The International Schools Review Forum

Hi Guys,
I'm new to the forum and I'm applying for jobs abroad at the moment. Has anyone worked at Villa Amalienhof in Berlin recently or knows the head teacher, Mrs Suter? Would very much appreciate any info regarding the school.

Working at a primary school in London I also have no idea what sort of salary I can expect as a classroom teacher in Germany or Italy. How much room is there for negotiation and how do I play it? I know how it works in the UK, but feel less confident when it comes to International schools. Please let me know what your experiences are.
Cheers,
Eva

I worked in Rome/Italy last year. Typical european compensation packages (outside the elite schools) are salary/relocation allowance/benefits (insurance+pension). Housing allowances are not common. Salaries are around on average of 3000€ a month, and almost all the schools (usually as a result of labor laws) have an "open" salary scale, meaning you find your years of credible experience and your degree level on a table, and thats your yearly salary. There isnt much negotiation. The best avenue in such a system is too negotiate for more credible years of experience, or negotiate equivalency for some of your credentials, )such as having GCSE experience) for a higher rank on the education/degree table. You cant just say you need X amount of salary, without giving them a way to justify it on their salary scale.

Thanks, this is really helpful. Going for an interview on Sunday and will keep in mind what you said.

I heard there is a big turnover around teacher in this school. can anyone provide some real time about the atmosphere?thanks

Alecsmario wrote:
> I heard there is a big turnover around teacher in this school. can anyone provide
> some real time about the atmosphere?thanks

Hi,
Don't even think about applying there. The place is toxic. The new head has very little power and the person who pulls all the strings is the owner of the school, Svetlana Zuehlsdorff. She is Russian, of limited intelligence and neither a teacher nor an educator. All the school cares about is money, not the kids, not parents and certainly not the staff. Stay well away. It's the worst school I've ever worked in. There are plenty of alternatives in Berlin.
All the best