Who are you? It’s an iconic lyric from the song of the same title by The Who, but the question of who you are is one which UK schools exporting their brand to other countries really need to be able to answer.
We know that there has been high demand internationally for a British-style education, and many schools have supported their home school finances in the past two decades with franchises, largely in Asia and the Middle East. Pressure on finances, not least the introduction of 20 per cent VAT on school fees in January 2025 has dramatically increased the number of schools investigating international partnerships.
But what are we offering to the market, and what do parents and partners really want? As the competition between schools to find partners and make deals heats up, being clear about the identity of your overseas schools and how their offer relates to that of the home school becomes increasingly important.
What will ‘sell’ well
Partners come in a range of guises, from property developers looking for an anchor school to drive sales, PE firms looking to get to scale and sell, to smaller businesses or individuals with a passion for education who are looking to leave a legacy.Ìý
Being clear about the identity of your overseas schools is becoming increasingly important.
One of the challenges in discussions with a partner is their perceptions of what will “sell” well within the market.ÌýFor example, are they looking to reproduce a campus (and uniform) which mimics the home school, as a way of visualising the connection with the brand? Are they seeking a name which they know is instantly recognisable in education or has connotations conveying status? Partner understanding of parent perceptions needs to factor into the discussion too: assuming there has been good market research (polling close friends does not count). What do they believe families are looking for in a school?Â
With so much choice internationally, particularly in premium markets, parents are becoming increasingly discerning, and sensitive to the “fake designer handbag” which appears to be the genuine article until you get close to it.Ìý
A state-of-the-art building and a well-known name may help in attracting parental attention, but we know that both are only small aspects of what families are seeking.ÌýValue for money and an excellent education should be a given but it is worth considering what is offered beyond this.Ìý
Exchanges with the home school can be very popular, as can the possibility of access to a network of alumni.ÌýSome families, and partners, may be looking for the home school to endorse/certificate alumni as their own – a tricky thing for any school to achieve at a distance of several thousand miles.
International best practice
Should the school lean into the perception of “Britishness”, or should it flex to embrace local culture, by offering a curriculum which follows international best practice, leading to qualifications which are a passport to universities worldwide, while embracing the distinctiveness of the host country?Â
This is not simply a nod to local high days and holidays with a smattering of language instruction to ensure the school meets its licensing requirements. It should be a genuine engagement with the culture which aspires to give local families the best of both worlds whilst ensuring that expat families receive support to understand the country they find themselves in.Ìý
Should the school lean into the perception of ‘Britishness’?
This has implications for the recruitment of teachers, and the school’s approach to languages spoken in the school. One of the strong appeals of an international education is often the opportunity for children to become proficient in English, but how the school deals with the speaking of other languages inside and outside of lessons can be a key factor in attracting, or discouraging, families from joining.Ìý
These questions then relate to the establishment of schools in cities and regions other than those where high numbers of expats and a significant amount of disposable income supports a premium fee level.ÌýAs international school providers, should our focus be on providing the best possible education at the right price point for a local population – ensuring that we help to level the playing field on access to global universities?
Values and ethos
Finally, there is the question of the school’s values and ethos.ÌýHow much do we, as franchisors, care about whether the core values of the home school are reflected in an international branch, and how can we be satisfied that partners will honour these values anyway?Â
If we can be satisfied that the school is offering a good standard of education and is not putting the home brand at risk, can a school overseas be allowed to develop its own distinctive identity under the same “badge”? The commercial constraints on an international branch school may mean that there are compromises to the education on offer compared to that of the home campus, or even compared to other schools within the brand’s group, which force it down a diverging path. How then do we protect our brands as a marker of excellence in education when the education on offer may be significantly compromised in comparison to the genuine article?
The commercial constraints may mean that there are compromises to the education on offer.
In this situation, it is worth considering how far away from the core values each school is likely to be, and what the “red lines” are in each case.ÌýIn order to do this, it’s important to be clear what the fundamental elements of the educational philosophy of the home school actually are.Ìý
It could be argued that these will be the elements which should always be present in any group’s schools, because this captures the real “essence” of the brand.ÌýEstablishing this may seem simple, but a brief discussion within a range of stakeholders such as teachers, parents, staff and governors in the home school and existing international branches often uncovers unexpected disparities which need addressing before moving forward.
After establishing the core tenets of the brand, it may be easier to develop a strategy where schools can flex their model for a wider range of markets whilst remaining true to the home brand – and genuinely delivering the educational excellence we purport to offer.
So, after having read this piece, are you ready yo answer the quesiton: Who are you?
Gwen Byrom, director of education strategy at , will be speaking at the upcoming International and Private Schools Education Forum (IPSEF) in London, UK, on June 26.
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