When you review job applications for teachers or school leaders, it’s easy to be impressed by what you see on paper. A degree from a good university, years of work experience, and nice words about helping students can look perfect.
But if you work in schools across the Gulf—UAE, Saudi Arabia, or Oman—you know something important: a CV is just what a person wants you to see. In international schools today, hiring is not just about finding someone for a job. It is now about keeping students safe. To protect your students and your school’s good name, you need to look carefully at the details and what they might mean.
Rules Are Getting Stricter in 2026
Schools are now held to much higher standards. In Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Saudi Arabia, government officials are checking more carefully. They want to see that schools are doing everything right when they hire. If you hire the wrong person, it’s not just a problem for your office—it can hurt your school’s license and put students at risk.
That’s why getting hiring right is so important right now.
Watch Out for Gaps in Work History
What to look forLet’s say you see a CV with a three-month gap. The person says they were traveling and needed a break. Sounds normal, right? But what if that gap happened right after they left a job suddenly because of a problem with their behavior?
Some people use the move between countries to hide their past. This is called the “Inconsistency Trap.” When someone changes countries, it’s easy for their old history to disappear. But if you check carefully, the timeline doesn’t match up.
What to do: Don’t just look at the dates. Ask questions. Check if the gap matches when the person might have had problems at their old job. If the story doesn’t make sense, it’s a warning sign.
Don’t Trust “Nice Person” References Only
You’ve probably seen references that say things like: “Great teacher, loves working with the team, very passionate.” But here’s the problem: this tells you nothing about whether they are safe with students.
You need to ask harder questions. You need to know about their actual behavior and any problems they had. Here are the real questions you should ask:
- Did this person ever get in trouble for how they acted with students?
- How did they handle tough situations in the classroom?
- Would you hire this person again?
When someone gives short answers or avoids your questions, they’re telling you something. Often, silence is a loud warning.
Check What People Say Online
Today, everyone has an online presence. LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook—these show who people really are. A teacher might have a perfect job profile, but their social media might tell a different story that goes against what your school expects.
What people post online is often more honest than what they write on a CV. It shows their real opinions, how they treat others, and what they think is okay to share with the world. All of this matters when hiring someone to work with students.
Leadership and Professional Etiquette
Safe hiring isn’t just about checking CVs. It’s also about the kind of people you want. Hire staff who respect your school’s culture and understand what matters in your community.
When your school is known for doing things right and caring about good practice, the best people want to work there. This means you attract better teachers and leaders. The better your team, the better your reputation. The better your reputation, the better people you can hire. It’s a positive circle.
The Strategic Advantage: Leaders who invest in their own professional development and cultural competence send a powerful signal to prospective staff. They demonstrate that your school values continuous improvement, cultural sensitivity, and ethical leadership���qualities that resonate with the calibre of educators you want to hire.
Keep Your School Safe in 2026
The best way to protect your school is to take hiring seriously. You need to:
- Look for warning signs in CVs and stories that don’t match up
- Check carefully with references and ask real questions
- Make sure everyone at your school knows their role in keeping students safe
- Build a school culture where people care about doing things right
Learn How to Do This Right
Our training teaches you and your team the practical steps to hire safely. You’ll learn what to look for, what questions to ask, and how to keep your school protected.
Learn About Our Training →Get the skills to make smart hiring decisions and protect your students.
Keep a Complete Record of All Hiring Checks
After you hire someone, there’s one more important thing: keep good records. We call this the Single Central Record (SCR). It’s a file for every person who works at your school.
Your SCR shows what checks you did, what certificates they have, and any problems or issues. If government inspectors come to your school, the SCR is the first thing they look at. It’s like a report card for how seriously your school takes safety.
A good SCR shows the world that your school cares about safety. A bad one sends a red flag.
When your SCR is organized and complete, it tells inspectors that you’re taking your job seriously. It proves you checked everything you should have checked.
For schools with many staff members or many buildings, keeping good records is hard. You need to know what to keep, how long to keep it, and what to do when someone leaves.
Learn How to Keep Perfect Records
Our training shows you exactly how to create and manage an SCR. You’ll learn what to write down, how to organize it, and how to make sure it’s perfect when inspectors check it.
Learn About Records Management →Get clear steps and checklists to manage your records perfectly.