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Schooling For 13 Year Old Farang In Los


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Posted

I'm looking for some insights from people who've put their kids through some form of international school system in LOS. My France-based 13 year old boy lost his (French) mother last year, so I'm trying to handle two families in two countries, LOS and France - and it just doesn't work.

Trouble is he's more French than English, although his English is ok. Most international schools I suppose have the English-based international baccalaureat system.

Summing up...

- cost is a factor, how reasonable are the fees? (ok I know there'll big a pretty big range)

- anyone else have the experience of a non-English language mother tongue child being suddenly introduced to a LOS English language-based school, and how did it go?

- I'm pretty flexible on location, although I would prefer Chiang Mai as I was living there for a couple of years before this happened. Anyone in CM (or anywhere else, but would rather steer clear of Bkk) with recommendations?

- there may not be a 'typical' school, but how does the nationality breakdown work? Mostly Americans? Brits?

- any thoughts on teaching standards?

- I'm pretty keen on a secular school, ie not funded by any organisation with a religious agenda. I'm hoping that the latter don't represent a significant proportion of international schools... or do they?

- anything else I should be thinking about before making the move?

Thanks all...

Posted
Yeah, he said outside bangkok though... Less french schools outside bangkok... and BPS (bangkok patana school) is 'the win' for schooling :o

Yeah, missed the not in Bangkok part.

Friend of mine with french wife and daughter that speaks English and French, she goes to Patana.

TH

Posted (edited)
- cost is a factor, how reasonable are the fees? (ok I know there'll big a pretty big range)

Starting point for 13yr old in Chiangmai 200,000 baht up to 350,000 baht per year.

- anyone else have the experience of a non-English language mother tongue child being suddenly introduced to a LOS English language-based school, and how did it go?

Yes, daughters have a heap of Korean kids at her school, at 13yrs they are very competent after 10 months, a French child will be quicker. But since you said he speaks English already this is not a problem. All schools have an ESL specialist teacher (English as a Second Language) to get them over the bumps.

- I'm pretty flexible on location, although I would prefer Chiang Mai as I was living there for a couple of years before this happened.

PM me for the details

Anyone in CM (or anywhere else, but would rather steer clear of Bkk) with recommendations?

same as above to avoid any commericial rules on forum.

- there may not be a 'typical' school, but how does the nationality breakdown work? Mostly Americans? Brits?

changes from school to school, Bangkok Pattana draws Brits, ISB draws Americans, outside of BKK is a mix, missionary schools like Grace in Chiangmai draw Americans, others have a real blend of western/asian including Thai kids. English dominates in class and playground.

- any thoughts on teaching standards?

Not a problem, better that public schools systems abroad, but would not meet same level as top private schools IMHO.

- I'm pretty keen on a secular school, ie not funded by any organisation with a religious agenda. I'm hoping that the latter don't represent a significant proportion of international schools... or do they?

Yes, most in Chiangmai are secular.

- anything else I should be thinking about before making the move?

Most have webpages, google Lanna/LIST or Prem for the two best in CM

Edited by jayjayjayjay
Posted

As mentioned, Chiang Mai has at least six good international schools, all of them excellent (even the missionary-evangelical flavor, if you can stomach it). It is the nature of intl. schools to have lots of L2 (non-native) students, and the boy's English will sharpen up in no time. I knew Koreans here who went to Lanna, Prem, APIS, CMIS, Grace, and Nakornping along with Japanese, Romanians, Brits, Americans, etc.

Posted

There are many good catholic schools.

IME they do no push their religious views, but allow all faiths to work alongside.

My youngest went to Dara Samutr in Sri Racha, and they arranged for boys who wished to,

to become Buddhist novices.

Posted

Basically there are no French speaking schools in LOS outside of Bangkok.

I teach at Lanna International School in Chiang Mai and we have taken quite a few early teenage French students over the last couple of years with considerable success. We find that French students in particular tend to pick up English very quickly when immersed totally. Depending on their level of English they either join our Intensive English Programme for a term/year before joining the mainstream, or go straight into mainstream with lots of additional English language support.

It is very possible for a motivated French speaking student to successfully switch to studying in English, but it may well mean dropping a year to allow for language development and give the child a decent chance of success. I can't give you a link here but if you Google for our website and take some time to browse through it you will find lots of information about the various programmes we offer and the ways in which we provide language support. This isn't, however, supposed to be an advert for Lanna and you should also take a look at the websites of the other schools mentioned by earlier posters; depending on your specific needs and precisely where you intend to live in Chiang Mai one of the other schools may well be a better choice for you.

Good luck in finding a school that suits your needs.

Posted

Wedders, to the OP, I recommend you Private Mailing (PM) ChiangmaiAjarn, he is a top-flight-educator (I've dealt with him personally for couple of years) and could provide very good advice on details of Chiangmai International School education.

Posted

That's great, thanks a lot for this.

The Lanna is just down the road from where I was until December (Sri Donchai, SE corner of moat).

I'll be in touch, CMA et al.

Posted

I have friends who send their two kids to Lanna and I only hear good things (mostly!) about the school from them. From what I understand it has undergone big changes in the last few years and they are now offering a good range of British style courses, if that is what you are looking for. Their kids are very happy there and seem to be doing well.

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