Schools with English Curriculum around Bang Na area?

[Pat in Pattaya]

Greetings,

 

I/we are making a move in the 'autumn' back to Bangkok (lived there before)

 

I have 2 girls aged 6 and 9 that I need to school. They are grade 1 and grade 3 currently so they can attend the same school. What I'm looking for is basically a reliable, good, safe school. I can't afford the top international schools for silly money so looking for something, shall we say, middle of the road, as above with air conditioned classrooms, Western teachers and English curriculum, etc.

 

Currently I pay 57k per term in Pattaya, so x 4 =228k plus books etc. I appreciate schools in BKK are most likely more expensive but looking for something in that ballpark.

 

Any help would be much appreciated as not being 'on the ground' makes it more difficult to look around, although of course I will be doing my own research.

 

Cheers,

PiP

 

ps: Yes, I will be changing my handle to Pat in Bangkok.

[Pat in Pattaya]

To be clear, I do not want an 'International' school...looking for a  school with an English curriculum on the Thai calendar..ie May - Sept - Nov - March.

[Pat in Pattaya]

Don't look as if anyone will reply but on the off chance does anyone have a view on saint joseph's in bang na and know how much tuition fees are? Can't see it anywhere.

[Hockeybik]

I'm searching for schools as well. I think St. Joseph's is priced like most of the other middle tier schools - less than a Patana or a Shrewsbury but more than a Wells'... I'm open for corrections, anyone?

 

Found this link - https://www.sataban.com/thailand-schools/categories/bilingual-schools-of-thailand

 

Hope it helps. There are a few mid rage schools in the Bangna, Prawet, Samut Prakan area if you look. I think I'll send my son to a less expensive school, bank the difference and give it to him upon graduation - with conditions of course...555. Good luck. 

Edited May 29, 2018 by Hockeybik

[Pat in Pattaya]

5 hours ago, Hockeybik said:

I'm searching for schools as well. I think St. Joseph's is priced like most of the other middle tier schools - less than a Patana or a Shrewsbury but more than a Wells'... I'm open for corrections, anyone?

 

Found this link - https://www.sataban.com/thailand-schools/categories/bilingual-schools-of-thailand

 

Hope it helps. There are a few mid rage schools in the Bangna, Prawet, Samut Prakan area if you look. I think I'll send my son to a less expensive school, bank the difference and give it to him upon graduation - with conditions of course...555. Good luck. 

Cheers. Can't believe someone has actually replied. On this forum if someone sticks up a thread titled  'the wife has run off with my money' it gets 15 pages of replies, but something like this, basically nothing.

 

Do you know approx how much ST Joseph's is per year? I've come up with 4 so far in that area..

 

St Josph's Bang Na

Assumption College Bang Rak (also an all girls school)

Thai Christian School (Soi 71)

Bangkok Bilingual School (Huai Khwang)

[StarJedi]

Pat, did your kids went to school in Pattaya ? If so which school would you recommend ?

 

I have a son that will start school soon.

 

Thanks. 

[Hockeybik]

On 5/29/2018 at 7:20 PM, Pat in Pattaya said:

Cheers. Can't believe someone has actually replied. On this forum if someone sticks up a thread titled  'the wife has run off with my money' it gets 15 pages of replies, but something like this, basically nothing.

 

Do you know approx how much ST Joseph's is per year? I've come up with 4 so far in that area..

 

St Josph's Bang Na

Assumption College Bang Rak (also an all girls school)

Thai Christian School (Soi 71)

Bangkok Bilingual School (Huai Khwang)

Pat, no idea about St Jo's. One thing I have learned is some schools offer substantial discounts to certain expat nationals. You have to ask.

[Pat in Pattaya]

1 hour ago, Hockeybik said:

Pat, no idea about St Jo's. One thing I have learned is some schools offer substantial discounts to certain expat nationals. You have to ask.

Yes ok, I will now ask schools in bkk if they offer discounts to 'certain' expat nationals, as hockeybik on Thai Visa says I have to ask..

[DavisH]

10 hours ago, Hockeybik said:

Pat, no idea about St Jo's. One thing I have learned is some schools offer substantial discounts to certain expat nationals. You have to ask.

I've never heard of that. But some schools give discounts if a parent is a teacher at the school. 

[otherstuff1957]

I do not believe that what you are asking for exists.  There are International Schools which are accredited by an overseas MOE/Board of Ed./School Assoc. and which use the curriculum of the accrediting county/organization.  Then there are schools which follow the Thai curriculum.

 

Some schools are Bilingual or EP schools and offer many subjects taught in English, usually English, Math, Science, Health, etc.... with the other subjects taught in Thai.  These schools must follow the Thai curriculum, which means that your children will be studying up to 12 different subjects each semester!  These schools vary in quality from fairly good down to hot messes.  Prices will usually run from 75 - 80k per term (two terms) down to as as low as 34 - 40k per term for EP departments in Thai Government Schools.

 

Some of the lower-end International Schools, like Ekamai or ICS, are in the same price range as your school in Pattaya and seem to offer a decent level of education - as long as you don't mind the fact that they are run by Bible thumpers.

[Pat in Pattaya]

12 hours ago, otherstuff1957 said:

I do not believe that what you are asking for exists.  There are International Schools which are accredited by an overseas MOE/Board of Ed./School Assoc. and which use the curriculum of the accrediting county/organization.  Then there are schools which follow the Thai curriculum.

 

Some schools are Bilingual or EP schools and offer many subjects taught in English, usually English, Math, Science, Health, etc.... with the other subjects taught in Thai.  These schools must follow the Thai curriculum, which means that your children will be studying up to 12 different subjects each semester!  These schools vary in quality from fairly good down to hot messes.  Prices will usually run from 75 - 80k per term (two terms) down to as as low as 34 - 40k per term for EP departments in Thai Government Schools.

 

Some of the lower-end International Schools, like Ekamai or ICS, are in the same price range as your school in Pattaya and seem to offer a decent level of education - as long as you don't mind the fact that they are run by Bible thumpers.

Yep, I understand all of that, I just worded the thing wrong, which I accept is poor form.

 

So yes, Thai Curr with EP...I am strongly considering BBS, and fully take your point about the bible bashers.

 

Only downside with BBS (Bkk Bilingual School) as I'm hearing it is very good, is that a lot of the teachers seem to be Filipino..do you have a view on this, good or bad?

[otherstuff1957]

Many schools, mine included, will have English native speakers teaching English as a subject but will allow Filipinos or Indians or Africans to teach other subjects (Math, Science, etc) in English. 

 

While I try to look upon all people, including teachers, as individuals with their own strengths and weaknesses, I would generally say that Filipinos and others seem to be somewhat weaker in general knowledge and education, but usually make up for it with hard work and enthusiasm. 

 

I have heard that Filipino teachers will gang up on other nationalities when they are in the majority, but I have never witnessed this myself and have always found Filipino coworkers to be pleasant and easy to get along with.

[BobbyL]

I am not sure why you would want to pay for a private Thai Curriculum school that offers an EP. They are still relatively expensive and geared towards the wealthy Thais that want their children to still be 'Thai', not international orientated. ACC and SJC will not be cheap. My wife's cousin goes to St Joseph's Convent on Silom and I am sure she told me it is a few hundred grand per year that her family pay. You could get a cheaper International school for a bit more money. 

 

Most of those teachers working in the EP will not be fully qualified either and are essentially TEFL teachers earning a bit more than most. SJC used to also employ agency teachers which is truly baffling considering how much money the school must make.

 

The other real problem as well with Thai Curriculum and EP combined is like another poster said, the children will be studying 10 - 15 subjects at a time across two languages. It is madness. 

[Pat in Pattaya]

On 6/6/2018 at 10:03 AM, BobbyL said:

I am not sure why you would want to pay for a private Thai Curriculum school that offers an EP. They are still relatively expensive and geared towards the wealthy Thais that want their children to still be 'Thai', not international orientated. ACC and SJC will not be cheap. My wife's cousin goes to St Joseph's Convent on Silom and I am sure she told me it is a few hundred grand per year that her family pay. You could get a cheaper International school for a bit more money. 

 

Most of those teachers working in the EP will not be fully qualified either and are essentially TEFL teachers earning a bit more than most. SJC used to also employ agency teachers which is truly baffling considering how much money the school must make.

 

The other real problem as well with Thai Curriculum and EP combined is like another poster said, the children will be studying 10 - 15 subjects at a time across two languages. It is madness. 

Where have I said I want my kids to be internationally orientated?

 

Look, it's pretty simple..there are 3 choices..a full blown int school, a private school with Thai curr and EP, or a Thai gov schools. Forget Thai gov school, full blown int schools are too expensive and are basically geared up towards expat children who at some point will return to the West. My kids won't be doing that, so based on the above it isn't rocket science to work out why  I have decided what I have.