International Schools in and around Pattaya

[XGM]

2 hours ago, Xaos said:

hows the fees looks like

 

Phoenix vs GIS ?

I didn't look into Phoenix since it's only for younger kids. But Tara vs. GIS fees are pretty similar. GIS ask for a higher initial enrollment fee but the cost per term there is a bit lower.

[SidJames]

I heard that the schools have seen quite a drop in pupils.

It may be worth offering to pay a year up front but ask for a bigger discount & no enrolement fee.

A lot of people didn't pay for the last term & some of the schools will be cash poor as a result & may take the deal.

 

[Xaos]

GIS is 123k per term, 3 terms a year. Thats for 5 year olds. Phoenix is far cheaper tho I think it's not international program but english program. Insane education system. 

Edited June 24, 2020 by Xaos

[teevee]

My 13 year old son goes to GIS and loves the school and his diverse mix of friends at the school (he went to a BKK british curriculum school for 8 years before we moved from BKK).

I personally looked hard at all the local international schools and choosing GIS 2 years ago has worked out very well. Based on the last 2 years, I think its a very good school with some great teachers.

Its worth pointing out that both the Head of School and Head of Secondary are both leaving at the end of this academic year which is pretty strange and a bit of a worry but time will tell.

As for fees, for this past year for Year 9 the fees were +/- 140K per term for 3 terms per year. 

Also worth noting, I prefer GIS’s IB programme for years 12 / 13 over the A Levels at most of the other British Curriculum schools. 

 

[XGM]

2 hours ago, teevee said:

My 13 year old son goes to GIS and loves the school and his diverse mix of friends at the school (he went to a BKK british curriculum school for 8 years before we moved from BKK).

I personally looked hard at all the local international schools and choosing GIS 2 years ago has worked out very well. Based on the last 2 years, I think its a very good school with some great teachers.

Its worth pointing out that both the Head of School and Head of Secondary are both leaving at the end of this academic year which is pretty strange and a bit of a worry but time will tell.

As for fees, for this past year for Year 9 the fees were +/- 140K per term for 3 terms per year. 

Also worth noting, I prefer GIS’s IB programme for years 12 / 13 over the A Levels at most of the other British Curriculum schools. 

 

Thanks a lot for your reply. Mind elaborating on why you prefer the IB program over A levels?

[DrTuner]

Had the kids in Satit first, upon trying to leave Thailand we found out their English was nowhere near international school level although they were conversational. Put them in Regents, now they are around B2-C1 after two years. Getting IB & iGCSE's.

 

If you plan for them to go out of Thailand, try to cough up the fees for true international schools. 

[86Tiger]

Has any one every looked into or have experience private tutoring at home?

 

I have 3 to school, still couple years away but I could pay a private teacher salary in US for what these school are charging for 3 kids.

[XGM]

14 hours ago, 86Tiger said:

Has any one every looked into or have experience private tutoring at home?

 

I have 3 to school, still couple years away but I could pay a private teacher salary in US for what these school are charging for 3 kids.

Recruiting, evaluating and supervising the teachers is work by itself. Do you have the time?

For a very limited period, with a focus on couple of subjects (say English and Math), that can make sense. But over years? there are many subjects you need to teach - especially at secondary school ages - and lack of social interaction with kids from their age group is probably not recommended.

[XGM]

I'm bumping this up if you don't mind guys - after collecting all the info and visiting several schools, what we're still missing is a first hand opinion of a parent who has / had their kids at Tara Pattana. Searching through the forums, I haven't seen even one. We got plenty of good reviews about GIS however the location is the one negative for us.

[guzzi850m2]

42 minutes ago, XGM said:

I'm bumping this up if you don't mind guys - after collecting all the info and visiting several schools, what we're still missing is a first hand opinion of a parent who has / had their kids at Tara Pattana. Searching through the forums, I haven't seen even one. We got plenty of good reviews about GIS however the location is the one negative for us.

Yes agreed GIS is just too far away if you live in Pattaya, we drove down there earlier this year and knew when we got there; no too far away. Also think the general design of the school is cramped.

 

I am looking for a cheaper school, max 350k a year but can't find any, guess I have to try find the money for Tara or Mooltripakdee, the later only up to 16 years old, Tara is up to 18 year.

Since my son is in Phoenix, we can save the enrollment fee if choosing Tara, hmm.

 

 

[XGM]

44 minutes ago, guzzi850m2 said:

I am looking for a cheaper school, max 350k a year but can't find any, guess I have to try find the money for Tara or Mooltripakdee, the later only up to 16 years old, Tara is up to 18 year.

Since my son is in Phoenix, we can save the enrollment fee if choosing Tara, hmm.

Mooltripakdee is way cheaper but my feeling is the place is managed more like a Thai school than International. They aren't accredited either. I'd assume the average students / academics level is lower too. They don't even bother evaluating kids who join from International schools. TPIS have strict tests. GIS have an evaluation to see if the kid will need English support and on what level. I think Mooltripakdee better be compared to Thai bilinguals / EPs schools. And in that category, you'll find them expensive.

Edited July 11, 2020 by XGM

[guzzi850m2]

Just now, XGM said:

Miiltripakdee is way cheaper but my feeling was the place is managed more like a Thai school than International. They aren't accredited either.

Yes it is cheaper, looking at both schools homepages, Tara looks better for sure and the app 150k difference per year I can manage.

 

I will again stress that Phoenix is very good for primary students because they have Thai language which is very hard to master.  

[XGM]

9 hours ago, guzzi850m2 said:

Yes it is cheaper, looking at both schools homepages, Tara looks better for sure and the app 150k difference per year I can manage.

 

I will again stress that Phoenix is very good for primary students because they have Thai language which is very hard to master.  

If Thai is important for you at the higher grades as well then GIS seem to take it more seriously - when the kid registers as Thai they get 5 "Thai language" classes a week. In many International schools kids only get 1-2 hours of "Thai language" and 1 hour of "Thai culture".

Edited July 12, 2020 by XGM