Accountability with Chinese characteristics: Exploring foreign teachers’ experiences of curriculum reform in international schools in China

This study explores the implementation of the Chinese National Curriculum (CNC) in for-profit private international schools in Mainland China, focusing on foreign teachers’ perceptions and experiences. Utilising the metaphor of the ‘searchlight’ metaphor from writings on post-panopticism and drawing on in-depth interviews with 11 foreign teachers, this study identifies themes of coercion, marginalisation, adaptation, and performative compliance. The teachers in this study often complied superficially with the reforms, maintaining elements of an international curriculum despite increased inspections. The study introduces the concept of ‘accountability with Chinese characteristics,’ highlighting the flexible and performative nature of inspections that balance global accountability with local cultural traditions. The findings underscore the need for clearer policy implementation and further research into the experiences of international school educators. Copyright © 2025 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.