[Publication] The European Schools system: State of Play, Challenges and Perspectives

Many operational aspects of the ESS need to be reassessed considering the rapid expansion of the system and the drastically changing reality in which it operates.

The ESS identity, as formulated in its mission and objectives, needs to be at the heart of the system. The mission of the ESS, first defined in 1957, continues to be perceived by stakeholders as relevant and reflective of the Schools’ identity today. However, many of them also argue that the mission statement needs to be broadened and include more explicit references to values such as diversity, inclusion, cooperation, and tolerance. This includes more emphasis on the accommodation of multilingual pupils and social diversity, reduction of exclusivity of the ESS and better integration with the AES and more diversified educational offer, especially for pupils with special educational needs, and pupils who do not necessarily wish to follow an academic education path.

ESS governance is perceived to be overly complex, bureaucratic, and inefficient, with insufficiently defined roles and responsibilities amongst a number of entities. This compromises the system’s ability to respond to challenges. A new, comprehensive scheme of delegation needs to be developed, which guards against conflicts of interest, for example through the use of information barriers where appropriate. This is likely to raise educational standards across the system. Furthermore, there is a clear need for more transparency. Parents and teachers still feel insufficiently involved in the ESS decision-making process, while conflict resolution processes were reported to be lengthy and complex. Governance transparency can be increased by establishing clear channels of communication together with guidance/support that enables effective stakeholder involvement. There should also be a focus on enabling effective mediation to avoid formal legal procedures.

The funding mechanism of the ESS, its governance and, consequently, the Schools’ HR policies, are closely intertwined. The current cost-sharing mechanism was reported to be highly problematic. It has led to two major issues the traditional ES face – teacher shortages and a poor infrastructure. Many MSs continuously fail to meet their obligations for secondments, while host MSs are not always willing to allocate funds for infrastructure maintenance and upgrades. Teacher shortages are a major challenge across all Schools, resulting in a decreased quality of education. Exploring alternatives to the current cost-sharing mechanism (e.g. contribution-per-student) and strengthening the employment package for teachers (e.g. via the introduction of equal employment conditions, appropriate teacher support structures and better training opportunities) could be plausible avenues for development.

This study identified significant disparities within the daily management of individual Schools: some Schools are perceived to be managed relatively well, while others tend to struggle; likewise, the infrastructure in certain Schools is satisfactory, while in others it is much less so. Such heterogeneity does not ensure pedagogical consistency across the ESS. For example, a lack of physical space negatively affects the quality of education and a pupil’s readiness to learn. However, an overall key issue for most parents, teachers, and pupils across the ESS is communication – they feel that their complaints are not being heard and/or solved effectively. In addition to the above-mentioned scheme of delegation, clear channels of communication and the more frequent use of mediation, a more decentralised approach to School management should be introduced. This needs to be coupled with stronger management competences in Schools and increased financial autonomy to make necessary changes, particularly in the area of infrastructure development, as well as an investment into the educational and psychological support of pupils.

Finally, when it comes to the growth and expansion of the ES, expanding and promoting the system through the AES should be adapted as a policy priority. The number of pupils is growing faster than can be supported by the current model, and the AES offers an attractive alternative. However, stronger, and more consistent pedagogical quality assurance processes need to be put in place centrally, as well as embedded within individual Schools, to ensure that the ESS can grow sustainably.