Guide · updated 2026-10-16
International school recruitment calendar
Search Associates fairs run from November 2026 to April 2027, with most in January. UK teachers under the Burgundy Book must resign by 31 October, 28 or 29 February or 31 May to leave at the end of that term.
Two calendars decide when you can realistically move: the hiring calendar of the schools you want to join, and the resignation calendar of the school you work for now. Missing the second can undo a successful run at the first.
This page gives the dates as published by the organisers or described by a named adviser, as of 16 October 2026. Check each source again before you book anything, as fairs move and are sometimes added.
Search Associates fairs: November 2026 to April 2027
Search Associates publishes a job fair schedule of ten events. The dates and venues it lists are: Singapore, 13 to 15 November 2026; Istanbul (listed on the schedule as Istanbul (Dubai)), 28 to 29 November 2026; Melbourne, 3 to 5 January 2027; Bangkok, 8 to 10 January 2027; Hong Kong, 15 to 17 January 2027; London, 15 to 17 January 2027 at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel and Conference Centre.
The remaining events are Cambridge, USA, 22 to 25 January 2027; Toronto, 6 to 7 February 2027; London, 13 to 14 March 2027 at the Hilton Paddington; and Doha, 10 April 2027. The schedule states the fairs are open only to active member educators and schools, and the educator membership page says US$100 per year includes attendance at one job fair.
What the pattern means for a teacher in the UK
On that schedule the largest cluster of events falls in the second and third weeks of January 2027, with a London fair among them. Two earlier events fall in November. If you want to attend a January fair, you will need to be a member and have your documents ready before then.
Other organisers run their own events and boards, and their dates differ. COBIS runs a global jobs page that member schools can use free of charge, and it did not list fair dates on the page we read. Check Teacher Horizons, COBIS and any school group you are interested in directly for their own events.
UK resignation dates under the Burgundy Book
The Burgundy Book sets the terms for handing in notice in maintained schools in England and Wales. According to Edapt, a teacher union adviser, to leave at the end of the autumn term (31 December) you give notice by 31 October. To leave at the end of the spring term (30 April), notice is due by 28 or 29 February. To leave at the end of the summer term (31 August), notice is due by 31 May.
Edapt adds that academies, free schools and independent schools are not bound by the Burgundy Book, though some follow the same dates. Leaving on any other date is at the school's discretion, and leaving on a date the school has not allowed may breach your contract. Check your own contract. Edapt also notes that deadlines can be stricter for visa holders and in understaffed subjects.
Putting the two calendars together
International posts often start with a new academic year, which for many UK teachers means leaving a UK post at the end of the summer term. That makes 31 May the date to plan around, and it is the notice date for a 31 August leaving date. Accepting a post at a January fair is then comfortably before that deadline, but check that your new employer expects you to start on the date your notice allows.
For a mid-year move, the 31 October date is the one for leaving at the end of the autumn term, and it is two weeks away as of 16 October 2026. If you cannot make that, the next date is 28 or 29 February.
Questions teachers ask
When is the next Search Associates London fair?
Its published schedule lists London on 15 to 17 January 2027 at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel and Conference Centre, and 13 to 14 March 2027 at the Hilton Paddington. Fairs are for active members.
What is the Burgundy Book resignation date for summer?
Edapt gives 31 May for leaving at the end of the summer term on 31 August, in maintained schools. Check your contract, as academies and independent schools may differ.
Does the Burgundy Book apply to my academy?
Edapt says academies, free schools and independent schools are not bound by it, though some follow the same dates. Your own contract sets your notice.
Can I leave on a date that is not a term end?
That is at the school's discretion, according to Edapt. Leaving on a date the school has not allowed may breach your contract, so agree it in writing.