GSE’s Voice
What is a School Management Contract?
For investors, developers, and school owners operating in the international education sector, the school management contract is one of the most important documents they will ever sign. It defines who runs the school, on what terms, to what standard, and with what...
What is an Education Management Organisation (EMO)?
The private education sector has grown significantly over the past two decades. Investors, governments, and developers who once viewed schools as purely public institutions now recognise them as viable, long-term commercial assets capable of generating sustainable...
How to Start a School Business: A Guide for Investors and Developers
How to Start a School Business: A Guide for Investors and Developers Starting a school is one of the most complex and rewarding business ventures an investor can undertake. Global demand for quality international education is growing, driven by expanding middle...
Leadership in International Schools: 16 Articles for School Leaders
Leadership in international schools requires vision, calm decision-making, and the ability to build strong organisational cultures. This page brings together 16 leadership articles exploring the most important ideas shaping leadership in international schools....
Calm Leadership in Schools: Timing, Decision & Resilience
Why leaders should learn to wait before they worry Many school leaders face constant pressure to react quickly. Enrolment challenges, financial uncertainty, community expectations, and global events can create a sense of urgency. In these moments, the ability to...
The PropCo / OpCo Model in School Development Explained
The PropCo/OpCo Model in School Development Explained Private investment in international education has grown considerably over the past decade. As schools have become recognised as viable long-term assets, the financial structures used to develop and operate them...
Why Most New School Projects Fail Financially
Why Most New School Projects Fail Financially Education is widely regarded as a resilient, high-impact investment sector. Schools generate recurring revenue, serve essential community needs, and operate in markets where demand is often structurally undersupplied. Yet...
Governance Structures That Attract Education Investors
Governance Structures That Attract Education Investors Governance is the aspect of school development that investors talk about the least and worry about the most. It rarely features prominently in feasibility studies or investor presentations. It is treated as...
How to Conduct a Feasibility Study for a New School
Every successful education project begins with a clear understanding of market demand, financial viability, and long-term sustainability. This is why conducting a comprehensive school feasibility study is one of the most critical steps in planning a new school. A...
The Real Cost of Starting an International School
One of the first questions investors and developers ask when exploring education projects is simple: what is the real cost of starting an international school? The answer is often misunderstood. Many new school projects underestimate the financial requirements because...
How to Make a School Project Investment Ready
There must be a clear strategy and plan to make a school project investment ready. Setting up a new school is often described as a rewarding venture. It creates long-term social value, supports community development, and can deliver stable financial returns over time....
What Most School Development Projects Get Wrong – And How to Avoid Costly Mistakes
What Most School Development Projects Get Wrong - And How to Avoid Costly Mistakes Over the past fifteen years, I have worked on school development projects across multiple regions, advising investors, boards, governments, and education operators. While each project...
Is Education Technology Mostly Useless, or Are We Asking the Wrong Question?
Letter - The Economist Education Technology is Mostly Useless! Or Are We Asking the Wrong Question? A recent letter published in The Economist asked a deliberately provocative question: Is education technology mostly useless? (Source) At first glance, the claim feels...
I Want to Build a School in Space – Hear me out!
I Want to Build a School in Space I should probably clarify something straight away. I have no intention of building a school in space. No launchpad. No orbiting campus. No zero-gravity classrooms. But the idea matters more than the reality. Because the moment you...
When Arts and Culture Are Not Extras: Education, Identity, and the Rise of Creative Pathways
"Education systems that nurture creativity as both cultural responsibility and professional pathway are likely to shape the most capable and grounded leaders of the next generation. Arts and Culture in Education is powerful!" Greg Parry When Arts and Culture Are Not...
Well-Being Is Not a Silo: What Schools Can Learn from Owen Eastwood and Belonging
For school leaders, boards, and investors, understanding culture and well-being as an energy system is increasingly central to long-term performance and sustainability. Well-Being Is Not a Silo: What Schools Can Learn from Owen Eastwood and Belonging “When there are...
A Letter to My Next School Investor
"This reflection is written for the school investor and partners who understand that the most enduring education projects are built through planning, humility, expertise, and patience." Greg Parry Dear School Investor, I have worked with many people who want to invest...
Why Great Schools Start With Educational Leadership, Not Capital
In recent years, schools have increasingly been discussed in the language of investment rather than educational leadership. Valuations, EBITDA multiples, real estate strategies, scalability, and growth plans now sit alongside conversations about curriculum, pedagogy,...
Educating the Intelligent Performer: Building the Next Generation of Thinkers, Doers, and Innovators
The next generation will not be defined by how much they know, but by how intelligently they perform.In a world shaped by artificial intelligence, automation, and accelerating change, our greatest educational challenge is to cultivate intelligent performers - young...
The Games We Play: Power, Insecurity, and Leadership in Schools
Insecurity often hides behind confidence in schools. The Power Games Model exposes the subtle power dynamics that shape leadership culture, from “Gatekeeping” to “Compliance Theatre”. Drawing on Glasser, Karpman, and Edmondson, this article explains why people play...
What Investors and Educators Should Watch for in the Next Wave of Education Groups and Structures
What Investors and Educators Should Watch for in the Next Wave of Education Groups and Structures The private education sector is once again at a crossroads. We have seen periods of very rapid expansion, fuelled by a huge appetite from investors seeking stable and...
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