The International Schools Review Forum

Hi all,
My wife and I are teachers at a Tier One school in SE Asia. We are thinking of moving back to Europe and should both be pretty employable, but we have three kids. I know that many schools won't educate three kids and that many of those that will are in countries where the tuition is a taxable benefit. I also know that three kids makes us more expensive. I have been given the impression by some people that this makes our chances of a good school in Europe very limited. Others seem to think that as we are a teaching couple we might be OK. I know that a teaching couple is a positive and that three kids is a negative and I suspect that in many cases the negative will outweigh the positive. What I don't know is whether the arrival of our third child has dented, damaged or destroyed our chances .Any honest insights into this situation would be really appreciated and no doubt very useful for others in our position. We won't hold bad news against her next time she pours milk all over the floor- honest...
Thanks.

If your third child is not school age yet, the point is moot.

You may find that a school in Europe will not be financially viable anyway as it is rare for accommodation to be included in the package, let alone full fee remission for dependent children and tax rates can be high in many parts of the continent.

I suppose great schools will always be looking for great teachers, so you have nothing to lose by applying.

Out of interest, which school are you currently at? Will be looking for August 2015 myself....!!

One child per teacher is generally considered completely reasonable for most/many schools, so you are potentially not TOO far over par. Europe can be expensive but will greatly depend on country/size of city etc. The tax implications will complicate matters even further but will vary widely from country to country so it is difficult to generalize. If you are a Search member, their database can be a big help as you try and decide whether a school/country is viable for your family.

If money is a major concern, you should look into the top schools in Eastern Europe and also Switzerland, which does have some schools that pay top dollar as well as offering a nice housing allowance.

In general, I would say you still have a good chance with some of the better schools in Europe (this could be somewhat dependent on what subjects you and your wife teach to some extent).

Central or Eastern Europe may be a better option than Western Europe as housing is usually provided - or at least a housing allowance. My previous school used to give tuition for all children but recently capped it at 2 per couple. Check CEESA schools. Come before all schools introduce the cap.

Thanks all!