Burberry, Bentleys, Bovril and British teachers: What makes these exports so popular (and will it last?)

Designer jackets, swish cars and salty meat extract paste (ok not so sure about the Bovril). These are some of the products Britain has successfully exported around the globe. But another leading British export, in greater demand than ever before, is our teachers. In British international schools from Riyadh to Rome, British teachers continue to lead the way in global education. 

If part of the appeal of Burberry and Bentley is in their bespoke design and reliability, then much the same can be said of British teachers and the British curriculum. Eddie Liptrot, Superintendent of the International Schools Group in Saudi Arabia and chairman of British Schools in the Middle East, describes the British curriculum as the ‘gold standard’ of international education. He says, “The British education system is thriving internationally.” Indeed, a third of the estimated 8,600 International schools globally follow a British-based curriculum. 
 

It’s not difficult to see why there is demand for British teachers globally. English is the world’s primary second language, a lingua franca and language of business. Add to this the long list of prestigious Anglophone universities and it’s easy to see why parents wanting a strong education choose British international schools. 

Matt Russell, who taught at the British International School of Chicago, describes the advantage of being a British teacher “[Parents of pupils] were confident in my ability and seemed to rate the teaching in the British system more highly than that delivered in local schools”. Mark Thomas, principal of The British School of Guangzhou in China, agrees, “The British curriculum is recognised internationally and is a gateway to leading universities around the world.” 

Pearson, the global learning company with a UK heritage, recently launched an online community for international schools focusing initially on British curriculum schools, with a mix of news, jobs and classroom resources for teachers at these schools. The jobs area of this Pearson community is an indication that the sector is booming, and the opportunities offered by teaching abroad – be it better pay, better career development or simply better weather – are drawing ever-increasing numbers of British teachers. 
 

Dan Roberts decided to swap Cornwall for tropical Seychelles, becoming head teacher at The International School Seychelles. Dan attributes choosing Seychelles because “a tiny, tropical island in the Indian Ocean seemed like a good choice”. But it also offered a chance to hone his teaching skills: “Since I entered the teaching profession one of my longer term ambitions was to experience international education as I wanted to develop a diverse range of skills throughout my career”.

Likewise, Matt extols the career opportunities available in British international schools. He says that the “opportunities for management” he found in America gave him further experience within the field of teaching, alongside the opportunity to teach both the British curriculum and International Baccalaureate. 

The unique and diverse environment of international schools helps foster positive and rewarding teaching experiences. Dan describes how there is something special about the ethos in many international schools, “something that I think is perhaps difficult to replicate in many schools in the UK.” He says that the students at The International School Seychelles were “absolutely brilliant!” They have excellent attitudes towards their learning, want to learn, want to be inspired and want to achieve.” 

There is also a great deal of respect for British teachers abroad. Something occasionally lacking at home it would seem. This is another reason why British teachers are very much a willing export overseas. Dan puts it simply: “British Teachers were and are well respected in International Schools, the British education system is highly regarded despite what our politicians may tell you”. 

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John Martin is a Community Manager at ToucanTech, a beautiful school alumni software, used by educational institutions around the world.