Introduction
International publishing and export are a significant part of the UK’s Educational Publishing sector and revenue. While export of existing UK school books and services is part of the mix a significant proportion of the UK’s educational publishing export business is for teaching and learning resources that have been written specifically for UK International qualifications and curricula such as Cambridge iGCSE, the International Baccalaureate Diploma, or for specific local curricula outside the UK.
Products exported
Exports from UK educational publishers fall into these core areas:
1. Curriculum and supplementary materials for use by students in international schools
-
- Courses and series related to British curriculum and exams and reading & phonics at primary.
- Publishing specifically for international curricula & exams taught through the medium of English and offered by UK awarding organisations, for example, iGCSE, international A level, International Baccalaureate.
2. International publishing for specific local curricula outside the UK
For example, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Botswana, Kenya.
3. English speaking countries
-
- Curricula similar to UK curricula, pedagogy, assessment.
- Subjects and courses which are hard to develop locally, for example, a modern languages course, primary reading.
- Specific approaches such as Primary Maths – Mastery or Singapore approach; phonics.
The majority of exports are from publications specifically developed or adapted for use in international settings.
Education Reform
In recent years, a new and growing sector has emerged which combines the development of new curricula, learning and teaching materials, professional training directly with overseas ministries of education, for example, in the Middle East, Kazakhstan.
Assessment
Standardised assessment, offline and online. Many assessments currently being used in British International Schools are the very same assessments adopted in UK state and independent schools. In some instances the assessments have been standardised in line with British International school norms, which vary very slightly, but in most instances publishers have delivered the same assessment and if necessary provided different reports for International schools.
Starting with core products with a track record in the UK and focusing on international schools has been a successful entry point. However, it is important to recognise that assessments and tests developed over time for the UK market are likely to contain content, examples that are not known or appropriate in other regions and as such would undermine the reliability of the tests.
The next stage is adapting or creating products and services that are aligned with international curricula and international examinations. International standardisation is an important if costly development.
Logistics
Online digital solutions in overseas markets enable a more efficient data return and avoid the logistic costs of shipping test papers and having them scored back in the UK. However, it will depend on the preferences of the schools and the reliability of broadband and power. That said, hybrid asynchronous solutions can be effective. Depending on the territory there are also options to have scoring and marking undertaken locally, if a supplier can be found, at additional cost and time. There are also critical data protection and hosting issues and the need to comply with local rules and laws when shipping test papers and student data.
Local partners
For specific country markets finding a local partner, localising and standardising for their market are the next steps. These are significant investment decisions but can pay off in the long run. Successful strategies include partnering with local universities or leveraging existing relationships with international schools chains. The Middle East, South East Asia, India, South Africa, and Australia have been seen export inroads.
It should be noted that in many markets there are existing local players, however, there can also be potential for licensing or partnership especially if the UK publisher has complementary or unique products or services.
Edtech
As in the UK there is an increasing interest Asia is expected to become the dominant Edtech market according to IBIS capital due to a digital first strategy combined with increased disposable income and a high propensity to spend on education
Why export?
Global education trends
Global education has been growing and is projected to continue to grow at 8% p.a. driven by increased expenditure on education, increasing enrolment (growth in both student numbers and expected years of schooling), higher student and employee mobility. K12 education is the largest sector globally, both by student numbers and expenditure, by 2020 constituting 51% with pre-K12 a small but increasingly significant segment.
International school sector
British curriculum schools
British curriculum schools are schools overseas following a UK curriculum, for example, MOD schools for serving personnel’s children. It is estimated that there are more than 3,700 schools with a British national orientation, and/or using elements of the UK national curriculum.
Growth of private schools and English Medium Instruction
The international school sector is significant and growing. Within this schools which teach through the medium of English (EMI) are predominant. There are now nearly 10,000 international EMI schools worldwide with Europe and Asia together constituting 75%.
EMI International schools growth
|
2000 |
2018 |
|
|
Schools |
2,584 |
9,626 |
|
Students |
< 1m |
5.34m |
|
Staff |
90,000 |
492,000 |
|
Income |
$4.9bn |
$48bn |
The international sector is also segmenting into high, medium and low cost schools and chains.
The low-cost private school sector is growing in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
While in many countries local languages are used in the classroom at private schools, English is making inroads as a language of instruction and bilingual education is now on the rise.
This rising prevalence of private schools, particularly English medium and bilingual schools, is creating opportunities for global international schools. As more and more high-priced international schools go down market to cater to the growing demand for English medium K-12 schools, there are more options for customers than ever before.
International schools by region
|
Region |
No. international EMI schools |
|
Africa |
926 |
|
Americas |
1,330 |
|
Asia |
5,761 |
|
Europe |
1,838 |
|
Oceania |
92 |
Within this there are major cities with many international schools (Madrid 195, Abu Dhabi 160).
The Middle East remains a significant international schools market with 1,704 schools and 1.57m students. The decline in oil revenue and consequent reduction in supporting service companies has seen a change in both the number of ex-pat students and also the education inclusive packages that ex-pat workers received. These changes alongside the growth in local students has seen a shift from high fee schools to mid-price. The more affordable schools tend to be larger, relying on large enrolments.
Within the region UK curricula is still the largest with 691 schools, followed by the US curriculum in 461 schools, and 417 Indian curricula schools. 1
The growth of international schools and English Medium instruction is projected to continue.
‘The last five years have seen the number of students enrolled in English-medium international schools grow by almost 7% a year, with such schools now accounting for 5.1 million children across the world. And this growth is forecast to continue, with almost 7 million children expected to be attending international schools in 2023. The international education market is valued at $46.7 billion, rising to $66.6 billion in four years’ time.’
There has been a shift to local enrolment and this has been particularly marked in Asia. ‘In Indonesia, the proportion of students enrolled in premium international schools who were local doubled in just three years, from 25% in 2015 to 51% last year. In Vietnam over the same period local enrolments rose from 46% of the international school population to 72%. Even in Asia’s biggest economies, international schools are thriving. In China, 57% of students at international schools are Chinese, while in India 67% are Indian.’2
Drivers
Aspirations – an English-medium education is seen as opening doors, both to access international tertiary education and future careers.
Internationally recognised qualifications
Access to education and perceived quality education. In many countries demand is outstripping the ability of the state sector to supply sufficient places and for a growing middle class to be able to afford private education.
Bilingual
Bilingual schools are also growing both in the private and state sectors. Bilingual schools have grown from 2,700 in 2010 to 3,200 in 2018
Why UK products & services?
British education has an excellent reputation around the world underpinned by universities such as Oxford and Cambridge, internationally recognised qualifications and examination boards, well-known private school brands, through to UK educational publishers and edtech companies.
57 British independent school brands enrol a total of 35,796 students aged between 3 and 18 outside the United Kingdom. From school fee income alone, these schools generated USD $833.5 million in the 2017-2018 academic school year. By 2019 the number of schools was expected to have expanded to 72.
The development of the British private school brands overseas includes both physical sister schools overseas and brand franchise and affiliation for other international schools. Scholl brands include Marlborough, Haileybury, Wellington, Repton, Shrewsbury, Brighton, Malvern, and Cranleigh.
Trends
Inclusion
SEN requirements
Export checklist
1. What rights do you have?
Author
While most publications created for the UK market will have worldwide rights in all languages from the author the contract should be checked and rights confirmed before exporting or selling rights. Audit contracts to understand what rights you hold, for example, foreign and language rights, audio, electronic.
Third party rights
The majority of educational titles include illustrative content and third party copyright content such as photos, realia, maps. If the book has been produced for the UK market it may be that only limited rights have been obtained, for example, limited by territory, by language (English language), by format (print only). To ensure export your titles can be exported worldwide all content needs to be cleared for English Language worldwide.
To licence translations or editions to overseas publishers you must have the rights to do this. You can only sell the rights that you have. So audit your contracts and check the permission clearance and logs for third party content. Do you have the rights to licence these or will they need to be recleared?
For further information on rights see Rights page 9.
2. Potential content issues
The key is researching your potential market (see Market research) and having titles reviewed by potential users in market or familiar with your target market. Being aware of and addressing potential issues ahead of exporting physical stock will prevent titles being stuck in customs or confiscated. For example, in the Middle East, there are sensitivities relating to photographs and illustrations of people with uncovered skin. In China books cannot contain maps which show Taiwan as an independent country.
Is the content overly British with local idioms, examples, phrasing which will not be easily understood in other places?
3. Cultural issues
Understanding the cultural differences in a foreign market can make or break your export strategy. It’s therefore essential to think local.
4. Tax
One key area to think about and where issues can arise for businesses new to export is VAT. For example, keeping proper records is critical, as within three months of products being sold abroad, organisations must demonstrate that goods have left the UK and arrived with overseas customers in order to be eligible for VAT relief on sales.
“Obtaining the necessary evidence can be a challenge if the customer has arranged to transport the goods themselves,” says Liz Maher, director of Centurion VAT Specialists. “In these instances the supplier can be exposed because a customer may fail to obtain sufficient evidence that the goods have left the country at all, let alone within the required time limits.”
5. Currency Matters
Currency is part of the pricing decisions. Initially a company may decide to price only in sterling, however, that is likely to be an issue for many purchasers especially in countries where there is considerable currency fluctuation. On the other hand, having to deal in foreign currencies can present issues such as coping with exchange rate. Companies can use foreign exchange specialists to help hedge against currency risks or to set up forward-contracts to lock in an exchange rate for a period of time.
6. Proforma invoicing
Pro forma invoices can be used as a quotation. The same format as a commercial invoice but should not form part of accounting records or be used for tax purposes. The words pro forma invoice should be on the document. It is a helpful start to the negotiation so that an overseas customer can find out how much it will cost to receive an order from you. The pro forma Invoice will show shipping, customs clearance, and insurance quotes. By sending the pro forma Invoice to your customer as a ‘pre-advice’ it sets the stage for the first round of negotiations if you and an importer have not yet had any real discussions.
7. Things to think about
- Export Declaration
- Shipping Costs
- Duties and Excise – how governments calculate taxes on goods crossing borders
- Product classification code for international trade
- VAT
- Insurance investigate the need for extra protection against loss or damage
Options to export
Physical exports
- Direct
- Via specialist international distributors
- Drop shipment sales (supplying books direct from Far East printers to customers in the region)
- For specific markets such as India – printed locally and priced to market.
- Print-on-demand (POD) a) directly through online stores across the world or b) in market can be a good way to distribute For larger colour texts the quality and economics can still be an issue especially in low cost and price-sensitive markets. However, it can be used to test the market and provide access to markets it might be hard or not cost effective to reach. Placing titles on a database accessed by thousands of online bookstores, physical retailers, libraries and some institutions in Europe, the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Russia, China.
- Selling ebooks through online stores across the world
Getting ready
1. Internationalise your website
Some publishers will already have an international url such as .net, .com. Others it would be worth investing or moving to. If you are targeting a non-English language market then having either a website or page in that language is critical. Website visitors stay twice as long if the website is in their own language (Forrester research). Online users are four times more likely to purchase from a website that communicates in their language (DIT). Even where you are selling resources in English having parts of your site in the target country’s language can be very influential from making it easier to use, showing commitment to that market etc. A level of localisation is important to make your resources relevant.
With major brands, slogans and course names it is important to check how these translate and test in the language of your target markets. Try 2-3 translations and then translate them back into English to ensure they convey what you intend them to and importantly don’t cause offence.
Key reasons to internationalise your website:
- 90% of users in Europe visit websites in their own language
- 70% of online searches are not in English
- Visitors stay twice as long if the website is in their own language
- Users are four times more likely to purchase from a website that communicates in their language
How to internationalise:
- Set up an International website in English – .com, .net, .eu, .global
- Create an international landing page and give an international impression
- Include an international message on your home page
- Add FAQs for international customers
- Enable geotargeting -create country specific pages as directories, for example, www.company.com/de and include localised and/or local content
Translation
Do invest in professional translations rather than relying on online translation engines. Translate key message and information back in to English to ensure these convey what you want to say.
Ecommerce
Display appropriate currencies.
Website issues experienced by international customers:
-
- Website seemed insecure
- No contact or help desk available or at times suited for that country
- Delivery times too long
- Inaccurate delivery information
- No international shipping offered
- No suitable payment options – these do vary by country so understanding expected options is critical
2. Talking to people in market
You can understand a market better by talking to people who you envisage buying and/or using your materials ideally by visiting them in market. However, a good starting point can be international visitors to UK events such as BETT, London Book Fair, or education conferences overseas.
Entering a new export market is risky and failing in one market can make small businesses abandon their export programme altogether. By researching the market, getting a sense of who your potential customers, are, their preferences will help you make informed decisions ahead of entering new markets thereby reducing the risk.
3. Setting up an international business profile with DIT
‘Get promoted internationally with a great.gov.uk business profile’
DIT offers a free service where UK companies wanting to export can set up their own business profile.
https://www.great.gov.uk/find-a-buyer/
The business profile will:
- let international buyers get in touch with your company’s sales team
- showcase your company’s outstanding projects and experience to give buyers insight into what you do
- give your company international credibility by displaying independent data from Companies House
- give companies looking to buy from your industry an easy way to find you
It involves three steps to build your company’s profile:
- Sign up – you will need to enter your Companies House number as the first step in building your profile
- Verify – to prove your affiliation to your company.
- Describe – what your company does and include examples of your best work to promote what your company has to offer internationally
Export plan for success: what, when, how
Initial planning
Select the titles, courses to export:
- IP
- Modifications/localisation of the product, marketing required
- Labelling/packaging
Select target market:
- Local demand
- Ease of access, shipping, distribution to end customer
- Climate
- Regulation
- Political climate
- Currency and its volatility
- Payment preferences
- Tax , customs, excise, VAT – cost, documentation, clearance
Resources:
- Staff, expertise, time, training
- Time
- Budget
- Skills
Research market:
- Competitors – in market, international, UK competitors
- Pricing
- Legislation
Costs:
- Getting paid
- Exchange rates
- Shipping & delivery
Routes to market:
- Direct
- Ecommerce
- Agent/distributor
Communication:
- Language & culture
- Marketing and translations
- Website
Getting started
Start your exporting journey
It takes preparation to export successfully. Make sure you have the right resources and skills in place before you start.
The Department for International Trade offer guidance for new exporters to get an overview of the exporting process. From market research through to operational logistics, there is information on the terms, processes, and information needed to be successful at selling overseas.
Selling internationally
DIT questions for export success
- Why? Your reasons and objectives
- What? Your international offer
- Where? Best markets for you
- How? Your business model
- Who? Your Export Team/ assistance required
- What with? Resources needed
Export checklist
Market research
- Research your market
- Know the relevant legislation
- What to research in your target market?
- Demand for your product or service
- Your main competitors
- Your potential customers
- Regulations
- How the market works
Customer insight
- Meet your customers
- Visit the market
- Managing language differences
- Understanding cultural differences
Business planning
- Routes to market
- Tax
- Make an export plan
- Pricing and getting paid
- What is the true cost of exporting your product/service?
- What currency will you trade in?
- Exchange rates
- Payment terms
Business terms
-
- Incoterms: Incoterms are used across the world to define seller and buyer obligations in international transactions.
- Distribution/freight – options
Operations
-
- Plan the logistics
- Internationalise your website
Compliance
-
- ABC
- Local regulations
Finance
DIT useful links
- IP Office Country Guides: www.gov.uk/government/collections/ip-protection-abroad-country-guides
- Main DTI website to Create Your Export Journey: www.great.gov.uk
- DTI How to do business Country Guides: www.gov.uk/government/collections/exporting-country-guides
- DTI live export opportunities: exportingisgreat.gov.uk/opportunities
- DIT regional offices: https://www.contactus.trade.gov.uk/office-finder
Regional support and expertise
In a number of areas DIT and local business groups such as Chambers of Commerce offer bespoke advice, export-related seminars, for example, The Global Trade Hub of the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce and the Department for International Trade (DIT):
‘… a comprehensive suite of international support, advice, services and training to help Herefordshire and Worcestershire businesses of any size or export experience in their international trade.
From international market facing and business development support to training and services that assist in getting your products to your international client in the most effective and efficient way, the Global Trade Hub offers a comprehensive portfolio of international trade assistance that is supplemented by access to a commercial network that extends into over 100 countries worldwide.’
Selling rights
Translation and rights opportunities
The market for translation in educational books is more limited than other publishing sectors such as Trade. However, some subjects and courses which are specialised, highly illustrated or designed or multi-component, for example, as modern language courses can be sought after. Given that one of the attractions is that the foreign publisher is unable to take on the development of such a course in the first place the returns may be relatively small.
It takes time, effort, and commitment to find international publishers with similar specialist areas of interest.
That said if rights deals can be secured and in languages and markets that you would not otherwise reach then the revenue is additional profit. The key is to reduce the administration and understand when a rights deal is cost-effective and beneficial.
Understanding rights
A good starting point is to attend rights conferences or DIT free sponsored seminars or meet the expert sessions at events such as the London Book Fair.
For more information: Selling Rights, Lynette Owen, Routledge 978-0415835640
Rights agencies
Rights agents are usually focused on trade or academic titles, however, they are specialists and are a very helpful starting point to understand how rights deals are constructed, which markets and types of publishers are open to buying rights, common pitfalls etc.
Rights consultants are a good place to start and can help with auditing the rights you have, advising on potential rights deals, best practice, and negotiating rights licences.
Rights2 Consultants – Clare Hodder and Ruth Tellis
Lynette Owen Consultancy
Information on rights
Publishing Perspectives provides a Monthly Rights Newsletter which covers relevant trends and information for rights professionals, for example:
- what is selling where, which book fairs offer the right opportunities, who is innovating the field of rights and licensing;
- profile leaders in the rights business around the world, up-and-coming companies, agents, publishers, and authors;
- reports on international events, rights deals;
- rights and licensing information from sources across the web with links.
https://publishingperspectives.com/rights-and-licensing/
Rights channels
IPR License is a marketplace for publishers to trade rights globally. Established in 2012 to address a specific gap in the market, it provides an online portal that enables rights holders to complete domestic and international licensing deals. Rights listings on the IPR platform have been viewed by rights buyers in 185 countries and 161 languages. IPR License has 500 members listing their rights online, and a large, international subscriber base of rights buyers.
IPR Toolbox: https://iprlicense.com/Toolbox
General manager: jane.tappuni@iprlicense.com
British International Curricula
Cambridge Assessment – International Education
https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/
Cambridge Pathway is for students aged 5 to 19. Its wide range of subjects and flexibility gives schools the chance to shape the curriculum so that it is relevant for their students.
The four stages lead from primary to secondary and pre-university years. Each stage – Cambridge Primary, Cambridge Lower Secondary, Cambridge Upper Secondary and Cambridge Advanced – builds on the learners’ development from the previous one, but can also be offered separately. Over 10000 schools in over 160 countries offer Cambridge qualifications.
Find a Cambridge school https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/why-choose-us/find-a-cambridge-school/
- Cambridge Primary for ages 5-11. Cambridge Primary is taught in more than 1300 schools in over 110 countries. There are 96,000+ entries for Cambridge Primary Checkpoint each year.
- Cambridge Lower Secondary for ages 11-14. There are over 115,000 entries for Cambridge Lower Secondary Checkpoint, Cambridge International’s tests for 11 to 14 year olds.
- Cambridge Upper Secondary for learners aged 14 to 16 years. It offers two routes: Cambridge IGCSE and Cambridge O Level. Cambridge IGCSE is the most popular international qualification for 14 to 16 year olds, taken in 4700 schools in 150 countries.
There are over 800,000 subject entries for Cambridge IGCSE exams each year.
- Cambridge Advanced for learners aged 16 to 19 years who need advanced study to prepare for university and higher education. It offers learners two routes: Cambridge International AS & A Level (taken in 130 countries with 545000 subject entries each year) and Cambridge Pre-U.
Christine Özden Chief Executive
Claudia Bickford-Smith Director, Development
Janet Morris Director, International Network
Neil Musk Director, Operations
Tristian Stobie Director, Education
Juliet Wilson Director, Assessment
Contact
Email: info@cambridgeinternational.org
If you prefer to speak directly with us, please call the team on +44 (0)1223 553554
https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/about-us/our-regional-teams/
Endorsed publishing https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/support-and-training-for-schools/endorsed-resources/publishers/
Cambridge Assessment have an open-door policy allowing a variety of publishers to create materials for their syllabuses.
The International Baccalaureate® (IB) offers an education for students from age 3 to 19, providing four programmes that focus on teaching students to think critically and independently. IB’s curricula are in almost 5,000 schools globally, in over 150 countries.
Find a school https://www.ibo.org/programmes/find-an-ib-school/
– Primary Years Programme (PYP) for children aged 3 – 12. The PYP prepares students to become active, caring, lifelong learners. It focuses on the development of the whole child.
Taught in over 109 countries.
– Middle Years Programme (MYP) for ages 11-16. A challenging framework that encourages students to make practical connections between their studies and the real world, the MYP is inclusive by design. Taught as either as a 5 year curriculum or broken into three year (11-14) and two year (14-16) programmes. Taught in 1,266 schools in 108 countries. Assessed online. The eAssessment assesses students’ work via ePortfolios of coursework, including a compulsory ePortfolio for the personal project and through on-screen examinations.
– Diploma Programme (IBDP) for ages 16-19 .The programme aims to develop students who have excellent breadth and depth of knowledge – students who flourish physically, intellectually, emotionally and ethically.
– Career-related Programme for ages 16-19. The CP is a framework of international education addressing the needs of students engaged in career-related education. It leads to further/higher education apprenticeships or employment.
Contact
Email: support@ibo.org
Telephone: US +1 301 202 3025
UK +44 29 2054 7740
Singapore +65 6579 5055
The Netherlands +31 70 352 6055
Switzerland +41 22 309 2515
Skype: IBAnswers
Regional offices:
Africa, Europe, Middle East: ibid@ibo.org
Asia-Pacific: ibid@ibo.org
The Americas: iba@ibo.org
International curriculum – Fieldwork Education
https://fieldworkeducation.com
Fieldwork Education provides international curricula and professional learning to schools and teachers around the world. Working with 15,000+ teachers, in over 2000 schools, in 98 countries globally providing three curricula: International Early Years, International Primary, International Middle Years.
To find a school: https://fieldworkeducation.com/about/our-schools
Contact
St Clements House
27-28 Clements Lane
London
EC4N 7AE
United Kingdom
Tel +44(0)20 7531 9696
Email info@fieldworkeducation.com
Gregory Biggs Director, Fieldwork Education
Therese Andrews Head of International Curriculum – Primary and Middle Years – IPC & IMYC
Verity Welch Head of IEYC
Sarah Blackmore Regional Manager – Asia Pacific sarah.blackmore@fieldworkeducation.com
Alex Johnson Schools Learning Consultant – UK alex.johnson@fieldworkeducation.com
Sandra Jones Schools Learning Consultant – Europe and Americas sandra.jones@fieldworkeducation.com
Priyamvada Taneja Regional Manager – India, Middle East, & Africa Priyamvada.Taneja@fieldworkeducation.com
Oxford International AQA Examinations (OxfordAQA)
https://www.oxfordaqaexams.org.uk/
Oxford International AQA Examinations aims to improve education through excellence in teaching, learning and assessment. It is a joint venture between Oxford University Press, a department of the University of Oxford, and AQA. In partnership with: British Council, Council of British International Schools, FOBISIA.
International versions of UK AQA GCSE and A levels in 7 subjects (10 GCSEs and 11 A levels).
Contact:
Oxford International AQA Examinations
Great Clarendon Street
Oxford
OX2 6DP
United Kingdom
Email: https://www.oxfordaqaexams.org.uk/contact-us/
Pearson Edexcel International Examinations
https://pearson edexcel-international-gcses-alevels.html
Edexcel International GCSEs are studied in over 55 countries worldwide and at over 350 independent schools in the UK. Available in more than 40 subjects, they are equivalent to UK GCSEs.
Edexcel International Advanced Levels (IAL) available in 19 subjects.
International school supply
Increasingly international schools are looking for a one-stop shop to consolidate purchases from the UK, not just across different publishers but across all types of supplier – furniture, IT, equipment. This enables the school to minimise the logistics and administration and optimise freight. Many schools want door to door pricing so prefer pricing inclusive of freight & VAT/GST. For publishers it can mean very high discounts are expected by the consolidator.
International order fulfilment via UK distributors
Requirements of customers
- Named email contact
- Telephone number
- Specific person to contact
Other common requirements
- Physical delivery address not PO Box
- Delivery address which can accept deliveries at all times during business hours 08.30-17.30 Monday to Friday
- Freight charged on top of order for online orders: IB Source, Heath’s, European School books. IB Source offer a Shipping cost calculator option (US sites use the term Shipping rather than Freight) as did Heath’s IB shop.
Payment Options
- Credit card payments
- Pay on invoice – and before order is dispatched.
- On account – usually UK/Europe only
Specialist education distributors
Mallory
Founded in 1984, Mallory International Ltd has unrivalled experience supplying books and educational materials worldwide. Its roots are in Africa, where it has had customer accounts and local representatives for over 30 years. In 2009 Mallory actively started branching out into other parts of the world and now deliver to universities, schools, colleges, and ministries of education in over 50 countries.
Three areas of the business:
1. Tenders
2. Academic – libraries and resellers
3. International schools – international private schools.
Mallory for Schools is a dedicated team specialising in the specific requirements of international school supply. Schools Team offers a single purchase point for schools across books, equipment, and other school needs.
Particular strength and knowledge of Africa. Main market since the business was founded; strong local connections throughout the continent, with unsurpassed skills in managing and delivering contracts of every size. Record of successful contracts in Africa. In 2010 alone, our turnover there exceeded £4m Sterling, composed mostly of major book supply contracts with universities, schools and aid funded projects, and journal consolidation.
Trade process and documentation: Staff at Mallory are fully trained in the export documentation requirements of the major aid donors, and of developing countries, both in Africa and elsewhere.
Consolidation and shipping: Mallory International consolidates to every continent, and to many countries with particularly complex requirements. We have strong relationships with specialised shipping agents and carriers.
In-house fluency in major European languages. Representatives will accept, and if necessary translate and pass to us, correspondence in many other languages
Eastern Europe
Aylesbeare Common Business Park
Exmouth Road
Aylesbeare
Exeter
EX5 2DG
Tel: +44 (0)1395 239199 | Email: info@malloryint.co.uk
Julian Hardinge, Chairman, Mallory International
Email: julian@malloryint.co.uk
Rachel Jiménez Dickson, Director (Schools Team)
Email: rachel@malloryint.co.uk
Tel: +44(0)1395239199 ext 231
Schools: CIE, IB, French Titles, Library Books, Phonics and Reading Schemes, Teaching Titles, UK Textbooks, US Textbooks
CES Holdings Ltd
CES provides a ‘one-stop-shop’ for the supply of educational resources to international schools worldwide and is the market leader in this specialized field. Working with suppliers and publishers from the UK, USA, Europe and Australia to offer selection of books, classroom equipment, classroom resources and furniture all available from a single source. Since CES has built up expertise in dealing with schools in over 120 countries worldwide and can offer a comprehensive procurement package specifically tailored to individual needs.
Neil Bayley, MD
Email: neil@cesholdings.co.uk
Mark Robson Sales Director
Email: Info@cesholdings.co.uk
Tel: +44 161 337 9337
Fax: +44 161 337 9099
EquipMySchool
EquipMySchool.com will administrate every aspect of overseas purchases. One single point of contact for all queries, a seamless customs process and a prompt, all-in-one delivery. Organised, efficient, fast: schools can be issued one single invoice. With facilities in England, America, and Australia EquipMySchool aims to save a school money and make life easier.
EquipMySchool was founded in 2007 to supply British International Schools with the things needed from the UK. In 2011 EquipMySchool began supplying American products to a small number of clients. From 2013 this service was opened to all clients, with a warehouse and staff based in the USA.
e-Procurement Portal
Stuart Rickard, Director and co-founder
Tel: +44 1507 307932
Feel free to FaceTime me using: +44 7778 220309
Email: Stuart@EquipMySchool.com
Skype: equipmyschool
Helen Cox, Director and Co-Founder
Andrew Schmidt, Owner/Operator USA
EquipMySchool (UK)
Achurch Close
Horncastle
Lincolnshire
LN9 6JS
United Kingdom
Email: service@equipmyschool.com
Tel: +44 (0)1507 307932
EquipMySchool (USA)
217A Varnfield Drive
Summerville
SC 29483
USA
Email: service@equipmyschool.com
Tel: +1 (785) 979 6675
TTS GROUP UK
School Resources Supplier www.tts-international.com
Supplies resources to International Schools in over 84 countries worldwide.
Contact:
International Sales
TTS Group Ltd
Park Lane Business Park
Kirkby-in-Ashfield
Nottinghamshire
NG17 9GU
Email: international@tts-group.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1623 887 068
Tom Haydon-Davies
South European Sales Manager
Email: thaydon-davies@tts-group.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)7809 410424
Fiona Moring
Account Manager – Asia
Email: fmoring@tts-group.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)7496 758365
Scott Topliss
North European Sales Manager
Email: stopliss@tts-group.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)7974 789079
BEBC – Bournemouth English Book Centre
One of the UK’s largest exporters of English Language teaching materials. Established in 1974, sells to 100 countries.
BEBC specialise in teaching materials and books.
Head Office:
Bournemouth English Book Centre
Albion Close
Parkstone
Poole
Dorset
BH12 3LL
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)333 800 1900*
*Calls from landlines are typically charged up to 9p per minute; calls from mobiles typically cost between 8p & 40p per minute.
Nick Edwards, Head of Sales and Marketing
Email: nick.edwards@bebc.co.uk
International Schools Associations
Global Organisations
Council of British International Schools Ltd https://www.cobis.org.uk/
Database of COBIS schools: https://www.cobis.org.uk/schools/cobis-schools
The Council of British International Schools serves British International Schools around the globe, representing over 281 Member Schools in 79 countries,50+ training events.
COBIS offers a rigorous quality assurance scheme for British schools overseas, The Patron’s Accreditation and Compliance. It supports schools on their development journey and actively supports whole school improvement ensuring the best possible educational environments for children and young people worldwide. From 2017, to become a COBIS school, a school must successfully complete the accreditation process. By 2022, all COBIS member schools will have been through the scheme.
Annual Conference in London in May for Heads, Governors and members of school Senior Leadership Teams.
COBIS was founded over 30 years ago and is governed by an elected Board consisting of Headteachers and Governors from member schools worldwide.
COBIS is led by CEO, Colin Bell
Email: ceo@cobis.org.uk
Tel: 0044 (0) 203 826 7190
Address: 55-56 Russell Square, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 4HP
Tel: 020 3826 7190
Council of International Schools (CIS) http://www.cois.org
Jane Larsson, Executive Director
Email: janelarsson@cois.org
Address: Schipholweg 113 2316 XC Leiden The Netherlands
Tel: +31-71-524-33-00
ECIS – Educational Collaborative for International Schools
Founded in 1965, ECIS (the Educational Collaborative for International Schools) is a non-profit global membership organisation that provides professional learning, quality assurance, school services, research, advocacy, and grants and awards for the benefit of its members. A charity registered in England and Wales, we are headquartered in London.
membership represents 425+ schools at every level of education, and 35,000+ passionate educators and leaders in over 75 countries on six continents.
As well as school membership ECIS offers commercial membership for businesses and business people which provides access to the ECIS Connect community platform, ECIS Global Insights (membership magazine), and exclusive opportunities for digital, print, and event marketing, plus opportunities to sponsor and exhibit at events. https://www.ecis.org/membership/commercial/
Example of ECIS events
Building & leading teams (ml course), Madrid, 19-20 February 2019
Advancement seminar: reality check, Hong Kong, 22-23 February 2019
2019 multilingual learning conference, London, 1-3 March 2019
Notosh’s guide to agile leadership, Brussels, 28 Feb-01 March
Rethinking assessment summit, Frankfurt international school 7-8 March 2019
Cultivating mindful leadership, Madrid, 22 -23 March 2019
Managing and embracing conflict (ml course), Madrid, 9-10 April 2019
2019 physical education conference, Barcelona, 15-18 April 2019
Street art extravaganza, Aberdeen, 19-21 April
2019 leadership conference, Lisbon, 24-27 April 2019
Building and leading teams (ml course), London, 27-28 April 2019
Building & leading teams (ml course), San Francisco, 20-21 June 2019
Culture of leadership (ml course) Lake Forest academy, USA, 1-2 July 2019
Managing & embracing conflict (ml course) lake forest academy, USA, 1-2 July 2019
Special needs & learning support conference, Luxembourg, 27-28 September 2019
24 Greville Street, London, EC1N 8SS
Dr Kevin J Ruth, Executive Director, Tel:+44 (0) 845 612 8585, Email: kevinruth@ecis.org
European Council of International Schools (ECIS) www.ecis.org
Email: ecis@ecis.org
Tel: +44 (0)20 7824 7040
Regional organisations
BSME
www.bsme.org.uk
British Schools in the Middle East (BSME) is the largest dedicated network of British International Schools in the Middle East. 125 Member Schools and over 100 supporting Associate Members (business partners). BSME runs the largest inter-school Student events programme in the Middle East, as well as comprehensive Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programmes and an Annual Conference for senior leaders.
School database: http://www.bsme.org.uk/search-for-school.html
Educational supplier database: http://www.bsme.org.uk/component/associates/associates.html
BSME Head Office
PO Box 30072
Budaiya
Kingdom of Bahrain
Tel : +973 1779 8405
Annual Conference & general: Emma Wales
Email: business@bsme.org.uk
Tel: +973 1779 8405
Membership: Lisa Kirkley
Email: membership@bsme.org.uk
Tel: +973 1779 8404
Marketing: Anisha Khan
Email: marketing@bsme.org.uk
Tel: +973 1779 8403
CPD: Cheryl Stewart
Email: cpd@bsme.org.uk
Tel: +973 1779 8407
FOBISIA Federation of British International Schools in Asia
www.fobisia.org
FOBISIA is a regional Federation of British international schools in Asia, established in 1988. It applies stringent entry standards to all Candidate Schools who apply for membership and upholds these same standards for all Member Schools through a review cycle that requires an ongoing commitment to excellence and accreditation by recognised external agencies. There are currently 61 member schools.
Affiliate Membership of FOBISIA is open to reputable educational organisations and suppliers whose services and products are of interest to Member Schools.
Training events
FOBISIA conducts regular CPD, Business and Networking opportunities through Meetings and Conferencing. Events include: Annual Leadership Conference, Biennial Teaching Community Conference, Bursars’ & Business Managers’ Conference, Community Services Meeting, CPD Leaders’ Conference, Heads of Physical Education (HoPE) Conference, Music Teachers’ Conference.
Simon Mann, FOBISIA Chair, Head of School, The British School Manila
Tania Donoghue, Chief Operating Officer
FOBISIA (Society)
95 Portsdown Road
139299
Singapore
FOBISIA (HQ)
39/4 Todsamon Clubhouse Building M FI
Soi Lasalle 39/1
Sukhumvit 105
Bangna Bangkok
Thailand 10260
Tel: +66 82 574 1110
Central & Eastern European Schools Association (CEESA)
Founded as a result of the growth of American and International Schools in Central and Eastern Europe.
CEESA Annual Conference in March, CEESA sponsors regional workshops, institutes.
CEESA also sponsors student activities, focusing on a variety of academic and non-academic areas, and a full schedule of sports events.
21 member schools; 20 Associate Member Schools; 17 regional QIS schools
CEESA
Damira Tomljanovica-Gavrana 3
10000 Zagreb
Croatia
Email: office@ceesa.org
Telephone Office (Kathy): +385-91-181-7921
CEESA Office Kathy Stetson, Executive Director
Email: office@ceesa.org
East Asia Regional Council of Overseas Schools (EARCOS) www.earcos.org
The East Asia Regional Council of Schools is an organization of 165 member schools in East Asia. These schools have a total of more than138,212 pre-K to 12th grade students. EARCOS also has 150 associate members— textbook and software publishers and distributors, universities, financial planners, architectural firms, insurance companies, youth organizations, etc— and over 40 individual members.
Membership in EARCOS is open to elementary and secondary schools in East Asia which offer an educational program using English as the primary language of instruction, and to other organizations, institutions, and individuals interested in the objectives and purposes of the Council.
Richard Krajczar, Executive Director
Email: dkrajczar@earcos.org
Tel: +63 2 697 9170
East Asia Regional Council of Schools (EARCOS)
Brentville Subdivision
Barangay Mamplasan
Binan
Laguna
4024 Philippines
Phone: +63 (02) 779-5147
Mobile: +63 928-5074876
List of member schools: www.earcos.org/mem_schools.php
2019 Conferences
17th Teachers’ Conference 2019, March 21-23, 2019, International School Bangkok, Thailand
Spring Head’s Institute/Retreat 2019, April 26-27, 2019, Raffles Hotel Le Royal, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
5th EARCOS/CIS Institute on International Admission & Guidance, September 20-21, 2019
Bangkok, Thailand
Learning2.0 Conference 2019, October 17-19, 2019, Nanjing International School
Coordinator: Annette Arbenz, Organizer, Learning2 Asia 2018, annette@learning2.org
51st Leadership Conference 2019, October 31 – November 2, 2019, Sutera Harbour, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
19th Annual ISNA Conference 2019, March 30-31, 2019, Australian International School Malaysia (AISM)
Middle School GIN 2019, April 12-14, 2019, International School Manila, Coordinator: Rachel Harrington, harringtonr@ismanila.org
2020 Conferences
6th EARCOS/CIS Institute on International Admission & Guidance, September 18-19, 2020
Bangkok, Thailand
High School GIN 2020, NIST International School, Thailand , Coordinator: Robin Wilensky, rwilensky@nist.ac.th
18th Teachers’ Conference 2020, March 26-28, 2020, Bangkok, Thailand
52nd Leadership Conference 2020, October 29-31, 2020, Bangkok, Thailand
Korea Council of Overseas Schools (KORCOS)
The Korea Council of Overseas Schools (KORCOS) is a non-profit, non-political, and non-sectarian organization of educators from overseas schools in Korea.
For the year 2017-18: President: Soleiman Dias [Chadwick International]
Vice-President: Mirela Matesan [Chadwick International]
Director of Technology: Marc Montague [Seoul International School]
Director of International Education: Jolene Lockwood [KIS Jeju]
Founded in 1973 by Richard F. Underwood, then headmaster of Seoul Foreign School, and James L. Wootton, then principal and later headmaster of the Korea Christian Academy [now Taejon Christian International School]
NABSS National Association of British Schools in Spain founded in 1978 by a group of leading British schools in Spain. All NABSS member schools are fully authorised and recognised by the corresponding education authorities in Spain, as foreign schools teaching the British education system. In order to obtain this authorisation they have to be certified by the British Council in Spain after having successfully passed inspections meeting British education standards. 77 Schools; 50 Supporting Members; 34.000 Students; 5.000 Teachers
Adrian Massam, NABSS President
The National Association of British Schools in Spain’s 41st annual conference will be held from 28th February to 3rd March 2019 in Valencia.
Calle de Ferraz, 85, 28008 Madrid
Email: nabss@acade.es
Tel: +91 550 0123
Nordic Network of International Schools
www.nordicnetworkonline.net
The Nordic Network is a collaborative network that serves international schools in the Nordic and Baltic regions.
15 Nordic school members. The Nordic Network extended its membership area in 2008 to include schools from the Baltic States and the International School of Gdansk became an Associate Member School in 2011. In October, 2016 we welcomed Reykjavik International School as our second Associate Member School.
Annual AGM and Leadership Conference, 23rd and 24th of May, 2019, Tallink Spa and Conference Hotel, Tallinn, Estonia
E-mail: nordicnetworkonline@gmail.com
Tel: +47 93 00 8648
Regional events
Global Educational Supplies and Solutions (GESS) was launched in 2008 and is the Middle East’s leading educational supplies show. GESS connects education professionals and providers of ICT and e-learning solutions, interactive technologies and scientific and laboratory equipment. The event runs alongside the GESS Awards and Global Education Forum (GEF) which provides a platform for dialogue between the local academic and regional educational practitioners and their counterparts from the global education community. GESS and GEF are organised under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice- President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and supported by His Excellency Humaid Moh’d Al Qutami, Minister of Education for the United Arab Emirates.
Building on GESS’s success, the brand has been rolled out with sister editions in Indonesia, Mexico and Turkey.
GESS INDONESIA 18 – 20 September 2019, Jakarta Convention Center
GESS TURKEY 10 – 12 October 2019, WOW International Convention Center, Istanbul
GESS DUBAI 26 – 28 February 2019, Sheikh Saeed Halls, Dubai World Trade Centre
GESS AWARDS 27 February 2019, Dubai, UAE
UK Office Tel: +44 20 8846 2700
International and Private Schools Education Forum
IPSEF is a series of high level global conferences that combine keynote presentations, round tables, workshops and networking receptions to facilitate effective partnership building for senior figures from schools, investors, governments, and education suppliers.
Asian and Middle East events also include a series of school visits, which provide valuable practical insights into some of the best educational initiatives and schools in the host cities. This combination of conference, partnership building and real life school visits provides delegates with a unique and valuable experience that can’t be experienced elsewhere.
IPSEF Asia Shanghai, 7-9 May 2019
IPSEF Middle East Autumn 2019
IPSEF London November 2019
American international schools
Office of Overseas Schools
The mission of the Office of Overseas Schools is to promote quality educational opportunities at the elementary and secondary level for dependants of American citizens carrying out our programs and interests of the U.S. Government abroad.
ASSISTED SCHOOLS: The U.S. Department of State provides assistance to 193 overseas schools through direct and indirect support programs designed to promote an American-style program. Links to detailed information on each assisted school can be found here https://www.state.gov/m/a/os/c1684.htm
Overseas Schools Advisory Council
Since 1967, leading American business firms have helped bring educational excellence to American children attending schools overseas through the Overseas Schools Advisory Council (OSAC). Chaired by Katherine E. Thompson, Director, Global Mobility, Citi.
Regional Education Associations
Association for the Advancement of International Education
World-wide organization supporting American international educational interests https://www.aaie.org/about-aaie/who-we-are-and-the-work-we-do
Mark E. Ulfers, Executive Director
Email: Mark@aaie.org
Website: www.aaie.org
Mailing Address: AAIE PO Box 3496 Princeton, NJ 08543-3496, USA
Physical Address: AAIE 15 Roszel Road Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
Phone: +1 609-716-7441
Mobile: +1 970-488-9416
Association of American Schools in South America
https://www.aassa.com/
Private, college preparatory institutions offering a predominantly American curriculum taught in English. Each of the schools provides a variety of programs. By combining U.S. and host country courses of study, many of the schools grant both host country and U.S. diplomas. An increasing number of schools offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, Advanced Placement (AP) courses, and English as a Second Language (ESL).
48 full members; 30 invitational members.
1911 NW 150 Ave, Suite 101 Pembroke Pines, FL 33028, USA
Phone: +1 954-436-4034
Association of American Schools Central America, Colombia-Caribbean and Mexico (Tri-Association)
www.tri-association.org
The Tri-Association is made up of three Sub-regional Associations; AASCA (Association of American in Central America), ACCAS (Association of American Schools in Colombia-Caribbean), and ASOMEX (Association of American Schools in Mexico). The Association is supported by the Office of Overseas Schools of the U.S. State Department and serves close to 90 schools in Central America, Colombia and Caribbean, and Mexico.
38th Annual Educators’ Conference Building the Empathetic School
24-25 September, 2019 (Pre-conference Institutes) 26-28 September, 2019 (Main Conference) Monterrey, México; Host: American School Foundation of Monterrey
Dr Sonia Keller, Executive Director
Email: skeller@tri-association.org
Tel: +1 (593) 2 224 2996
Address: 2637 Ascot Dr. Florence, SC 29501, USA
Tel: USA (1) 843-799-5754
Association of International Schools in Africa (AISA)
www.aisa.or.ke
Established in 1969 AISA has a membership of 76 schools across 34 countries. These schools serve approximately 27,000 students supported by over 3,000 teachers. 80 Associate Members that are comprised of businesses, organisations and universities throughout the world whose primary mission is to serve the various needs of schools.
AISA Invitational Conference, 30th – 31st March 2019 AIS Lagos Nigeria; AISA 2019 21-23 November 2019 , CITCC, Cape Town; AISA School Heads Retreat, 2-3 May 2020.
Peter Bateman, Executive Director
Email: pbateman@aisa.or.ke
Tel: +254 20 418-0574
Address: Peponi Road, PO Box14103-00800, Nairobi, Kenya.
Tel: +254 20 2697442 / 8076067
Mediterranean Association of International Schools (MAIS)
www.mais-web.org
The MAIS focus is to help its members evaluate and meet the varying educational needs which result from providing an American education in an international setting. Annual MAIS Conference.
Associate Memberships are available for schools, colleges, businesses and interested individuals and organizations worldwide.
44 Member Schools, 45 Associate Member organizations from 17 different countries, including Austria, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Italy, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, Oman, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.
Reina O’Hale, Executive Director/CEO
Email: rohale@mais-web.org
Tel: +34 91 740 1900/+34 91 357 2678
Near East South Asia Council of Overseas Schools
www.nesacenter.org
Founded in 1968. Currently NESA includes 40+ ‘member’ schools plus over 130 ‘affiliate’ schools and organizations in an area stretching from Egypt and Greece to India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Private, independent American/international schools serving students and their families in North Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia.
Professional Learning Events:
- Spring Educators Conference 2019, 29-31 March 2019, Royal Orchid Sheraton, Bangkok, Thailand;
- Fall Leadership Conference: 24-27October, 2019 Bangkok, Thailand;
- Fall Training Institute: 8-9November, 2019 Venue TBA;
- Winter Training Institute: 24-25 January, 2020 Muscat, Oman;
- Spring Educators Conference: 2-5 April, 2020, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Madeleine Hewitt, Executive Director
Email: maddie@nesacenter.org
Tel: +30 210 600 9821
Address: Gravias 6, Aghia Paraskevi ,153 42, Athens, Greece
Email: nesa@nesacenter.org
Tel: +30 210 600-9821
USA Curriculum School supply
International Schools Services (ISS)
As a non-profit organization, International Schools Services (ISS) works with more than 500 international schools and thousands of educators each year across its suite of services, creating the largest global footprint in international education support. Since its inception in 1955, ISS has launched and managed more than 110 international schools; placed approximately 50,000 educators; developed ground-breaking learning programs, such as the World Language Initiative and Level 5 Creativity & Innovation Hubs; processed about 15,000 school supply orders annually; and stewarded over 75 school foundations each year. With its headquarters in Princeton, NJ, USA and locations in China and the Middle East, ISS currently owns or operates nearly 20 international schools around the world.
Services: School Startup and Management; School Supply; Teacher Recruitment; Head/Administrative Recruitment; Accounting & Foundations; Professional Development
Roger Hove, President
Address: 15 Roszel Road, P.O. Box 5910, Princeton, NJ 08543-5910, U.S.A
Email: iss@iss.edu
Phone: +1-609-452-0990
Regional focus: Middle East
Segmentation of schools
There are three main types of schools differentiated by their student-base, curriculum choice and command of English:
Segment A – International schools that follow a UK or US curriculum
These schools invariably have trained native speaker teachers and a large proportion of expatriate students.
UK/US/IB/CIE/IPC Curriculum Schools:
- EMI (English as Medium of Instruction) with strong EAL need in primary
- Privately owned and operated, often part of a chain
- Often accredited by an international body and curriculum and pay for the privilege
- High tuition fees, high resource spend, targeted at children of Western expats and wealthy locals
- Classroom and library staff are qualified/certified/licensed to teach in home country
Example: The American International School in Muscat, St Christopher’s in Bahrain, GEMS US, UK, and IB schools.
Segment B – Private schools, usually bi-lingual
These schools may have some native-speaker teachers and will follow any one of a number of curricula dictated by the requirements of their student base.
Unaccredited US/UK/IB/CIE/IPC Curriculum Schools:
- EMI with strong EAL need in primary
- Schools are aspirational and offer one or a combination of the curricula outlined but they are not accredited by an international awarding body.
- Tuition is still high but more reasonable than Tier A schools. Target children of expats and locals with middle incomes. Resource spend varies quite a lot.
- Classroom and library staff usually have a relevant qualification but this can vary widely.
- In the UAE, you can include CBSE schools in this category. (If you are selling texts to government schools in India, there is also a market in the Gulf. Challenges with pricing and parallel import but important to know. )
Segment C – Local schools teaching in local language
Teachers and students will have much more limited command of English and consequently less demand for US or UK curriculum product.
Government run Schools:
- Schools that fall under the purview of the national MOE (private or public sector)
- AMI (Arabic as Medium of Instruction) or key subjects of Maths and Science are via EMI. English is also taught as a foreign language
- Decisions for core materials are taken at MOE level following vetting and approval. A large order is made centrally by the MOE and distributed or supplementary titles go on an approved list and schools buy individually with discretionary budget. (Oman Private Sector.)
Price points vary according to the type of school. Some top-ranked international schools will pay prices equivalent to US or UK prices. Local schools will require very heavy discounting in some cases up to 80% off US list price. There is a strong requirement for in-service training, particularly for non-native speaker teaching staff.
Key Markets- Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt are the key American school markets. These three countries alone contain more than 500 international and local private schools.
Introduction of VAT
As of 1st January 2018, Saudi Arabia and the UAE introduced 5% VAT, with other GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) member countries set to follow suit in the coming years. Nurseries and schools are currently 0% rated, leaving open for the rate to be increased in the future.
Future growth
While the demand for high-fee expat places has reduced the UAE international schools market is not yet saturated. Mid-market, affordable education, and specialist provision such as Special Education Needs (SEN), elite sports, and bilingual schools, offer opportunities.
UAE overview
UAE has c 580 schools with a total enrolment of 584,932 students. Private schools make up c60% of the schools. Continued growth is expected in the coming years. There is government investment to develop the curriculum and education system up to world-class standards allocating 21% of the 2016 federal budget to the education sector, funding accredited teachers, professional development and Education 2020, its ambitious five-year plan to make qualitative improvements in teaching & learning.
Teacher and Educational Leadership Standards (TELS) and Licensing programme will be implemented over five years for all teachers in the UAE. By 2021, all teachers, vice-principals, and principals at private and public schools will be subject to licensing.
UAE public schools follow the Arabic curriculum whereas the private schools follow 17 different curricula. Schools following national curricula from the UK, US, India, and the MoE cater to 90 percent of the private school student population. Other curricula include International Baccalaureate (IB), Canadian, French, German, Philippines, Pakistani, Iranian, Japanese, and Russian.
MoE primary and secondary education is provided for all U.A.E. citizens and is mandatory up until the ninth grade. The four tier system covers 14 years of education:
Kindergarten – 4 to 5 years
Primary – 6 to 12 years
Preparatory – 12 to 15 years
Secondary – 15 to 18 years old
Abu Dhabi and Dubai constitute more than 67% of U.A.E.’s population, out of which Emiratis represent 16% out of the total population. Foreign expatriates represent 91% in Dubai compared to 55% in Abu Dhabi of the total population.
In the 2016/2017 academic year, there were 580 private schools in the U.A.E., most of which were in Dubai (185) and Abu Dhabi (122) with approximately 241,493 students enrolled in Abu Dhabi private schools, and 273,599 in Dubai.
Key U.A.E. School Operators include Al Dar Academies, Academia Management Solutions International, Bloom, Choueifat, Fortes Education, Innoventures, GEMS Education, Mosaica, Taleem.
The regulation of private schools in the U.A.E. is governed by the Ministry of Education (MoE), a federal government authority except in Dubai, where the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) is the regulator, and in Abu Dhabi where the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) is the regulator. Both KHDA and ADEC are Emirate level government authorities and not federal.
The Ministry of Education (MoE): The MoE monitors the education system through secondary level at public schools in the Northern Emirates (Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain). The MoE develops and monitors reform activities focusing on standards and level of education.
ADEC, KHDA and MoE are each tasked with education reform and the preservation’s of local traditions, principles, and cultural identity.
Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC): Established in 2005, ADEC is the regulatory body that provides licensing and accreditation to private schools in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and the Western Region, and sets the minimum standards for educational outcomes, health, safety, and building and site requirements. ADEC works closely with the MoE in formulating the emirate’s education plan.
ADEC https://www.adek.abudhabi.ae/ar/Education/Pages/default.aspx
MOE https://www.moe.gov.ae/en/pages/home.aspx
National Qualifications Authority https://www.nqa.gov.ae/ar/pages/home.aspx
Regional contacts
IPS ME Ltd
http://www.ipsme.com/about.php
IPS ME provides marketing & promotion services for major European, Australian and American publishers specialising in the academic and trade industries. Since 1990, IPS has established strong links with universities, schools, libraries and associated business professionals.
Geographically, IPS covers 20 countries in the Gulf and Stan regions, North Africa, Mediterranean, The Levant and Turkey with IPS representatives regularly visiting schools, universities, bookshops and meeting local and regional distributors.
IPS continually promotes the publishers, their products and services by face to face visits, extensive emailing campaigns and direct mailing of company promotional material.
IPS works with a range a publishers including Capstone, Raintree, Rising Stars, Hodder Education, Taylor & Francis, Nelson Cengage Learning (PM), Psychology Press, World Scientific.
Digital for Schools – Dynamic Learning, PebbleGo, PG Online.
Contact:
IPS ME Ltd
P.O Box-27533
Dubai
United Arab Emirates
Email: ipsgroup@eim.ae
Tel: +971-4-2384001, 2384002
Fax: +971-4-2384005
Pioneers Bookshop
http://pioneers-bookshop.com/
Founded in 2009 and based in Dubai, UAE, Pioneer bookshop is an educational distributor in the Middle East. Covering pre-school to higher education and servicing schools, colleges, universities, and libraries.
Nasser Ahmed, Sales and Marketing Manager
Pioneers Bookshop, United Arab Emirates, Dubai
P.O Box: 95631
Email: info@pioneers-bookshop.com
Tel: 00971 50 242 72 10
Pioneers Bookshop is the exclusive distributor in the UAE for Al Rowad for Publishing and Distribution, Express Publishing, Preiss Murphy. It is authorised distributors of international publishers including Collins, Cambridge University Press, Cengage Learning, Marshall Cavendish, Jolly Learning, McGraw Hill Education, Merriam Webster, and Scholastic.
Regional organisations
British Schools in the Middle East (BSME) is the largest dedicated network of British International Schools in the Middle East. 125 Member Schools and over 100 supporting Associate Members (business partners). BSME runs the largest inter-school Student events programme in the Middle East, as well as comprehensive Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programmes and an Annual Conference for senior leaders
School database: http://www.bsme.org.uk/search-for-school.html
Educational supplier database: http://www.bsme.org.uk/component/associates/associates.html
BSME Head Office
PO Box 30072
Budaiya
Kingdom of Bahrain
Tel: +973 1779 8405
Annual Conference & general: Emma Wales
Email: business@bsme.org.uk
Tel: +973 1779 8405
Membership: Lisa Kirkley
Email: membership@bsme.org.uk
Tel: +973 1779 8404
Marketing: Anisha Khan
Email: marketing@bsme.org.uk
Tel: +973 1779 8403
CPD: Cheryl Stewart
Email: cpd@bsme.org.uk
Tel: +973 1779 8407
Regional focus: India
There is no single, nationwide language of instruction in the Indian school system, because of the country’s linguistic diversity. There are at least 47 different languages used in schools throughout India. In the small multilingual state of Nagaland, for example, 17 different languages are used in elementary education. Nevertheless, Hindi is the most common medium of instruction and English is also becoming increasingly prominent, especially in private schools. According to the All India School Education Survey by NCERT, Hindi is the medium of instruction at 51 percent of schools in India at the elementary and upper-secondary stages, whereas English is the language of instruction at about 15 percent and 33 percent of schools at the elementary and upper-secondary stages, respectively. Studies have shown that the number of children enrolled in English-medium schools increased by 274 percent between 2003 and 2011 alone.
|
Stage of education |
English |
Hindi |
|
Primary |
15.49% |
51.5% |
|
Upper Primary |
21.08% |
54.15% |
|
Secondary |
28.73% |
43.18% |
|
Higher Secondary |
33.06% |
51.45% |
The School System
With more than 1.5 million schools and about 260 million students in 2015/16, India has the world’s second-largest school system after China. Overall enrolment increases in recent years is the result of both growth in the school age population and the increased access to education. Between 2010/11 and 2015/16, the student population in the school system grew by 5 percent or 12.6 million students.
Education in India is compulsory for all children from ages six to 14 and provided free of charge at public schools. Yet, despite tremendous advances in expanding access over the past decades, participation rates are still not universal, particularly in rural regions and among lower castes and other disadvantaged groups.
Challenges
- Participation rates: 70.2% at Grades 6-8; 66.4% Lower Secondary; 44.6% Upper Secondary
- High teacher:pupil ratios
- Levels of teacher education
Private schools
Almost 30 per cent of students in India are attending private, government unaided schools. Research, commissioned by the Institute of Labour Economics (IZA), showed that between 2010 and 2016 the number of private schools increased and the number of students enrolling in private schools increased by 16 million whereas the actual number of students in state schools decreased by 11.1 million students over the same time period.
Contrary to popular belief that private schools are expensive, the study revealed that the main reason for the rapid growth of private schools in India is their affordability. The vast majority of private schools – 80 per cent – are low fee schools when compared to the price that the Indian government pays for state school places.
International schools
Demand for education in private international English-medium schools in India is growing albeit amongst high income families. Between 2012 and 2017, the number of English-medium international schools in the country increased from 313 to 469, while the number of students enrolled in these schools grew by 76 percent, from 151,900 to 268,500 students. According to ISC Research there are now 523 English-medium international schools in India, 30 per cent of them situated in Mumbai and Bangalore. The international school market in India has been estimated to be expanding at annual growth rate of 11 percent.
High fees are a constraining factor. Schools with fees over USD$10,000 mostly cater to expatriates with Indians making up only 43.5% of students. Whereas at schools charging USD$4,000 and USD$10,000 Indian nationals account for 75 percent of students.
International curricula
There are 160 IB World schools offering the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum.
https://www.ibo.org/programmes/findaschool/india
Over 400 schools offer the Cambridge International Examination. The Indian Association of Universities (AIU) considers both the IB and the British Advanced Level exams equivalent to an Indian grade 12 qualification; and many, but not all, Indian universities now accept these credentials for admission.
https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/why-choose-us/find-a-cambridge-school/
Ruchira Ghosh, Regional Director
Email: ruchira.ghosh@cambridgeinternational.org
Regional contacts Caribbean Book suppliers
Jamaica
Sangster’s Book Stores
https://www.sangstersbooks.com
13 branches run by a staff of over 150. Since 2009 Sangster’s Book Stores has been owned by Jabulani Holdings Limited, also owners of Carlong Publisher’s Caribbean Limited.
Dr. N. Marshall, Managing Director
Mr. C. Carby, Board Chairman
Mrs. B. Smith, Director
Mrs. L. Allen, Company Secretary
S.Carby, Director
Stocks books from a wide range of publishers and specifically represents the following partners:
- Carlong Publishers – publish, market, and distribute schoolbooks that support Caribbean curricula at the early childhood, primary, and secondary levels;
- Cambridge University Press – Early Childhood to Tertiary levels, with specific titles developed exclusively for the Caribbean CSEC and CAPE exams;
- Daiman Publishers – Trinidad-based publishers of a series of Mathematics titles from Early Childhood to Grade 7 and Integrated Mathematics for Primary Schools.
- JAV Publishers – Trinidad-based publisher of a series of Comprehension titles for Lower and Upper Primary Schools , as well as the reading series, The Magic Cave for ages 8 and over.
- Crayola – Sangster’s Book Stores is an authorized distributor.
Head Office 33 Second Street Newport West, Kingston 13
Email: info@sangstersbooks.com
Tel: 00 809 758-6840/7549/8415/6612/8450/6578/7218
Retail Manager & Marketing Department
97 Harbour Street Kingston
Email: marketing@sangstersbooks.com
Tel: 00 809 967-3774/ 758-7549/8415
Wholesale Department
Email: wholesale@sangstersbooks.com
Kingston Bookshop
www.kingstonbookshopjm.com
74 King Street
Kingston
Jamaica
Tel: (876) 948 7198
Fax: (876) 967 3231
Email: info@kingstonbookshop.com
Covers a wide range of school and examination resources. Exclusive agency and distribution in Jamaica for the University Press, UK-based Nelson Thornes, Macmillan Publishers, Oxford University Press, The Hodder Group, Evans Brothers, Rising Stars, and Trinidad-based Royards Publishing; and stationery manufacturers MonAmi, Stabilo, and Reeves.
Trinidad & Tobago
Keith and Khalied Khan Books Etc. Ltd
Offers a wide range of books. Stockists for Jolly Learning, Collins Learning, Oxford University Press
14 Navet Road
San Fernando
Trinidad
Tel: +1 (868) 653 2665
Email: kkhan@booksetc.net
