The Promise of Advantage: Englishness in IB International Schools

For the ‘global middle classes’ cultural reproduction increasingly involves the international school as they promise considerable distinction (Bourdieu, 1984) granting University passage past Anglo gate-keepers. This paper draws on research providing a multiphase exploration of the character of senior leadership in IB international schools. Participants emerged as white- ‘English’ and Christian. However, data collected shows that these leaders do not operationalise (organisational) international values, instead they draw upon their own societal values in leadership. Yet, their stories and outlooks of global-mindedness sit uncritically in an enframement of ‘Inner Circle English’ (Kachru, 1985) advantage. Participants lean on a power-narrative of middle-class ‘Englishness’. As powerful policy-makers, this orientation defines the international school’s mission and vision. It appeals to the surge of international education, particularly in the global South, where international schools can be seen as incubators ‘English’ epistemic advantage. It is unlikely that the consolidation of the ‘Brand of Britain’ will affect this demographic and their choices to ‘go UK’. The affordance of diminishing EU participation in the UK higher education system may work in favour of globalising middle classes and elites. Conversely, it is unlikely that lower income EU or UK domestic HE participation is likely to profit from this move.