If you’re looking for a teaching job abroad, you’ll soon hear a question come up again and again: should you hold out for a not-for-profit school? It’s a fair thing to wonder, but the answer might surprise you.
The Honest Truth
The vast majority of international schools are for-profit, and that’s not automatically a bad thing. Profit can fund great facilities, competitive packages, and steady growth. Meanwhile, not-for-profit schools can be poorly run, underfunded, or stuck in their ways. We’ve seen amazing schools and struggling schools in both camps. The only real difference is who owns them.
Look at Management, Not the Label
So instead of asking “Is this school for-profit?”, ask “How are teachers managed and supported?” That’s where you’ll discover what daily life will actually be like.
The interview is your chance to find out.
Try questions such as:
- What happens when a teacher marks a child’s work down, but fee-paying parents want top grades at all costs? How is that conflict handled?
- Does your school have a waiting list of children to get in? How are places prioritised? What kinds of children are not suited to your school? (Getting income from fees, schools without a waiting list might let in children who are not suited to the environment – poor behaviour, high SEN needs, poor English, etc)
- What’s the average international teacher tenure, and what percentage of international staff complete multiple contracts?
- What does professional development look like for a teacher like me? What can I expect in my first year?
Listen closely to the answers. A calm, specific response tells you leadership has thought it through. A vague reply, or a quick “we don’t have trouble keeping parents happy,” tells you something too.
Whether a school is owned by a company, a charity, a family or a board of governors, what matters is whether you’ll be respected, supported, and trusted to do your job with integrity and if the school’s ethos matches your own.
Not sure how to read between the lines? That’s where we come in. Register with Edvectus for free advice, guidance and recommendations.
