At the British School in the Netherlands’ conference yesterday, #BSNconf16, I alluded to the popular meme from the film, The Matrix. Take the blue pill and life continues as it always has – nothing changes. Take the red pill and face reality – embrace change. Blue pill, red pill? Education has to be a packet of red pills in order for it to continue to meet the changing needs of our children and young people. Luckily, in the British International education sector we get more opportunities to choose which red pills we take. The BSN has developed considerably since 1931 and continues to...

I’m 45, the CEO of The British School in The Netherlands (BSN) and I’m worried about my homework. My Dutch teacher takes her job seriously and will look let down if I don’t make an effort. She doesn’t want to look disappointed but I can always sense it. There is a fine history of Anglo-Dutch relations between corporations and in my family. My wife’s side of the family is Dutch and I had a pretty good grasp of gezelligheid before arriving in The Netherlands (this has in my experience always involved Indonesian food, drink and friendly, if somewhat frank, conversation). I...