Teacher Recruitment & Managing HR: 10 Steps To Open A School Series

In good international schools teachers salaries take up a large proportion of the outgoing spend of the school so recruitment of the right teachers is imperative in order to manage costs and to get value for money. The average tenure of a teacher in an international school is about 3 years, this may seem short however you must remember that it is not the teachers home country and adapting to new environments can have an effect on any teacher, but one of the main reasons for schools having high rates of turnover is poor management from above.

2026 Perspective: The Changing Landscape of Teacher Recruitment

Teacher recruitment and human resource management in international schools have become increasingly complex in recent years. Global shortages of qualified educators, rising competition between schools, and increasing expectations around professional development and well-being are reshaping how schools attract and retain talent.

In addition, digital recruitment platforms, remote interviewing processes, and data-driven HR systems now play a central role in modern school staffing strategies.

These developments make structured HR planning more critical than ever before.

Recruiting Teachers

Here are key considerations for recruiting high-quality teachers and ensuring long-term organisational value:

Create a profile of the perfect teacher.
Gather 6 – 10 interview questions for the first round of interviews and hold 4 – 5 for the second round (click on the link at the end of the blog to see what questions you should ask)
Scan CV, resume and application letters, a lot can be found at this stage.
When interviewing, don’t give the candidate the answers, perhaps rephrase if they seem to be struggling.
Look out for creative or diverse talents – these people can be a valuable asset.
Look for and identify leadership.
Reference Check…Always!
Once recruited, understand how to retain…which just happens to be out next section.

How To Keep Your Teaching Staff Happy From Day One!

We have created an in depth blog on this that you can find at the end of the article but here are some tips to keep your staff happy.

Pay them what they deserve, with bonuses too – chances are they already know the going rate, but even if they don’t they are going to find out. Staff want to feel appreciated by their employer.
Before they arrive make sure everything is ready for their arrival – send out information about where they will be staying, information about the country they are coming to and aspects about the school culture.
On-boarding – make sure the teachers can feel as ‘at home’ as possible – create handbooks with useful info, provide an immediate SIM card, airport pickups, tour of the accommodation, and more.
Other aspects to consider might be; rewards systems, training and development, team celebrations and allowing for a good work-life balance.

Research consistently shows that leadership quality and organisational culture are the most significant factors influencing teacher retention in international schools.

6 Human Resource Management Basics

Managing HR is vitally important and relates to every staff member in the school building from the Head of School down the security. These 6 key HR management basics will help you have a well oiled, dedicated and happy team.

Recruitment & Selection – as detailed above.
Performance Management – this involves helping people perform better at their jobs. This aspect allows employees to get feedback on their performance with the goal of then improving.
Learning & Development – if an employee is struggling to perform well in an area then learning and development can help them to gain confidence and understanding of the topic, allowing for them to perform at a higher level. Costs can be minimised over time here as you will be able to train and develop from within.
Succession Planning – in case of the unexpected, have qualified candidates at your fingertips should a member of staff move on unexpectedly.
Compensation & Benefits – as stated before in this article, make sure people are paid at or above the rate, give bonuses and rewards as this often motivates employees.
Human Resources Information Systems & Data – use a system and data to track the employees abilities and progress from the date of hire and note all ongoing training, development, payroll and performance management. Data can also allow management to see trends and missing pieces to a puzzle that can be filled in future recruitment drives.

Modern HR management also increasingly relies on data analytics to identify recruitment trends, predict turnover risks, and support long-term workforce planning.

There are many other steps that go into setting up a school away from just HR and Recruitment, but ultimately these aspects go along way to helping the school become successful. It pays to get it right from the start.

Why Human Resource Planning Determines School Success

While facilities, curriculum, and marketing are important, the long-term success of a school ultimately depends on the quality of its people.

Strategic recruitment, strong leadership support, and effective HR systems create the foundation for sustainable educational excellence.

Contact Us directly for a video conference to learn even more about how GSE can set up a school that meets the needs of the owner and the market.

Recruiting Teachers: A How to Guide
Staff Retention: How To Keep Your Teaching Staff Happy From Day One!

Frequently Asked Questions About Teacher Recruitment in Schools

Why is teacher recruitment critical when opening a school?
Teachers represent the largest operating cost and have the greatest impact on educational quality.

What is the biggest challenge in recruiting international teachers?
Global competition for qualified educators and retention challenges in overseas environments.

How can schools improve teacher retention?
Through strong leadership, competitive compensation, professional development, and supportive organisational culture.

What role does HR data play in school management?
HR systems help track performance, predict turnover risks, and support strategic workforce planning.