6 ways to find out what the school abroad is really like!

Now onto the important stuff! So you have narrowed down your location/ school/ job selection or you’ve had the interview, been offered the job, and would like to find out what the school is really like? You can do this by:

1. Googling the school name + reviews /employee reviews to see what you might find! Indeed.ae or Glassdoor often list rated and helpful employee reviews of various schools in the Middle East.
2. Asking current expat teachers general questions on the Empowering Expat Teachers private FB group –join here!
3. Checking the comprehensive (and free!) Dave’s ESL Cafe International Job Forums to get honest reviews about schools all around the world.
4. For schools in the UAE, joining the Dubai Teachers’ Network FB group and the Dubai Irish Exchange, to see recent teaching vacancies, as well as a place to ask about different schools.
5. Becoming a paid member of the International Schools Review to see how past and current teachers abroad rate their workplace
6. Another site you can register for free to see international school reviews is the International School Community. The great thing is you can see if there are reviews for your school before you pay a membership fee.

Remember that the teacher review websites like Dave’s ESL Café International Job Forums, the International Schools Review (ISR), and the International School Community (ISC) host teachers’ opinions of the schools and its working conditions. Remember that these are subjective, so do not necessarily take one negative review as being reflective of every teacher’s experience there. Check out a few of the other options above before making a fully informed decision.

P.S. If you’ve been offered an interview, take it!!! Of course, you should research the school but even if you’re unsure about it, do the interview anyway! It’ll be great practice plus you’ll get an idea of the kinds of questions asked by head teachers of international schools!

Sorcha x

My name is Sorcha Coyle and I’ve been teaching in the Gulf (Qatar and Dubai) for the past 9 years. I also run Empowering Expat Teachers, whose mission is to empower future and current expat teachers to lead personally, professionally, and financially rewarding lives. If you haven’t already, join the supportive EET FB group here and follow me on IG @sorchacoyle_eet for lots of research, CV, and cover letter tips!

You may also find my "4 Things You Must Know When Applying to Schools in Dubai, the UAE, or Anywhere Abroad!" article helpful too, so check it out here! If you'd like more exclusive discounts, plus details of my weekly free live trainings on IG and Facebook (to empower you personally, professionally and financially), and international job postings, sign up to my twice-a-month newsletter here!

Last but not least, if you'd like to know the CV, cover letter, and interview hacks and tips I have personally used to help me secure an interview for every single teaching job abroad I have ever applied to AND being offered 12 teaching jobs at highly reputable schools in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, send me a DM on IG today!