parts of the Middle East where, for example, local attitudes to dress code and to alcohol can be very different to those in the UK. Furthermore, most international schools have culturally diverse student population and teachers need to be able to sensitive to this in the classroom.
4. ‘Does the candidate have experience of teaching students for whom English is not a first language?’ Whilst teaching in English is the norm in International schools it is very common for a majority of students to be working in a second language. This brings additional challenges for teachers and, whilst schools are not looking for every teacher to be TESOL trained, schools are attracted to teachers who have experience of working with EAL students.
5. ‘How much relevant experience does the candidate have?’ There are mechanisms for supporting and ratifying Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs) in British schools overseas, however most international schools prefer to appoint teachers with at least 2- or 3-years relevant experience. Any NQTs applying should abroad check the level of support that their chosen international school can provide before accepting the post.

A version of this article was published by Tes on 08/01/2019 Teaching abroad: five questions you need to consider 

UK Education PLC simply cannot complete in a Global Marketplace.

Teacher recruitment is top of the agenda for the senior leadership teams in most schools in the UK, but what hasn't been recognised in the debates in the UK media is that Britain is not alone in struggling to find suitably qualified school leaders and teachers to stand in front of classes. There is a worldwide teacher recruitment crisis at every level from classroom teachers through to school Principals: middle and senior leaders are in short supply, and specialist teachers in STEM subjects are at a premium.

Despite all the chest-beating depression about the state of UK education at home, the British education system is held in the highest esteem around the world. UK education is one of the great British exports with the number of English medium K12 International schools growing from 2,584 schools in 2000, to 9,626 in 2018 (up 372% – source ISC Research, May 2018).

UK trained teachers are increasingly in demand and short supply around the world. 

The UK Government seems slow on the uptake that the teacher recruitment crisis is a global rather than a local challenge and are yet to recognise that it is not well placed to complete with the packages on offer around the world. Britain immigration policies make it difficult for talented teachers around the world to move to the UK; and the levels of taxation and the cost of living mean that teachers’ salaries in the UK mean that it is too expensive. There simply are better options out there. Let me illustrate: A UK teacher on U3 earns £40,570 in England and Wales (£48,244 in Inner London); even on U3 with a maximum TLR1 (£13,288) a teacher earns £53,858 (£61,532 in Inner London). After tax, this means that in Inner London a U3 teacher is taking home £35,997.40 per annum and a colleague on U3 + TLR1 is earning £43,704.44 p.a. In contrast, equivalent classroom teachers in Dubai can be on a package of over AED 400,000 p.a., which is over £80,000 p.a. tax free. The living costs in Dubai are comparable to that of living in London, and the lifestyle is, arguably, significantly better. The contrast is even greater in senior leadership roles. Turning further East, salaries are even better with schools in Hong Kong and mainland China are offering even better annual packages.

Teaching abroad has become much more normal as commercial school chains (such as Nord Anglia and GEMS) have spread their reach, and as UK Independent Schools have established franchise schools around the world (e.g. Dulwich International, Harrow International). Today, working overseas, far from being seen as a hardship posting, increasingly is considered a desirable career move. These factors have meant that working abroad has never been a more attractive career step for teachers. Some estimates but a figure of 15,000 on the number of teachers leaving each year to teach outside the UK. As yet, not much has been done to persuade teachers to stay. And the problem is only going to get worse. 

The rapid expansion of UK curriculum schools around the world is set to continue and this means that British curriculum international schools will be looking to recruit an estimated 180,974 more staff within the next 5 years and 428,963 staff within the next ten [ISC Research Data – May 2018]. This expansion will create even more opportunities for British teachers abroad . . . and place an even greater strain on teacher recruitment and retention in the UK.

A version of this article appeared in the Tes 13/11/2018 Double your money abroad: why the recruitment crisis is a global issue.

#FutureSchool: How technology can help us educate the 263m children in the world who currently are not in education

The Challenge 

The greatest challenge in facing global education today is that there are an estimated 263 million children who are not in education (UNESCO Institute of Statistics Fact Sheet October 2016, No.39). Furthermore, the same report estimates that the world will need 3.3 million more primary school teachers and 5.1 million more lower secondary teachers by 2030 to meet future demand. 

The traditional model of one teacher taking a class of 20-30 pupils is unsustainable. 

What is clear from these projections that the traditional model of one teacher taking a class of 20-30 pupils is unsustainable – it is a luxury form of education which most societies cannot afford. We need to look for alternatives and, if we are to be successful, technology undoubtedly will have to have a large part to play. 

How Technology can make education more widely available 

Zero Marginal Cost 

One of the great advantages of digital technologies over traditional industrial models is that as a product becomes more widely available the marginal cost of producing additional units approaches zero. Compare, if you will, the costs associated with producing and distributing a print edition of a daily newspaper and a digital edition. For both formats there are a number of fixed costs (e.g. the salaries of the journalistic staff, the cost of running their offices etc.) However, for the print edition there are many more variable costs (e.g. more rolls of paper will be required to print more newspapers) which do not exist for the digital version. For the print edition there will always be an additional marginal cost of producing an additional newspaper; but it makes next to no difference if the newspaper distributes one digital copy or one million copies. We can apply the same principle to education: once a digital lesson has been produced, the marginal cost of distributing it around the world is almost zero. 

Online Learning Platforms 

Online learning programmes are becoming increasingly sophisticated. These platforms are driven by intelligent systems which promise to offer personalised learning experiences. Typically, the program ‘teaches’ a topic (through online videos and interactive exercises); then uses low-stakes testing to assess the student’s knowledge and understanding, high-lighting areas of strengths and weakness; before recommending which courses or units to do next. These platforms are still at a formative stage but there is no doubt that they have potential to be the true disruptor of education. As with all disruptive technologies they will initially be established at the margins of the educational sector, but, in time they will become accepted into the mainstream. 

Blended Learning Programmes 

There is little doubt that most Governments around the world will be attracted by online learning platforms in order to reduce the overall cost of education and to address concerns about teacher shortages. However, it must be recognised that schools fill other important social functions: they provide significant child care, thus releasing parents to participate in the work-force; they are places of socialisation, where young people learn to interact with each other and to become good citizens; and they ensure that all children within the system reach a minimum standard of education. It is very difficult to see how an education system that is wholly online will fulfil these functions at scale.

Blended Learning Programmes combine online learning with ‘brick-and-mortar’ education where the student attends a physical school with teachers so that there is a coherent programme of study. This combination of a traditional school experience with online learning has real potential to be the best of both worlds: providing a more cost-effective form of education which is more personalised than the present model, whilst maintaining the important social functions that schools fulfil. 

Remote Teaching and Virtual Reality Teaching 

One of the great benefits of the Internet is that we are now able to connect with people around the world typically through video-conferencing apps such as Skype or FaceTime. Communication technologies may also be harnessed by schools to allow ‘Remote Teaching’ i.e. live school lessons that taught by a teacher video-conferencing into the classroom. The problem with this is that it is difficult for a remote teacher to engage the pupils. 

360 Degree Camera in French Lesson
Virtual Reality Teaching

At JESS, Dubai we are taking this idea to the next level. ‘Virtual Reality Teaching’ (VRT) has the potential to allow children in Calcutta to feel as if they are in a classroom at JESS, Dubai. Earlier this year, we conducted a “proof-of-concept” test of VRT aiming to give students an immersive experience of being in a classroom, rather than passively watching a video-conferencing screen. This involved putting a 360-degree camera in the second row of a classroom and running a live stream to a classroom next door where three students wearing VR headsets ‘participated virtually’ in the lesson. The experience was so real that the pupils found themselves putting up their hand to answer the teacher’s questions! (A video of the experiment is on the JESS Digital YouTube Channel.) We are confident that it is only a matter of time before students will be able to attend class at JESS remotely via VTC. 

Robots and Supporting Personalised Learning 

Technology is doing to have its greatest impact in personalised learning by making highly specialised support more widely available. A great example of this is the way in which robots are being used to deliver lessons in a way that promotes engagement in learners with Autism. The Robots4Autism project which has built Milo, a humanoid robot, can walk, talk and even model human facial expressions; and never gets frustrated or tired. Milo helps these learners improve their social and behavioural skills and thus to gain the confidence to succeed academically and socially. 

Final Remarks 

New technology has promised for the past thirty years that it will entirely transform education and I suspect that it will be a number of years before it delivers on that promise. However, there is huge potential here to get much closer to educating those 263m children who presently are not able to go to school.

This article was written for the Edarabia Network