Bilingual School

[ukfool]

Hi, 1st post, so excuse me if sound a bit thick ! I am moving to Chiang Mai, Maejo area in February with wife and our 2 boys, and wonder if there are any bilingual or EP programme schools near Maejo area, or are they only in the city ?

Boys are aged 4 & 6 speaking only a few words of Thai, as wife in her wisdom thought unneccesary as we were in UK until now.

Any help/advice much appreciated.

Many thanks, Steve.

P.S. Forget Internationals as funds very tight

[Xangsamhua]

Hi, 1st post, so excuse me if sound a bit thick ! I am moving to Chiang Mai, Maejo area in February with wife and our 2 boys, and wonder if there are any bilingual or EP programme schools near Maejo area, or are they only in the city ?

Boys are aged 4 & 6 speaking only a few words of Thai, as wife in her wisdom thought unneccesary as we were in UK until now.

Any help/advice much appreciated.

Many thanks, Steve.

P.S. Forget Internationals as funds very tight

Don't know where Maejo is, but here's a bilingual school in Chiangmai:

Sarasas Witaed Chiangmai School, 2 Charoenmuang Rd., Thasala, Muang, Chiangmai 50000

Tel : 053-245-868-9, 053-245-870

Fax : 053-245-870

Good luck.

[Greenside]

) )

Hi, 1st post, so excuse me if sound a bit thick ! I am moving to Chiang Mai, Maejo area in February with wife and our 2 boys, and wonder if there are any bilingual or EP programme schools near Maejo area, or are they only in the city ?

Boys are aged 4 & 6 speaking only a few words of Thai, as wife in her wisdom thought unneccesary as we were in UK until now.

Any help/advice much appreciated.

Many thanks, Steve.

P.S. Forget Internationals as funds very tight

I've not heard of any out there but if you have to look in town they all offer a minibus service of some kind although I don't know if they cater for kids as young as four and it can be an impossibly long day. In terms of driving practicality, I think Sarasas Witaed( 053-245-870) is probably the closest but since you're on the Superhighway you should look at Varee Chiang Mai School (http://www.varee.ac.th) too. My stepson goes there and it's a very happy and well equipped place. Most other options will involve driving in town and even these are going to put about 60 kilometers a day on the clock. At least the gas is cheap (for the time being, anyway).

[chiangmaibruce]

Yes, our boy goes to Sarasas and we are quite happy with it re: cost, facilities, care, etc.

Another one to look at is NAPA which is a new one next door to (but much cheaper than) NIS international school. I'm not sure what maximum age children NAPA caters for.

[ukfool]

) )

Hi, 1st post, so excuse me if sound a bit thick ! I am moving to Chiang Mai, Maejo area in February with wife and our 2 boys, and wonder if there are any bilingual or EP programme schools near Maejo area, or are they only in the city ?

Boys are aged 4 & 6 speaking only a few words of Thai, as wife in her wisdom thought unneccesary as we were in UK until now.

Any help/advice much appreciated.

Many thanks, Steve.

P.S. Forget Internationals as funds very tight

I've not heard of any out there but if you have to look in town they all offer a minibus service of some kind although I don't know if they cater for kids as young as four and it can be an impossibly long day. In terms of driving practicality, I think Sarasas Witaed( 053-245-870) is probably the closest but since you're on the Superhighway you should look at Varee Chiang Mai School (http://www.varee.ac.th) too. My stepson goes there and it's a very happy and well equipped place. Most other options will involve driving in town and even these are going to put about 60 kilometers a day on the clock. At least the gas is cheap (for the time being, anyway).

Thanks, Will go take a look when we arrive. Do you know if admittance any date or anytime ?

[ukfool]

) )

Hi, 1st post, so excuse me if sound a bit thick ! I am moving to Chiang Mai, Maejo area in February with wife and our 2 boys, and wonder if there are any bilingual or EP programme schools near Maejo area, or are they only in the city ?

Boys are aged 4 & 6 speaking only a few words of Thai, as wife in her wisdom thought unneccesary as we were in UK until now.

Any help/advice much appreciated.

Many thanks, Steve.

P.S. Forget Internationals as funds very tight

I've not heard of any out there but if you have to look in town they all offer a minibus service of some kind although I don't know if they cater for kids as young as four and it can be an impossibly long day. In terms of driving practicality, I think Sarasas Witaed( 053-245-870) is probably the closest but since you're on the Superhighway you should look at Varee Chiang Mai School (http://www.varee.ac.th) too. My stepson goes there and it's a very happy and well equipped place. Most other options will involve driving in town and even these are going to put about 60 kilometers a day on the clock. At least the gas is cheap (for the time being, anyway).

Many thanks, Wish I had found this forum sooner !!!

[Loaded]

These private schools have bilingual programmes (EP, ESP, MEP etc):

Varee Chiang Mai

Dara Academy

Montfort College

Prince Royal's College

Sarasas

Wichai Wittalayai

Wachiwarit

Sacred Heart

Regina Coelli

As you are located in Maejo and you child is western, I think Varee would be your best bet. It's located on Mahidol Road, so you can superhighway and ringroad it to Maejo all the way. However, Varee is probably the most expensive from the list above.

NAPA is a kindergarten owned by the same owner of NIS (daughter of a PTT director).

For contact details, you could google the above or enter in the search facility at the top of this page.

[Firelily]

a few spelling mistakes in Loaded's list might prevent effective searches: Regina Coeli, Wichai Wittaya, Wachirawit.

[Mapguy]

There's a good list above, but considerable differences among the schools noted.

Otherwise, I agree that the international schools are expenive --- but you get what you pay for.

Do some creative word and term searching, and you'll find a lot of discussion of Chiang Mai schools on TV.

[ukfool]

Thanks, Internationals are definitely out due to fee being extortionate, for what I can see on web, and this forum being a very mixed teaching pool, and guess will have to take chance on Bilingual/EP schools, of which apparently the same can be said minus the costs.

Regards, Steve.

[Loaded]

Thanks, Internationals are definitely out due to fee being extortionate, for what I can see on web, and this forum being a very mixed teaching pool, and guess will have to take chance on Bilingual/EP schools, of which apparently the same can be said minus the costs.

Regards, Steve.

The academic year ends in around 6 weeks. In March and April most of the schools listed above have 'summer school' and then the academic year begins early May. Therefore you have plently of time to look around, visit schools and even try them out by putting your kids in a summer school programme. As has been stated, if you search the forum, you'll find plenty of discussion on the schools by parents and teachers.

Chiang Mai International School (CMIS) located just off Kaewnawarat Rd has a good reputation and isn't as expensive as the other International schools - worth a visit at least.

[tigerbeer]

Little Stars Ambassador is opening up soon on the Chiang Mai Lampang road (superhighway). Might be worth a check. We are planning to move my kids from Varee to there.

[millwall_fan]

My stepson goes to Varee too and is very happy there. I also know several of the Farang teachers and they a dedicated professionals. From a practical point of view, Wachirawit is probably the nearest to you: its next to Carrefour so down the Mae Jo rd, turn left at the middle highway then right on the Doi Saket rd then left into the back entrance to Carrefour.

[Loaded]

My stepson goes to Varee too and is very happy there. I also know several of the Farang teachers and they a dedicated professionals. From a practical point of view, Wachirawit is probably the nearest to you: its next to Carrefour so down the Mae Jo rd, turn left at the middle highway then right on the Doi Saket rd then left into the back entrance to Carrefour.

The one near Carrefour is the Matayom school (grades 7-12). Too old for the op. Their pratom school is along Changklan Rd.

[ukfool]

Thanks, Wondered why website didn't seem to cater for younger children.

Steve

[Greenside]

Little Stars Ambassador is opening up soon on the Chiang Mai Lampang road (superhighway). Might be worth a check. We are planning to move my kids from Varee to there.

But with one child of 6 and one of 4, the older one will shortly move into pratom and then there could be two schools to deliver and collect from and all that that entails.

[ukfool]

Thanks

[The Dan Sai Kid]

I think you are too late for Dara - their admissions are settled by christmas. PRC is probably the same...

[triffid]

I think you are too late for Dara - their admissions are settled by christmas. PRC is probably the same...

Actually Dara admissions are still open - as at 2 days ago. I was there enquiring about admission in P2.

And if I may revive this thread...as I am looking to enrol a 7 year old girl in one of these schools.

I've talked to and looked in Dara and Wichai Wittalayai, and quite liked the latter. But the mother wants me to look into Sacred Heart which apparently has a very high reputation among the local thais. Would much appreciate any comments from anyone with worthwhile info on this school - and also on the nearby Regina Coeli.

Edited February 24, 2009 by triffid

[bunta71]

Daughter just finishing the K-3 level at NAPA. Her B-day is Nov.29, 2002 so she was the oldest in her class. Costs about the same as most of the several Bi-lingual schools. Around the 35,000 to 45,000 Baht per semester. My daughter loved it there and according to her "admission test" at her next school...Little stars Ambassador Bi-lingual School, she went from zero thai to 60-70% fluency in one semester there. Also the closest to Mae Jo. Expensive van service though. Double others, @ 2500Baht per month. If you drove them yourself you could check out Wai Daroon which is right along the way, for the 4 year old. Not much on academics but dirt cheap and would be an immersion in thai to bring him up to speed on speaking thai if he could handle the total immersion aspect. More choices than in a womens shoe store ..... having the two age difference will sort itself out in a couple years but now is a pain

Edited February 24, 2009 by bunta71

[Greenside]

I understand that Varee is also still accepting applications although the general placement test days are long since past. It also now has a section on its website that explains their programmes a bit more clearly than before.

[BlackArtemis]

Browse some teacher boards and ask the people who work there. I have heard some interesting stories about most of the schools listed. My niece goes to Varee Kindergarten but will not continue there. I had yet to ask my wife where her sister decided to send her.

[triffid]

Browse some teacher boards and ask the people who work there. ........

Would you elaborate on how I can best go about this ? What precisely are "teacher boards" ?

[Diablo Bob]

NAPA is a kindergarten owned by the same owner of NIS (daughter of a PTT director).

It is my understanding that NAPA intends to open up not only for 1-8 but eventually 9-12. Facilities are being constructed for the primary grades at this time.

They also offer a Pre-K program at this time.

[anonymouse]

I think you are too late for Dara - their admissions are settled by christmas. PRC is probably the same...

Actually Dara admissions are still open - as at 2 days ago. I was there enquiring about admission in P2.

And if I may revive this thread...as I am looking to enrol a 7 year old girl in one of these schools.

I've talked to and looked in Dara and Wichai Wittalayai, and quite liked the latter. But the mother wants me to look into Sacred Heart which apparently has a very high reputation among the local thais. Would much appreciate any comments from anyone with worthwhile info on this school - and also on the nearby Regina Coeli.

Sacred Heart does have a good reputation and is currently an all girls school, from next year boys will be admitted as well, not sure if this will have a big impact or not, I just remember when my all boys school went co-ed it really went down-hill.

[triffid]

I think you are too late for Dara - their admissions are settled by christmas. PRC is probably the same...

Actually Dara admissions are still open - as at 2 days ago. I was there enquiring about admission in P2.

And if I may revive this thread...as I am looking to enrol a 7 year old girl in one of these schools.

I've talked to and looked in Dara and Wichai Wittalayai, and quite liked the latter. But the mother wants me to look into Sacred Heart which apparently has a very high reputation among the local thais. Would much appreciate any comments from anyone with worthwhile info on this school - and also on the nearby Regina Coeli.

Sacred Heart does have a good reputation and is currently an all girls school, from next year boys will be admitted as well, not sure if this will have a big impact or not, I just remember when my all boys school went co-ed it really went down-hill.

Thanks for the response.

Would appreciate any further comment from some one with a child there now or in the recent past - and any practical info eg english/bilingual aspect, class size, fees etc.