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Many school programs now run outside the classroom, and the skills required to lead them safely are very different from those needed inside. On the one hand, we have a highly structured and controlled environment with clear and consistent parameters around the nature of classroom activities and definitive timeframes on how long a teacher is responsible for the students and those activities. If something goes wrong, you can easily get help. Teachers are well trained and prepar

Recruitment in international schools is one of the sector's biggest budget pressures. Schools face annual costs for platform memberships, agency commissions, placement fees, branding campaigns, and job fairs, all of which continue to rise, but with no guarantee of return on investment. Whether you are running a not-for-profit, part of a global group, or leading a stand-alone school, these costs are significant and demand careful strategy. At the same time, competition for top

“We are thrilled to announce that we have joined the ... international school family's global network.” This proud announcement that marks a new chapter for a school is certainly familiar, and beneath the headlines, there is frequently a range of feelings, including anticipation for new possibilities and apprehension about what may happen next. Joining a larger school group presents questions and offers the possibility of collaboration and sharing expertise. What’s going to c

There’s a common perception that the finance team in an international school are the people sitting in their office saying “no” to every spending request that crosses their desk. In reality the purpose of the finance function is to help connect various departments across the school and make commercial sense of the information being shared and gathered. Evolution of the School Finance Role The role of a school finance leader has evolved from the back-office bean counter of yes

When schools face admissions difficulties, it can be tempting to look outward for solutions, such as investing in costly advertising campaigns or hiring outside agencies. While these approaches may bring short-term visibility, they can distract from what truly matters: building trust within the community by strengthening internal relationships and promoting key strengths. These are the strongest messages we can convey to prospective families.

In international schools, two departments often work in the background yet influence almost every part of community life: Communications and Technology. Individually, each department has enormous influence over how a school functions and is perceived. When we step back though, it becomes clear that their impact can reach far beyond those functions. Together, they hold untapped potential as strategic partners in shaping the future of schools.

Many international school leaders are unaware of the costs of teacher turnover. Knowing the dollar amounts can position education leaders to have conversations about teacher retention that aren’t reduced to complaints about pay or workload. To address turnover, leaders need to examine what they are losing, and where there are opportunities.

Introduction In the dynamic environment of education, the need for transparency, efficiency, and accountability in procurement is...

In education, the pace, the complexity of stakeholders, and the unique cultures are challenging. Schools are managing a far wider and more interconnected universe of risk than many outsiders (and even some insiders) appreciate. Unless risk management roles are formally defined and coordinated, fragmentation and vulnerabilities become inevitable. 

What if the key to keeping early career teachers in the profession wasn’t another expensive, top-down initiative that felt totally disconnected from the real teaching experience? What if it focused more on teachers, their relationships and human connection?

Deferred maintenance rarely shows up all at once. It isn’t a sudden collapse that makes headlines - it’s the slow drip of neglect over...

In many schools, critical information lives in too few places . It’s not intentional; it’s just how things have evolved. The brand...

How much are meetings costing you in real terms? Money, time and well being.

We’ve pulled together a list of podcasts on school operations, facilities, and maintenance. These podcasts are all about operations and facilities management. Some aren’t solely school focused, but they still offer valuable insights and ideas for school operations teams.

Entering a new school as the in-coming head or administrator can feel as if you are being flung onto a moving train.  You need to get...

The number one question a school needs to ask when engaging a vendor, entering into a partnership, or paying for a service, is what the...

A well designed 360 review gives leadership teams great insight and creates a strong, structured feedback loop. It’s often a key...

Plan your internal communications channels before school starts. Mapping out who needs what information, how often and through which...

Emergencies can happen without warning and international schools often face added complexity due to varying cultural expectations and...

Ask any school leader how many digital systems their staff use in a day, and you’re likely to get a long list: one for lesson planning,...