British International School in Houston: The School of the Future

Your dream to work with “the happiest and most talented students anywhere” is closer than you think! Check out the British International School (BISH) in Houston, Texas, now a Search Associates member school. Established in 2000, BISH has just moved to a new 34-acre campus with state-of-the-art facilities in the green, leafy suburb of Katy, west of Houston. Principal Andrew Derry describes the new facilities:

“Built for 2000 students on 34 acres, the campus is one of the most pedagogically advanced schools buildings in the [world.] Rather than fixed classrooms and fixed furniture, students learn in learning neighborhoods. Each neighborhood is completely flexible in layout and is designed to allow teachers and learners to adapt learning environments to the unique needs of each situation and the personal needs of each learner.”

BISH is a member of the Nord Anglia Education’s Global Classroom network, which unites its students with teachers and peers in schools around the world. BISH’s teaching staff of 93 includes 85 from the U.K. and North America. Currently 950 K-12 students of 57 nationalities attend BISH, with 55% from the U.K. and North America. The school describes its community:

“Parents in oil, gas, and energy industries across the world choose the British International School of Houston for their children's education . . . an inclusive and supportive international community that embraces diversity. Students here represent 50 nationalities, and it is common for many to speak three to four languages fluently.”

BISH offers a Dutch-language program, with Dutch-speaking teachers and lessons conducted in Dutch for students from the ages of three to 18. The World Languages Extension Program at the school provides learning opportunities in other languages as well. The school offers myriad curricula to meet the learning needs of global students, which not only allows them to transfer seamlessly to schools all over the world, but which also prepares them for leading universities in the U.K., Europe, the Americas, and Asia. The available curricula are as follows:

BISH speaks of its students’ outstanding academic achievements:

“For five consecutive years our students have achieved an average of 35 points in the IB Diploma Program with record results of 37 points for the past two years. We are ranked in the top 12% of IB schools worldwide. Year after year our students achieve remarkable outcomes, well above both the UK and world averages.”

BISH also boasts a thriving extracurricular program, complete with visual and performing arts, sports, a variety of music programs, and opportunities to learn outside the classroom. The school has negotiated unique collaborations with some of the world's leading institutions, such as Julliard for the Performing Arts program and M.I.T for the Design Thinking and Computer Science curricula and teacher training. Field trips to complete field work for geography and science, in and around the city, take the students to zoos, museums, and factories. Secondary students are given the opportunity to take end-of-the-year jaunts to places such as Washington, New York, Florida, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Costa Rica, and Tanzania!

BISH is interested in hiring single teachers and would consider couples with or without a non-teaching spouse. Exceptional, experienced teachers with certification acquired from non-English speaking countries are also welcome to apply. Current visa regulations require that the school hires either U.K. passport holders or residents of the U.S. (passport or green card holders). To obtain a work visa in the U.S., teachers require certification, but there is no age limit.

The salary and benefits package allows for some savings or the chance to support a family on one salary. Tuition is free for up to two children. In addition to providing a moving allowance, BISH locates and pays for the deposit on a teacher’s apartment before fully furnishing it. Additionally, teachers are given roundtrip airfare back to their home city every two years. Life insurance as well as worldwide medical and dental insurance is covered, with employee contribution for family members. The Professional Learning Program offers opportunities for BISH teachers to read a Master's Degree with Kings College, London.  Finally, BISH offers a generous retirement plan. There are local opportunities for non-teaching spouses.

To gain access to British International School in Houston's full profile on the Search Associates database, including a list of all open positions, candidates can apply for membership by clicking here. Candidates already registered can easily access the school profile directly through their dashboard. 

Please Note: The information presented about this school was valid on the date published. This information may change, and the most up-to-date information can be found on the school profile.