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SALARY AND CONDITIONS

Initial contracts are for two years. The school provides free flights between Britain and Mexico at the beginning and end of the contract and rent-free, furnished accommodation for teachers contracted abroad (bills and condominium charges to cover shared services are paid by teachers): shared flats for single people, self-contained flats for teaching couples. There are incentives for teachers to extend their contract beyond two years and many overseas teachers do indeed extend their contract.

A classroom teacher will earn between 15,000 and 18,000 Mexican pesos (approximate net monthly salary) depending on experience and qualifications (£1 = 22 pesos at the moment), with additional salary available for posts of responsibility. All salaries are paid 13 times a year. Salaries may seem low compared to Britain but the cost of living is also lower and they are sufficient to live comfortably and travel extensively in Mexico and Central America, although probably not to support dependents without income or to send significant sums back to the UK. The economy has been very stable over the last six or more years, despite problems in other parts of Latin America, and the forecasts are for this trend to continue.

Overseas staff at the Lancaster School pay very little in local taxes, although they do contribute to the National Health scheme. This gives full medical cover to all teachers although it suffers the same drawbacks as most national health systems. In addition the school has a medical insurance policy which covers all accidental injuries which occur on the premises and private medical insurance.

Spanish classes are provided for all overseas teachers on arrival and most teachers carry on to reach GCSE or A level in Spanish during the course of their contract.

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