International school

Although there is no uniform definition or criteria, international schools are usually characterised by a multinational student body and staff, multilingual instruction, curricula oriented towards global perspectives and subjects, and the promotion of concepts such as world citizenship, pluralism, and intercultural understanding;[1] most are private schools.

Admission is sometimes open to local students to provide qualifications for employment or higher education in a foreign country, offer high-level language instruction, and/or foster cultural and global awareness.

These could include diplomats, missionaries, military members, business workers transferred to foreign office locations, etc.

An example would be children of American military personnel attending Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS).

In addition, students may select Advanced Placement (AP) programmes to prepare for college-level education, specifically in the United States.

Over the years it has become more difficult to recruit young international teachers, partly because of security concerns and the trend towards less attractive compensation packages.

In some countries, such as South Korea, recent visa changes have also made it more difficult to obtain both qualified and unqualified teachers.

[13] Schools are also adopting a hybrid model of teaching and learning moving forward to provide more flexibility.

The strong growth confirms the status of Cambridge IGCSE as the world's, and India's, most popular international curriculum for 14- to 16-year-olds.

[12] Since international schools also tend to offer bilingual education, it is a fitting opportunity for attending students to acquire a second language.

Hannah Smith of The Guardian wrote in 2013 that many students of international schools move between countries and places constantly.

These reccurring moves mean children continuously leave friends and relationships, which can bring about stress and anxiety.

However, most international schools understand these circumstances and help students with this transition period through counselling programmes.