Moving To Bangkok

[salsera]

Hi,

Looks like we are moving to Bangkok from Dubai in the summer which I'm VERY excited about. I am coming to Bangkok next week to have a look at schools. My children are 10 & 7 (he is dyslexic). I am seeing the British Patana School, NIST and St Andrews Sathorn. I would be really grateful if any of you have children at any of these schools and can give me some feedback. My children are in the British Curriculum but I think I'm drawn towards IB... Any information welcome!

[singa-traz]

List of International School in Bangkok:

http://www.isat.or.th/member_schools.asp

How big is your Education Budget? ... that may drive which school ... you can afford.

[salsera]

List of International School in Bangkok:

http://www.isat.or.th/member_schools.asp

How big is your Education Budget? ... that may drive which school ... you can afford.

Thank you for that. From what I've seen on the internet, I'm guessing it's going to be one of the three I mentioned in the first post. I would just like some personal recommendations or otherwise about those 3. I have one very academic child and one dyslexic but would like to put them both in the same school if possible.

[leisurely]

Patana is fab. I would say though, the IB is a very rigorous demanding course and (should you be considering a return to UK) is not widely available in England.

[thaihome]

You will want to consider your work location and choice of housing location in selection of school as well (or vise versa). Patana is supposed to be great school, but if you plan on living in Nonthaburi area (which includes the Nichada Thani developments, a favored place amount full package expats with children); it could be over an hour drive in morning and more in afternoon. Many Brits living in Nonthaburi area send kids to Harrow.

House location is often a compromise between school and work location. Driving across Bangkok twice a day can get tiring very fast.

TH

[patricktan]

You will want to consider your work location and choice of housing location in selection of school as well (or vise versa). Patana is supposed to be great school, but if you plan on living in Nonthaburi area (which includes the Nichada Thani developments, a favored place amount full package expats with children); it could be over an hour drive in morning and more in afternoon. Many Brits living in Nonthaburi area send kids to Harrow.

House location is often a compromise between school and work location. Driving across Bangkok twice a day can get tiring very fast.

TH

I totaly agree with your point location. My kid is 6 years old and it take the school bus about an hour to two to reach his school is bacause the school bus has to pick up other kids on the way to school.

[leisurely]

That's tough on little (and older) kids. I do see them soundo on the school buses. When I take my girls in in the morning some are being woken by the bus monitors.

[MrSnrang]

Stay away from ICS. It's a Thai school with western teachers.

[bangkokian]

I feel that schools with rigorous secondary curriculum don't pay as much attention as they should on elementary education--Better go for a smaller school. Distance from home is also a crucial factor. If possible, give your kids a taste of each school by enrolling them in summer schools. Some Schools have two or more summer sessions. You may also want to ask if they would be willing to let your kids sit-in without enrolling for a week or two at each of the schools you have in mind.

Good Luck!

[samran]

I feel that schools with rigorous secondary curriculum don't pay as much attention as they should on elementary education--Better go for a smaller school. Distance from home is also a crucial factor. If possible, give your kids a taste of each school by enrolling them in summer schools. Some Schools have two or more summer sessions. You may also want to ask if they would be willing to let your kids sit-in without enrolling for a week or two at each of the schools you have in mind.

Good Luck!

Summer school idea sounds do-able. But sitting in - good luck if you can - the schools in question have 200K non-refundable 'registration fees' as I recall.

[Old Man River]

My kid has been going to St. Andrews Sukhumvit (soi 71) and we think it is a great school. St. Andrews Sathorn should be similar standards.