The dynamic and vibrant city of Shanghai is where East meets West—a perfect location for expats seeking a fusion of both cultures. Search Associates is pleased to represent Shanghai Vanke Bilingual School (VKBS), an offshoot of the well-established International Bilingual C Program of Fudan Vanke Experimental Private School, which was founded in 2006. VKBS, housed in the former Vanke Shanghai Center, was designed by the Vanke Real Estate Company in alignment with the highest standards in school architecture. Along with its parent school and organization, VKBS is located in the southwest section of the city, the Minhang District, and a short walk from the metro, which takes passengers to the city center within 30 minutes.
Shanghai has a great culture, music, shopping, bar and restaurant scene that can easily compete with any large city such as New York, LA, London, or Paris. From high rise glass and steel modern luxury buildings to smaller dwellings and villas, there is a wide variety of choices for teachers. Approximately half of VKBS teachers choose to live in the city center while the other half choose to live close to school. The cost of public transportation is very reasonable. Shanghai is also very green, with parks throughout the city providing its residents opportunities to run, jog, or cycle outdoors.
At present, 374 predominantly Chinese students attend VKBS from Grades K–12; six percent of the students are from North America and the U.K. The teaching staff of 33 includes 19 from North America and the U.K. in addition to 14 from China. Accredited in China, VKBS is also an International Baccalaureate (IB) candidate school, planning to offer the full IB Diploma Program by September 2018.
The school’s rigorous bilingual curriculum is designed for students to reach high academic standards, using critical thinking and creativity while skillfully communicating in two languages. Its website says that test results have shown that by Grade 6, VKBS students have acquired near-native fluency in both English and Chinese, and by Grade 9, students’ test scores exceed those of the average American 10th grader. The program combines the local Chinese curriculum with aspects of the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and the IB Program. Additionally, VKBS implements a STEAM program, which integrates science, technology, engineering, art, and math. The school also offers music, dance, drama, and fine arts, as well as running and rowing programs for physical education.
VKBS is interested in hiring married and single teachers, with or without dependents. The school will consider outstanding, newly-certified teachers, but VKBS states, “The school's educational focus requires us to hire native language teachers from an English or Chinese speaking country, [and] . . . the Chinese government does accept applicants from South Africa, India and the Philippines.” Candidates must hold their academic degree in the subject they will be teaching, and though there is no age limit to obtain a work visa in China, only licensed teachers may obtain one.
A competitive salary, monthly stipend for housing, and other benefits allow for significant savings. Currently, the school offers 100% tuition-free enrollment to one dependent and a discount for additional dependents. Local health insurance is provided as well as one annual round-trip airfare. Other benefits: fully-covered costs for visas, daily breakfast and lunch as well as free access to physical fitness facilities on campus. Professional development is currently in-house; however, VKBS is considering a professional development budget for next school year.
To gain access to Shanghai Vanke Bilingual School’s full profile on Search Associates, including a list of all open positions, candidates can apply for membership by clicking here. Candidates already registered can easily access the school profile directly through their dashboard.
Please Note: The information presented about this school was valid on the date published. This information may change, and the most up-to-date information can be found on the school profile.
