By role
19 agencies in the directory say they recruit secondary teachers for international schools, including FlyTeachers, Alliance Recruitment Agency and chk Education.
Secondary hiring abroad is driven by subject. A school with a gap in physics or Spanish will often look past a stronger general candidate to find the specialist, and the exam board the school uses shapes who counts as a specialist. A teacher of A level chemistry and a teacher of the IB Diploma sciences are not interchangeable in every school.
This page sets out what secondary teachers should have ready, and what to ask an agency before you are put forward for a post.
Secondary posts are advertised against a qualification pathway: English GCSE and A level, Cambridge International, the IB Diploma Programme, or American courses with Advanced Placement. Cambridge International says it has more than 10,000 schools in over 160 countries, so a Cambridge post is far from a niche one. If you have only taught GCSE, say so plainly and ask whether the school will support a move to another board.
The IB says formal qualifications to teach its programmes are decided by each school, which means a recruiter cannot tell you a universal threshold. Ask what the school expects.
For people who trained outside England, the Department for Education's iQTS route trains you to teach pupils aged 11 to 18 in the full range of secondary subjects taught in English schools. It needs a bachelor's degree and a maths qualification at GCSE grade 4 equivalent, plus IELTS 6.5 or equivalent English. Training includes at least 24 weeks in a school in your own country.
If you already hold QTS, schools that follow the English model will normally want to see it, but each employer decides.
Heads of department are usually chosen from within a school or from experienced hires. The leading teaching and leading teacher development NPQs, listed by GOV.UK, are one structured way to build the case for promotion. Course length ranges from 12 to 22 months, so plan ahead before you move.
Recruitment agency · London, United Kingdom
Recruiter for international school teaching roles; candidates create a free account to apply
Recruitment agency
Says it places teachers, professors and trainers in international schools, universities and training academies in 36+ countries
Recruitment agency
Specialist recruitment service connecting international schools with experienced educators and leaders
Job board
Job board and school directory for teaching jobs abroad (claims 600+ schools in 150+ countries in its directory)
Recruitment agency · Bridge of Weir, United Kingdom
Recruits teachers for international schools, primarily in the Middle East and also East Asia, Australasia, Europe and North Africa
Recruitment agency
Recruits teachers and school leaders for international schools; site states candidates placed in Europe, Middle East, Asia and South America/Caribbean
Recruitment agency · Wakefield, United Kingdom
Offers teacher recruitment in the UK and overseas, including international schools
Recruitment agency
Describes itself as a specialist in international education recruitment with a teacher-matching service and job board
Recruitment agency · Ottawa, Canada
Places teachers in schools in the Middle East and Asia, many on British or American curricula
Recruitment platform
Teacher-hiring platform and app for international schools; says registration is free with no agency fees
Recruitment agency · Holywood, United Kingdom
Recruits teachers and school leaders for international schools in the UAE and wider GCC
Recruitment agency · London, United Kingdom
Recruits primary and secondary teachers for schools across Asia, the Middle East, China and Europe
Recruitment agency
Places English-speaking qualified primary and secondary teachers in international schools
Recruitment agency · London, United Kingdom
Connects qualified teachers with schools in Dubai and the wider Middle East
Recruitment agency · Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates
Connects international schools with educators; services include permanent, supply and executive recruitment
Recruitment agency · United Kingdom
Places teachers and leaders in schools across Abu Dhabi, Dubai and the wider UAE
Recruitment agency · Willenhall, United Kingdom
Provides teachers to American, Anglo-American, British and international schools worldwide
Job board · London, United Kingdom
UK job board for teachers looking to work abroad, covering all continents
Recruitment agency · United Kingdom
Places qualified native teachers into international schools and academies in Saudi Arabia and the GCC
It varies by school: English GCSE and A level, Cambridge International, the IB Diploma and American courses are all common. Ask the agency which board the post is attached to.
Often. Smaller schools cover timetable gaps with staff who can teach across two subjects, so mention any extra subject you are comfortable with.