International schools abroad: how do I even begin?

• Check the school is accredited by a recognised overseas educational body such as the Council of British International Schools (COBIS), the Federation of British International Schools in Asia (FOBISIA) or The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). If you are looking at schools based on a British curriculum, ask for copies of any inspection reports from The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) or British schools overseas (BSO) or other accreditation body.

• For American schools, check they are accredited by such organisations as The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) or The Council of International Schools (CIS). IB schools should be overseen by the International Baccalaureate organisation (IBO), and a French école by the French Ministry of National Education. It is worth noting that if an American school is not accredited, a student’s credits may not be recognised by the next institution they attend. If the alleged accrediting body sounds a bit dodgy, check with this Guide and if we can’t find it or don’t have it listed, run like the wind.

• Look at teaching staff and ascertain their experience and credentials. Sweetly enquire as to how those credentials have been checked – one distinguished school in Bangkok found after six years that they had actually hired a Dutch sailor who had jumped ship and faked his teaching credentials, discovered only when he was under investigation for something else.

• What is the ratio of local-to-overseas hires or young-to-experienced teachers? Is the school cutting costs by hiring inexperienced graduates (or non-graduates) who see teaching as a means of financing their travels? Do they hold teaching certificates and have several years of experience at the appropriate age level? Are they native speakers of the language in which the school teaches? What is the turnover and how are they appraised? A good school should have teachers experienced in teaching the school’s curriculum in a multicultural classroom, not to mention dealing with the fluid comings and goings of the student population.

• Look at the rate of teacher turnover. Contracts for overseas teachers are usually for two to three years. If a school is good and staff are happy, they often elect to stay for longer periods. Too many short-term contracts indicate a lack of commitment, or unhappiness with the school's management.

• If you can, meet the principal and find out how long they have been in position. Also check their experience in international education and whether they have any plans to move on in the near future. Be wary of schools that have had a high turnover of senior staff in a short time as this usually indicates serious problems with the owner or the school board, and morale may be low. This is something that can be determined by chats with a teacher or two, or other parents.

• Ask how complaints (eg about individual teachers) are dealt with. Some head teachers automatically support their staff and dismiss parental complaints, when they should be objectively dealt with. Also ask if the school has an ombudsperson in the event that parents feel grievances have not been handled professionally?

• Verify the school’s academic track record for university entrance. If it is still new, don’t be fobbed off and always ask to see the IB, A level or AP results. Find out how and when testing is carried out.

• Obtain a copy of the curriculum handbook for each section of the school and study attainment targets for each year group. Compare these to your own national curriculum. Find out how motivation, reward and discipline are delivered. Is there guidance for teachers or do they follow their own whims?

• Although you may think this it irrelevant, ask the school about its emphasis on fluency in its teaching language medium. Are English as an additional language (EAL) students haplessly thrown into the classroom and expected to learn through immersion, or do they have to reach a certain standard of fluency first taught through a structured programme? If a teacher is spending a lot of time trying to communicate with some students, this will be at the expense of your own child. Sneak a peek at class sizes and ask how many EAL learners will be in your child’s class.

• If your child has learning needs, ascertain if and how these can be met. While international schools' SEN departments are getting stronger, they still have some way to go. If children can get learning support outside the classroom, ask if a ‘whole school approach’ will be taken towards helping them (a buzz phrase meaning that decision-making at a classroom level cannot be effective without a whole-school commitment where each teacher uses the same strategy and is aware of and supports a student’s SEN – something that is given a lot of verbal recognition but not always put into practice). Make sure you bring an educational psychological evaluation with you so that a new school can determine the extent of any difficulties. If your child is a prodigy in a particular sport or musical instrument, can this talent be fostered?

•  Ask if students are streamed by ability or taught in mixed groups based on age. If mixed-ability teaching is the case, what teaching methods are used to bring out the best in each child? Are more advanced students used to assist less able ones? Is extension work an option for those who are galloping ahead of their peers? Are teaching methods traditional and highly structured, or are they child-centred and less formalised? Would this system suit your child and their learning style?

• Ask how much homework is given and how often. Children in some international schools might be loaded down with more homework than they would be in their home country, merely to meet the parental expectations of some dominant nationality group. If they also have lengthy travelling times, children may feel very pressured. Ask if the school has a homework policy or whether it is left to the individual teacher.

• Ask about the school’s financial status and check to see who the owner or licence holder is. Is this individual merely a figurehead who leaves the running of the school to a professional principal and manager, or do they interfere in the running of the school by determining key appointments and dictating which students are given priority? Ask who formulates educational and financial policies and how parents are kept informed.

• If the school has an active board of directors, determining how it is appointed will reveal some useful insights. Enquire whether board members are democratically elected by parents, appointed by the owner or if they are self-perpetuating. Ask for a list of their names and qualifications along with their mandate. Some boards of non-educators end up running entire schools with policies based on their own aspirations. Ascertain their nationality mix and professional skills – ideally, they should be representative of the whole school community – and whether their terms of office are fixed to avoid self-interest, especially in developing countries. Ask around to see if the chairperson is respected and how the community perceives the board.

• Try to determine whether a school is trying to make money by cramming in as many students as possible or is genuinely striving for a quality education. Ask if the school generates much corporate support. It is important that a school is financially sound or parents may be hit with massive fee increases or ‘bond’ deposits at a later date, or even show up one morning to find the doors locked and chained. If in doubt, ask to see copies of the school’s audited accounts and enquire about the policy on fee increases.

• Schools in developing countries often demand a large enrolment fee or bond that is non-refundable. Negotiate with your company to pay this cost and ask what happens in the event that you change schools.

• Note the nationality mix of the student body and how they socialise (observations in the playground can be very revealing – if English isn’t a significant language, your child might feel somewhat left out). Many international education experts agree that for a healthy balance, there should be no more than 50 per cent of one nationality in an international school. You are not only buying into an academic system but a whole new cultural experience.

• As the first few days at a new school in an unfamiliar country can be confusing, determine what sort of induction or transition programme is offered for new arrivals. Is another student or ‘buddy’ appointed to look after them for the first week? Is there an induction programme or welcome evening for new parents? Are teachers and staff trained and encouraged to be alert for the isolated creature hovering in the corner? In some schools, even the catering staff are sharp-eyed over the steaming potatoes, ever on the lookout for the perpetually solitary diner.

• Determine what counselling services are available. In an international school with a high turnover of students and teachers, children often experience adjustment difficulties. Qualified and experienced school counsellors are invaluable in helping support children who have emotional behaviour, transition or academic problems.

• If the school has a PTA (parent teacher association), look at its mandate. Is it merely for fundraising and gaining clout within the school community, or is it a real community support group that runs social events and supports school policy while addressing any genuine problems?

• If the school provides a bus service, check if there's access to seat belts, a mobile phone and competent staff to supervise students during travel time, plus regular safety inspections. In large cities, it is not unknown for the children to spend several hours stuck in traffic jams trying to make it home.

It may be impossible to find the perfect international school in the perfect location. However, after selecting a school that fulfils your most important requirements, do what you can to become an involved and active parent. Monitor what your child is doing and offer support and supplemental materials in consultation with the homeroom teacher. There is no need to overdo it by accosting the teacher every day but communicate frequently, get to know the principal, grit your teeth and, time willing, volunteer in the classroom, go to PTA meetings and find out what is going on. Get yourself known as an active parent, then you will be in a position to be taken seriously if you have a complaint. Avoid the school gate ‘gripers’ who complain about everything and don’t discuss the school’s shortcomings with your children – they will have enough to deal with and need to feel positive.

Of course, an international school won’t be the same as the one back home, but doing things differently isn’t necessarily wrong – it is just different. So don’t expect to go in and start changing the system, but do go in with patience, open eyes, a sense of humour and the sense of adventure that brought you here...and then expect to enjoy it as much as your child.