Creating Conditions for Thriving: The Global Study of International School Staff Wellbeing 2026

Staff wellbeing is not a private matter for individuals to manage in their own time. It is one of the clearest signals available to school leaders, boards and owners of how well a school is functioning as an organisation. When staff are stretched beyond what is sustainable, when trust between staff and leadership is thin, or when a school’s stated values and its everyday practice pull in different directions, the effects can be seen everywhere — in the quality of teaching and pastoral care, in staff turnover and recruitment costs, in institutional memory and community continuity, and ultimately in the experience of the students the school exists to serve.

The Global Study of International School Staff Wellbeing, 2026 draws on responses from staff working in international schools across nine global regions. It creates a valuable snapshot of the wellbeing and working conditions of senior and middle leaders, teachers, classroom support staff, and administration and operations staff. It also makes key recommendations for meaningful and sustainable change.