Need Recommendation For School

[drewfritz]

Hi all, thanks in advance for your help.

My wife and I are relocating to Asia during the next few months and are looking for a school in our around Bangkok in which to place our twin 12 year-old daughters beginning in August. My wife is Thai and my daughters were born in the US and speak very little Thai at this point but we'd like them to learn. We'll be paying for the schooling ourselves so we need a school that's affordable also offers an American and/or IB curriculum.

So far, I've looked at the websites for KIS International School, New International School of Thailand and a few others. I like the looks of both schools but I don't think we can afford NIS, so I'm looking for input on KIS and any others you experts might recommend.

Your advice is greatly appreciated!

[singa-traz]

List of international school:

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

As you will be working in Singapore, school fee in Bangkok should be less of a problem (Big assumption there).

[drewfritz]

List of international school:

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

As you will be working in Singapore, school fee in Bangkok should be less of a problem (Big assumption there).

Thanks, but I've already seen the list. What I need are some recommendations and opinions as to the quality of what seem to be some of the better options, such as KIS, Garden International, ICS Bangkok and St. Andrews for example.

Yes, for the most part, tuitions are significantly cheaper in Thailand than Singapore.

[Spaniel]

Our son has attended Ruam Rudee International School since kindergarten (he's now in 11th grade) and we have been very pleased with the school. Here is their address: www1.Rism.ac.th

It is run by the Redemtrist priest and follow the US system. They are located in Minburi.

[drewfritz]

Our son has attended Ruam Rudee International School since kindergarten (he's now in 11th grade) and we have been very pleased with the school. Here is their address: www1.Rism.ac.th

It is run by the Redemtrist priest and follow the US system. They are located in Minburi.

Thanks for your input. I checked their tuition rates though and they look to be one of the most expensive schools around. Again, we're paying for this ourselves so cost is a big factor.

Also, no offense, but I really couldn't tolerate the religions overtones and required mass, Bible study, etc. of a school run by priests of any ilk.

I'm glad you're son's doing well there though, and thanks again for the input.

Anyone else?

[johnfb]

St John's International School has both UK high school and a N.American high school. The fees are resonable. It is situated in Ladprao, Bangkok close to Prahon Yothin MRT station and accessible via expressways. You can call the headmaster on 0895222701.

[JacksonGlurk]

St John's International School has both UK high school and a N.American high school. The fees are resonable. It is situated in Ladprao, Bangkok close to Prahon Yothin MRT station and accessible via expressways. You can call the headmaster on 0895222701.

Wow, I really can't agree that St. Johns is a good choice for anyone. One of our sons went there for a couple of terms several years ago, but we were so appalled at their low standards and the poor student body they attract that we took him out.

To tell you the hard truth, there are no good international schools here that operate on the American system. Our sons now attend ISB, for which we pay well over B600,000 per year each, and my wife and I both feel it's an embarrassingly second rate school. The facilities are fine, but the faculty is mostly made up of little more than the sort of migrant schoolteachers who hibitually seem to drift from job to job all around Asia. Some make a real effort, of course, but the mass of them are lazy and uninspired. They would never be tolerated in a school in the US charging anything like the same fees we pay to ISB.

Good luck. We've given up on international education in Thailand and will be sending our sons away to boarding school next year. It's outrageously expensive to do that, but we don't see that we have any choice if we are not to sacrifice their futures.

[drewfritz]

St John's International School has both UK high school and a N.American high school. The fees are resonable. It is situated in Ladprao, Bangkok close to Prahon Yothin MRT station and accessible via expressways. You can call the headmaster on 0895222701.

Thanks John, I'll give it a look.

I'm a bit worried about the school's seeming lack of accreditation and this comment from the school's website though... "the Catholic nature of our founding principles underpins all teaching and learning activities". But I'll still check it out. I'd PM you back but I can't figure out how...I'm very new to this site. :-) Thanks again.

[drewfritz]

St John's International School has both UK high school and a N.American high school. The fees are resonable. It is situated in Ladprao, Bangkok close to Prahon Yothin MRT station and accessible via expressways. You can call the headmaster on 0895222701.

Wow, I really can't agree that St. Johns is a good choice for anyone. One of our sons went there for a couple of terms several years ago, but we were so appalled at their low standards and the poor student body they attract that we took him out.

To tell you the hard truth, there are no good international schools here that operate on the American system. Our sons now attend ISB, for which we pay well over B600,000 per year each, and my wife and I both feel it's an embarrassingly second rate school. The facilities are fine, but the faculty is mostly made up of little more than the sort of migrant schoolteachers who hibitually seem to drift from job to job all around Asia. Some make a real effort, of course, but the mass of them are lazy and uninspired. They would never be tolerated in a school in the US charging anything like the same fees we pay to ISB.

Good luck. We've given up on international education in Thailand and will be sending our sons away to boarding school next year. It's outrageously expensive to do that, but we don't see that we have any choice if we are not to sacrifice their futures.

Hi Jackson, thanks for the input. I understand where you're coming from but I have to believe we'll be able to find something we're happy with. We'll have to make some visits once we arrive in country, for sure. We'd be quite OK with an IB curriculum as well instead of one based on the American school system.

Our daughters are pretty resilient and adaptable, having done pre-school through second grade in the local school sytem in Singapore. They're making straight A's here in the US but granted, that's in the woeful public school system we're stuck with that seems to teach to the lowest level of talent most of the time. Also, my wife is Thai, so we'd also be OK with a mix of farang and Thai instructors. But I digress... thanks for your help!

Anyone else?

[johnfb]

St John's International School is an excellent school NOW...contrary to earlier thread. It HAS accreditation from WES and is a member of ISAT. I recommend it as a good school and would suggest you view the school and make your mind up.The students are a lovely group and the teachers excellent. I am a parent too and can uput u in touch with independent parents to check about this school. Call me on 0895222701.

[Doza]

I think IB is a great curriculum and encourages independant thinking and questioning and discovery. NIST is a top school if you can afford it. KIS has very good reports too.

[paveet]

I recently went through two international schools myself (2000-2006), but both were of the British system. They were very different. Tata Young graduated from the former and Plub (the small Grammy singer) is studying the other.. you can probably see the difference! However, I wouldn't be reluctant to recommend either (they are both good schools) but they don't exactly meet your requirements!

Here's a small list (of American ones) for you:

- ICS (International Community School), American system throughout but as you already mentioned you didn't like any religion-affeliated schools.

- ISB (International School Bangkok), American system throughout, choice of IB subjects in the last two years.

- NIST (New International School of Thailand) does IB throughout

- RIS (Ruamruedee International School, spelling?) does the American system if I'm not wrong.

- ASB (American School of Bangkok) both campuses (Sukhumvit 49 and Bang Na) do the American system.

NIST, RIS, ISB, BPS (Bangkok Patana), HIS (Harrow) are probably the most expensive ones. The first four are inevitably the 'least Thai' international schools. Over half of the student body in the four places are foreign (I feel anyway).

There's a strong trend of 'neuveau richie' growing at those five though I must say (you know, like a Merc S-Class picking and dropping them off, designer's clothes all the time, new mobiles all the time, etc) but that's another story. Students in the less well known international schools tend to be more humble (so I find anyway), but these are all kids from well off families.

Most of my friends who went through IB regreted it though! . I'm quite a strong supporter of the British GCSE/IGCSE + A-Levels. But if you're a planner (like someone who really looks ahead) and want good university placement in America, the American (or the IB) system is probably the way to go. In Britian, Australia and continental Europe, A-Levels and IB is more a lot more recognised.

I have a cousin in RIS and he seems happy there, though there was a bit of 'politics' regarding putting some people in, but that's quite expected since the queues of most good international schools here sometimes span 3 or so years! I also have a cousin in ICS about to graduate and she's quite happy too.

If you opt for ASB, have a look at the Bang Na campus, it's the bigger one though I think the student body in the Sukhumvit 49 campus is actually better.

St John's International School has both UK high school and a N.American high school. The fees are resonable. It is situated in Ladprao, Bangkok close to Prahon Yothin MRT station and accessible via expressways. You can call the headmaster on 0895222701.

lol, is that the headmaster's personal mobile (judging from the number)?

Edited April 8, 2007 by paveet

[teej]

St John's International School is an excellent school NOW...contrary to earlier thread. It HAS accreditation from WES and is a member of ISAT. I recommend it as a good school and would suggest you view the school and make your mind up.The students are a lovely group and the teachers excellent. I am a parent too and can uput u in touch with independent parents to check about this school. Call me on 0895222701.

From the headmaster himself. Of course you wouldn't be a good headmaster if you didn't defend your school...

[Ijustwannateach]

I'd just like to put a word in here that in the Teacher's Forum we have a rule that unfounded slagging of schools is not permitted. There are too many ways to spread unfounded rumours and smear people and institutions without proof- furthermore, Thai law is very supportive of parties who may have been damaged by improper allegations. So let's just say the same rules apply here and I'll be keeping a very close eye on this thread. I'd say the allegations of high rate of pregnancy at a certain school, for instance, are over the line- posts referring to them have been removed. Basically, if you want to say something potentially actionable about a school, please provide a news link.

Thanks to all those who have provided other basic information about the schools, for better or for worse.

In terms of my own view of the different curricula- IB is infinitely preferable to (I)GCSE, especially for math and science- of course, it's very hard and your kids might not thank you for it in the short term. However, I've met a number of children doing IB work here in Bangkok and some of them, at least, are getting a *very* good education. For the sake of neutrality, I'll avoid making recommendations myself.

"Steven"

[drewfritz]

I'd just like to put a word in here that in the Teacher's Forum we have a rule that unfounded slagging of schools is not permitted. There are too many ways to spread unfounded rumours and smear people and institutions without proof- furthermore, Thai law is very supportive of parties who may have been damaged by improper allegations. So let's just say the same rules apply here and I'll be keeping a very close eye on this thread. I'd say the allegations of high rate of pregnancy at a certain school, for instance, are over the line- posts referring to them have been removed. Basically, if you want to say something potentially actionable about a school, please provide a news link.

Thanks to all those who have provided other basic information about the schools, for better or for worse.

In terms of my own view of the different curricula- IB is infinitely preferable to (I)GCSE, especially for math and science- of course, it's very hard and your kids might not thank you for it in the short term. However, I've met a number of children doing IB work here in Bangkok and some of them, at least, are getting a *very* good education. For the sake of neutrality, I'll avoid making recommendations myself.

"Steven"

Steven, you seem to be missing the point of my query...I don't need "basic information" that I can quite easily get from the schools' websites. RECOMMENDATIONS and advice on schools from those who have intimate knowledge is exactly what I'm seeking.

As I stated previously too, I'd be quite OK with the IB curriculum as an alternative to an American-type curriculum as my daughters will very likely attend college in the US once they've finished high school.

Thanks to the poster for the warning about the ALLEGED pregnancy rates. It was helpful.

[drewfritz]

I think IB is a great curriculum and encourages independant thinking and questioning and discovery. NIST is a top school if you can afford it. KIS has very good reports too.

Cool...thanks much for your input. Good to hear about KIS, they're very high on our list. NIST looks fantastic but I don't think we can afford that one.

[drewfritz]

I recently went through two international schools myself (2000-2006), but both were of the British system. They were very different. Tata Young graduated from the former and Plub (the small Grammy singer) is studying the other.. you can probably see the difference! However, I wouldn't be reluctant to recommend either (they are both good schools) but they don't exactly meet your requirements!

Here's a small list (of American ones) for you:

- ICS (International Community School), American system throughout but as you already mentioned you didn't like any religion-affeliated schools.

- ISB (International School Bangkok), American system throughout, choice of IB subjects in the last two years.

- NIST (New International School of Thailand) does IB throughout

- RIS (Ruamruedee International School, spelling?) does the American system if I'm not wrong.

- ASB (American School of Bangkok) both campuses (Sukhumvit 49 and Bang Na) do the American system.

NIST, RIS, ISB, BPS (Bangkok Patana), HIS (Harrow) are probably the most expensive ones. The first four are inevitably the 'least Thai' international schools. Over half of the student body in the four places are foreign (I feel anyway).

There's a strong trend of 'neuveau richie' growing at those five though I must say (you know, like a Merc S-Class picking and dropping them off, designer's clothes all the time, new mobiles all the time, etc) but that's another story. Students in the less well known international schools tend to be more humble (so I find anyway), but these are all kids from well off families.

Most of my friends who went through IB regreted it though! . I'm quite a strong supporter of the British GCSE/IGCSE + A-Levels. But if you're a planner (like someone who really looks ahead) and want good university placement in America, the American (or the IB) system is probably the way to go. In Britian, Australia and continental Europe, A-Levels and IB is more a lot more recognised.

I have a cousin in RIS and he seems happy there, though there was a bit of 'politics' regarding putting some people in, but that's quite expected since the queues of most good international schools here sometimes span 3 or so years! I also have a cousin in ICS about to graduate and she's quite happy too.

If you opt for ASB, have a look at the Bang Na campus, it's the bigger one though I think the student body in the Sukhumvit 49 campus is actually better.

St John's International School has both UK high school and a N.American high school. The fees are resonable. It is situated in Ladprao, Bangkok close to Prahon Yothin MRT station and accessible via expressways. You can call the headmaster on 0895222701.

lol, is that the headmaster's personal mobile (judging from the number)?

Hi Paveet, thanks very much for the input. It's good to hear the perspective of someone who's recently graduated.

What are the "less well known" schools that you were referring to? Any of those have IB or American curriculum? I appreciate the list you provided but there are only one or two of those that we might be able to afford. Would be good to have a significant amount of Thai students on campus as we'd like our daughters to learn Thai language and culture along the way too.

Raumrudee is out of the question as we have no interest in a school run by "Redemptorist priests" whatever that is.

Never heard of Tata Young or Plub.

Any thoughts on KIS, Garden International, ICS Bangkok or St. Andrew's?

Thanks much for your help!

[drewfritz]

St John's International School is an excellent school NOW...contrary to earlier thread. It HAS accreditation from WES and is a member of ISAT. I recommend it as a good school and would suggest you view the school and make your mind up.The students are a lovely group and the teachers excellent. I am a parent too and can uput u in touch with independent parents to check about this school. Call me on 0895222701.

Hi John, I hate to seem so negative, but to be honest, I've never heard of WES and basically every other school worth considering is also a member of ISAT. I'm more concerned with accreditation from the Council of International Schools, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges or the International Baccalaureate Organization. Will still keep you in mind though...

[mangoman007]

Our twin daughters (same deal-wife Thai) attended Shrewsbury for two years and are now in a Montessori School in the states. Shrewsbury is very nice and we were impressed with the standards. Its also cheaper than some of the others. Drop me a note at [email protected] and I can tell you more. Happy to speak by phone as well (West Coast time)

[mangoman007]

Our twin daughters (same deal-wife Thai) attended Shrewsbury for two years and are now in a Montessori School in the states. Shrewsbury is very nice and we were impressed with the standards. Its also cheaper than some of the others. Drop me a note at [email protected] and I can tell you more. Happy to speak by phone as well (West Coast time)

[Ijustwannateach]

Drew, I appreciate your concerns as a parent, but our responsibility as a public website comes first (for us). No news link, no public posting of unsupported libellous allegations. I'm sure you could imagine how this might be abused- what if the poster you were just thanking was a troll with a grudge against that school (for example, a former teacher who was fired for some malfeasance, or a parent whose student was expelled for misbehavior?- just as two examples). Of course, if someone wants to give you more information by PM, and you want to believe it, they're all yours.

"S"

[Old Man River]

List of international school:

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

As you will be working in Singapore, school fee in Bangkok should be less of a problem (Big assumption there).

Thanks, but I've already seen the list. What I need are some recommendations and opinions as to the quality of what seem to be some of the better options, such as KIS, Garden International, ICS Bangkok and St. Andrews for example.

Yes, for the most part, tuitions are significantly cheaper in Thailand than Singapore.

You asked about St. Andrews. My kid has been going to St. Andrews Sukhumvit (on soi 71) for a number of years and we are very happy with the school. You should be aware that it does not have accreditation from those you mentioned, but very recently did obtain accreditation from Cambridge University. I am not sure what this all means, being American, but perhaps someone else on TV can explain this type of accreditation better.

The school has somewhere between 400 and 500 students and has grown rapidly over the past few years with new facilities having been added on.

[johnfb]

St John's International School is an excellent school NOW...contrary to earlier thread. It HAS accreditation from WES and is a member of ISAT. I recommend it as a good school and would suggest you view the school and make your mind up.The students are a lovely group and the teachers excellent. I am a parent too and can uput u in touch with independent parents to check about this school. Call me on 0895222701.

Hi John, I hate to seem so negative, but to be honest, I've never heard of WES and basically every other school worth considering is also a member of ISAT. I'm more concerned with accreditation from the Council of International Schools, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges or the International Baccalaureate Organization. Will still keep you in mind though...

Drew - WES - LOOK AT www.wes.org and please note that my school Saint John's International School IS a member of COIS / CIS ( Council of International Schools ) - it is very likely that we will be accredited in the next few years. We passed the preliminary inspection with flying colours. Come and have a look !!.....You will not beat our fees for this quality of school and with the 10% discount you will get a good deal.

Look at www.international.stjohn.ac.th .

Edited April 13, 2007 by johnfb

[kittima]

Hi,

Both my boys (now age 7 and 12) are studying at KIS, a fully authorised IB School, currently offering both PYP (primary years programme)and MYP (middle years programme) and will be offering the Diploma soon as they currently go up to grade 10. Since we are paying the fees ourselves we did a lot of research and checked out a lot of schools before we decided on KIS. This is our sixth year at KIS as our eldest son joined grade 1. We chose the school primarily on its IB programme (I am a great supporter of the IB) and size as the campus size is just right and not too crowded as most international schools here are. I think it is KIS policy too to maintain the set student-teacher ratio per class as they have laid down.

I think the strength of KIS lies in its strong academic programme and the dedication and quality of its teachers. This is my eldest son’s first year at MYP and I can see him learning AND enjoying the demanding programme that MYP offers. There is a lot of self-discovery and independent thinking...and these are just a few hallmarks of an IB programme. As you may already know, the IB Diploma is now widely accepted and preferred in most colleges around the world.

KIS also offers Thai and Thai studies so this should suit your daughters’ needs. As it is a growing school, there is constant improvement in both its academic, extra-curricular programmes and facilities.

The CIS accreditation is a testimony to the excellent standards KIS has.

Pls feel free to email me with any queries you have at [email protected] as your daughters may end up in my son’s class should you decide to join KIS!

Best regards,

KS

quote name='drewfritz' date='2007-04-06 08:16:36' post='1237919']

Hi all, thanks in advance for your help.

My wife and I are relocating to Asia during the next few months and are looking for a school in our around Bangkok in which to place our twin 12 year-old daughters beginning in August. My wife is Thai and my daughters were born in the US and speak very little Thai at this point but we'd like them to learn. We'll be paying for the schooling ourselves so we need a school that's affordable also offers an American and/or IB curriculum.

So far, I've looked at the websites for KIS International School, New International School of Thailand and a few others. I like the looks of both schools but I don't think we can afford NIS, so I'm looking for input on KIS and any others you experts might recommend.

Your advice is greatly appreciated!

[drewfritz]

Hi,

Both my boys (now age 7 and 12) are studying at KIS, a fully authorised IB School, currently offering both PYP (primary years programme)and MYP (middle years programme) and will be offering the Diploma soon as they currently go up to grade 10. Since we are paying the fees ourselves we did a lot of research and checked out a lot of schools before we decided on KIS. This is our sixth year at KIS as our eldest son joined grade 1. We chose the school primarily on its IB programme (I am a great supporter of the IB) and size as the campus size is just right and not too crowded as most international schools here are. I think it is KIS policy too to maintain the set student-teacher ratio per class as they have laid down.

I think the strength of KIS lies in its strong academic programme and the dedication and quality of its teachers. This is my eldest son's first year at MYP and I can see him learning AND enjoying the demanding programme that MYP offers. There is a lot of self-discovery and independent thinking...and these are just a few hallmarks of an IB programme. As you may already know, the IB Diploma is now widely accepted and preferred in most colleges around the world.

KIS also offers Thai and Thai studies so this should suit your daughters' needs. As it is a growing school, there is constant improvement in both its academic, extra-curricular programmes and facilities.

The CIS accreditation is a testimony to the excellent standards KIS has.

Pls feel free to email me with any queries you have at [email protected] as your daughters may end up in my son's class should you decide to join KIS!

Best regards,

KS

Wow...thanks very much for the input KS. Much appreciated!

KIS was already very high on our list of possibilities and we'll definitely be making a visit there once we arrive. Thanks again for your help!

[drewfritz]

St John's International School is an excellent school NOW...contrary to earlier thread. It HAS accreditation from WES and is a member of ISAT. I recommend it as a good school and would suggest you view the school and make your mind up.The students are a lovely group and the teachers excellent. I am a parent too and can uput u in touch with independent parents to check about this school. Call me on 0895222701.

Hi John, I hate to seem so negative, but to be honest, I've never heard of WES and basically every other school worth considering is also a member of ISAT. I'm more concerned with accreditation from the Council of International Schools, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges or the International Baccalaureate Organization. Will still keep you in mind though...

Drew - WES - LOOK AT www.wes.org and please note that my school Saint John's International School IS a member of COIS / CIS ( Council of International Schools ) - it is very likely that we will be accredited in the next few years. We passed the preliminary inspection with flying colours. Come and have a look !!.....You will not beat our fees for this quality of school and with the 10% discount you will get a good deal.

Look at www.international.stjohn.ac.th .

As I said, I'm looking for a school that's already accredited and St. Johns's is not.

Council of International Schools

<script language="vbscript">

You Searched for an Accredited School in Thailand,

Country City

School Name (1) ThailandBangkokBangkok Patana School

(2) ThailandBangkokConcordian International School

(3) ThailandBangkokHarrow International School

(4) ThailandBangkokKIS International School

(5) ThailandBangkokNew International School of Thailand

(6) ThailandBangkokSt Stephen's International School

Home | Contact | Privacy | Search Copyright © CIS 2007

[sylvafern]

I work at one of the accredited schools you've listed above and having gone through the process you might be interested to know that it is a long and detailed process and not something which is gained instantly. If St John's has already passed their initial visit, then it's going to be around two years before the assessment takes place (the time frame is set by COIS not the school). During that time the school will be getting absolutely everything in order right down to the nitty gritty details. I wouldn't knock a school just because it is not accredited - if it is currently going through the process then it's well on the way to getting the actual accreditation. My advice is to go and visit all of the schools you are interested in ans not to make any decision until you've seen them for yourself. Try and go during the school day, perhaps with your daughters, so you can get a full picture of what the school is really like.

Is it imperative your children have to go through an American system? Can they not get into university with British qualifications? If you were prepared to investigate British schools, you will have a lot more choice in schools.

Going by your requirements mentioned throughout this topic, it seems as if Kesinee is your only choice at the moment.

[jbowman1993]

Don't look for recommendations among this lot here. I've tried, and either no one responds, or its some former disgruntled employee with an ax to grind. Things are not as bad that they make them out to be, in most cases. Do your homework. Visit the school, observe a class, investigate the textbooks, interview current teachers, and other parents. In the end, parental involvement is much more important in the education process than any other factor.

Edited April 25, 2007 by jbowman1993

[thaihome]

....NIST, RIS, ISB, BPS (Bangkok Patana), HIS (Harrow) are probably the most expensive ones. The first four are inevitably the 'least Thai' international schools. Over half of the student body in the four places are foreign (I feel anyway).

...

I guess as the student you never had to pay the fees. Show me where any of the 5 are more expensive than ISB...

TH

ISB 2007 Fees:

Per Annum Per Semester

Pre Kindergarten 365,000 182,500

Elementary (Grades K-5) 560,000 280,000

Middle (Grades 6-8) 624,000 312,000

High (Grades 9-12) 648,000 324,000

[drewfritz]

....NIST, RIS, ISB, BPS (Bangkok Patana), HIS (Harrow) are probably the most expensive ones. The first four are inevitably the 'least Thai' international schools. Over half of the student body in the four places are foreign (I feel anyway).

...

I guess as the student you never had to pay the fees. Show me where any of the 5 are more expensive than ISB...

TH

ISB 2007 Fees:

Per Annum Per Semester

Pre Kindergarten 365,000 182,500

Elementary (Grades K-5) 560,000 280,000

Middle (Grades 6-8) 624,000 312,000

High (Grades 9-12) 648,000 324,000

Still way too expensive. KIS is only 364,800 baht per YEAR and they're already accredited by COIS. I've found a number of other strong possibilities that are in the same price range or lower.