There are now 656 international school groups operating 5,928 schools across the globe - accounting for 38.3 per cent of the market - according to new data from ISC Research.
The organisation’s also provides the latest snapshot on the overall market, with 15,464 international schools operating in 146 nations.
The latest figures underline the huge growth of groups compared with almost a , when 2017 ISC Research data showed that 333 groups were running 2,526 international schools - 23 per cent of the total market.
This growth shows no sign of slowing down, either, with 54 per cent of new schools set to open in the coming years belonging to groups. Leading the charge is Inspired Education, with 3.4 per cent of the pipeline, followed by Taaleem (3 per cent) in the United Arab Emirates.
The growth of groups means they now account for the education of almost 3.2 million pupils and employ nearly 295,000 teaching staff worldwide.
The largest group is Grupo SEB, which has 507 schools, the majority in Brazil (238), India (97) and Singapore (60). Some of the largest groups with wider global footprints are International Schools Partnership (106 schools), Nord Anglia Education (106 schools), Cognita Schools (103) and Inspired Education (79).
It should be noted that these figures differ from the numbers these groups cite for themselves - Inspired says it has 125 schools, for example - possibly due to how ISC classifies international schools.
Growth of international school groups
The report also touches on how the growth of these groups is bringing in more corporate governance structures that affect how schools operate.
In one group in Southern Europe, it reports that any purchase above €15,000 requires chief financial officer sign-off. In another group, the figure is €25,000.
Additionally, with budgets set in more traditional yearly cycles, any large spend outside this scope requires “stronger justification”, the report claims, leaving schools less autonomous than was traditionally the case, said Malia Rowe, head of Insights at ISC Research.
She added: “Decisions relating to finance, procurement, human resources and educational strategy are increasingly shaped within corporate frameworks, creating operating models that differ substantially from those of standalone schools.
“Successful engagement therefore depends not only on understanding what schools require, but also on understanding where decisions are made, who influences them and how investment priorities are established across each organisation.”
While this level of oversight is increasing, the report says groups have not become so directive as to mandate entire technology stacks in areas such as pupil information or learning management systems, and device strategy still usually sits with schools.
Falling birth rates and AI
However, the rise of AI has led some groups to create their own tools, with and tool cited as two examples.
The report also notes that with falling birth rates in many nations, groups are increasingly looking for ways to protect themselves from this trend, such as through boosting early years provision or offering new AI-enabled curricula.
Ms Rowe said: “The strongest opportunities will be found by looking beyond the headline growth figures and understanding where demand is sustainable, what families are looking for and what it takes to operate successfully in that particular market.”
As well as private group growth, the market is increasingly seeing private school brands grow substantial overseas portfolios, with schools such as Brighton, Wellington and Dulwich opening numerous new sites.
