St Stephens International School Khao Yai

[MrSquigle]

Having recently visited this school, with the possibility of moving up this way in the near future, I was wondering if there is any up to date info from perhaps behind the scenes or any other first hand knowledge about this school.

I haved searched and read the other info, what is there that i found is old and really nothing specific on the Khao Yai campus. So hopefully anyone searching about this school and happens to be in the know, then this thread will pop up for them to reply in.

While I thought it looked like a great school, I have no idea about the mechanics of it and with only 90 students, how is it feasible to survive and survive and teach well. Also certainly interested in the turn over of teachers etc from any independant source.

Also having not had a child in primary years yet, what are the questions you think would be proper to ask to gauge the quality of this school ?

[stevemiddie]

Having recently visited this school, with the possibility of moving up this way in the near future, I was wondering if there is any up to date info from perhaps behind the scenes or any other first hand knowledge about this school.

I haved searched and read the other info, what is there that i found is old and really nothing specific on the Khao Yai campus. So hopefully anyone searching about this school and happens to be in the know, then this thread will pop up for them to reply in.

While I thought it looked like a great school, I have no idea about the mechanics of it and with only 90 students, how is it feasible to survive and survive and teach well. Also certainly interested in the turn over of teachers etc from any independant source.

Also having not had a child in primary years yet, what are the questions you think would be proper to ask to gauge the quality of this school ?

Are you asking as a prospective teacher or as a parent?

[MrSquigle]

Parent.

[Big Guns]

Hi

I taught at the Khao Yai Campus for 1 year. My experience was that teachers leave after 1 year. Very few teachers complete their 2 year contract. The reason I left was the school decided to close and then didn't.

The quality of teaching varies according to the annual intake of teachers. In the year I was at the school there were some very good teachers. In addition there were teachers who liked the karaoke bar/bar girl/beer scene too much.

Its a small school and even though its an 'international school' there are no western students. They are mainly thai chinese and some laos. The students generally struggle with English. The other problem with students is motivation. They come from rich families and aren't motivated to pass IGCSE's. The main behavioural problem with students is sleeping in class.

Overall the school has its faults but if you want a British educations its your only choice in that area. St John Mary in Saraburi is an American international school.

Hope this helps.

[otherstuff1957]

A bit off topic here, but I once visited a Mattayom up there that had a pretty impressive EP program. I don't remember the name of the school and I don't remember if they had a Prathom associated with them, but the school's initials were ส บ ว

[MrSquigle]

Yes, that was one of my initial reactions when finding out they only had 90 students...how can they survive on that amount of income generated, I presume it is kept afloat via bangkok and some trickle of other school camps etc. But i wondered if it may close at some time in the future and if it did, well then we would be screwed as it is the only international school around I believe.

As of a week or so ago, certainly the greater majority of kids were asian, but there were a couple of western kids there.

Also the greeater majority are live on campus kids, not to many day students.

OTHERSTUFF....forgive my ignorancve, but what is 'mattayom' I presume it is a thai word for a school or ?? anyway, if you should happen to remember that EP school. please advise as we would be needing an EP school for our daughter for kindergarten as St Stephens only starts currently at year 2, although they may consider starting a year 1 next season.

Certainly it would not be possible for us to move there if there was not an international school nearby. Thye have however been around for 12 years, so hopefully they will be around for another 12.

[Nomad97]

Mr Squigle,

About a year ago I researched St Stephen's as a possible school for my daughter but discounted it for a number of reasons. It looked very nice on the ground but it is somewhat isolated and more suited for boarding. I did not fancy a 50 kilometer round trip, twice a day from Pak Chong where we would have probably lived, to take my daughter to and from the school. The school fees were also a little bit on the high side for my budget.

As far as I am aware, the only school that offers the Full English Programme in this neck of the woods is Assumption College in Korat. I understand that they take children from 3 years old through to university entrance age. My family is intending to move to Korat within the next 4 years so that my daughter can attend this school when she turns 6 years old (Year 1). The school comes highly recommended and the school fees are much more affordable. Just as well as my wife is pregnant again and our new son or daughter can attend kindergarten at the same time that the elder daughter starts year 1.

[MrSquigle]

Thanks for the reply, we would however be living closer to the school than that, even though there obviously will still be some travelling each day.

Assumption seems to have a very good reputation so I hear, if they are aslo associated with assumption colleges in Oz, then they are very good.

Korat a little too far from the Kha Yai area thought I think, but we still have plenty of time to do more research trips.

A definite disadvatage with St S, is that it does not offer Kindergarten and this would not allow our daughter to attend the same school for first 3 years also, not so attractive.

[BlackArtemis]

Mattayom is the Thai word for middle/Highschool it is the wester equivalent to grade 7-12 Mattayom 1 = grade 7 mattayom 6 = grade 12 The shortened term is "Maw"

Prahtom is grade 1 to grade 6 "praw" for short and Anubaan means kindergarten.

As a parent with perspective students you have the right to show up at the school and ask to sit in on a class. personally I would do this unannounced so that the school doesn't have time to tell a teacher to prepare something special to wow you. You can also wait around till lunchtime/ end of school and catch a teacher away from the crowd and get their opinion if they are willing to give it.