What I learnt launching a start-up international school

Few moments in a school leader’s career are as thrilling as opening the doors of a new international school. The energy is contagious, the opportunities vast. You have the privilege of shaping systems, culture, and community from the very beginning. But alongside the excitement sit challenges that are both unique and unrelenting.

In the start-up phase, teaching loads are often uneven, structures are underdeveloped, and the search for a culturally rooted approach is constant. Teachers and leaders alike feel the weight of multiple roles, as well as the disorientation that comes with culture shock. As head, I am not shielded from these experiences. Like my colleagues, I have to learn, adapt, and sometimes improvise, all while offering calm direction.

The energy is contagious, the opportunities vast.

One of the paradoxes of start-up leadership is that you are going through the same uncertainty as your team, yet you are expected to provide clarity. Staff look to leaders for answers when, in truth, the answers are still being built. In those moments, honesty becomes essential. Admitting that we are working things out together is not a weakness, it is the basis for trust.

That spirit of collaboration defines the early years. Decision-making is immediate, and teachers often feel they are helping to shape the culture of the school as well as their own classrooms. It is inspiring to witness this energy and sense of ownership, but it is also important to manage expectations. Not every idea can be acted upon, and inevitably, as systems begin to bed in, that wide-open sense of autonomy starts to narrow. For some, this feels like a natural evolution, but for others it can feel like a loss.

It is inspiring to witness this energy and sense of ownership, but it is important to manage expectations.

In start-up schools, teachers do not simply teach. They also play an essential part in marketing and growing the school. Whether it is opening their classrooms to prospective parents, contributing to promotional events, or sharing their work with the community, every teacher becomes an ambassador. This visibility can feel daunting, especially when staff are already juggling heavy loads and unfamiliar systems. Yet it also fosters pride.

Parents and the wider community see the energy, creativity, and professionalism of teachers first-hand. Their passion becomes the school’s most persuasive message. For leaders, it is important to acknowledge this invisible labour and to celebrate the teachers who give so much of themselves to help the school flourish.

Parents, too, are part of this journey. They have entrusted us with their children at a time when systems are untested and traditions are still being formed. Building their trust requires transparency, communication, and consistency, even when the background is one of flux. The relationship with parents in a start-up school is unlike that in an established institution. They see the school being built in real time and often feel like partners in its creation. While this can be demanding, it is also a gift, offering the chance to forge authentic relationships that anchor the school’s reputation and culture for years to come.

Teachers’ passion becomes the school’s most persuasive message.

As the school matures, the landscape inevitably changes. Systems solidify, roles become more defined, and consistency takes precedence over spontaneity. For teachers, this shift can be hard. The freedom to shape big decisions gives way to more formal processes.

For leaders, the challenge is to balance this necessary structure with the innovation and spirit of collaboration that characterised the early days. The best outcome is one where stability and creativity can co-exist, with teachers still feeling a sense of influence while parents enjoy the reliability they rightly expect.

Leading a start-up international school is not for the faint-hearted. It demands resilience, adaptability, and the courage to lead while learning. But it also offers extraordinary rewards: the chance to build something lasting, to work alongside staff whose creativity knows no bounds, and to earn the trust of parents who share your vision.

For me, the greatest satisfaction lies in knowing that these pioneering years will leave a legacy. Systems will evolve, staff will move on, but the culture we built together, grounded in trust, collaboration, and a shared sense of purpose, will endure.