Which School In Bangkok Is The Best

[adtravels]

I think it is dangerous to take advice from people who have at best second hand experience of schools mentioned. A visit to the school should clear things up which ever you choose.

[mezzoninny]

I went to Patana myself for a total of about 8 years, graduated high school from there.

I'll have to borrow one of Josh's comments, and say hopefully you've got some sort of direction, and then the school should work out really well for you. From Facebook I can tell you most people seemed to end up pretty well, though I'm one of those who didn't have any direction, and I'm still floundering to this day, I'm the quintessential bum. So, perhaps because of that, I don't really feel like it was an advantage that I went to Patana instead of RIS or ISB. In fact since the uni side of my studies was always going to be in the American system, I felt that IB did me no favors. This is in spite of everyone I've heard from always saying or thinking that Patana is better than ISB or RIS or NIST. So that's my side of the coin.

The lasting legacy of Patana for me is that it exposed me to so many vastly different worlds, be it Thai or non-Thai, and also the lifestyle of a group of people several castes above mine - I'm still reeling to this day from the expensive taste I acquired...

[Maizefarmer]

I think it is dangerous to take advice from people who have at best second hand experience of schools mentioned. A visit to the school should clear things up which ever you choose.

Yes - good point......

I don’t know how anyone can say any one of the private schools is better than another, or x or y or z is the best. Both my kids went to a private school (I have first hand experience of them – over an extended period of time – 13years on the trot), but I would be reluctant to declare one better than the other.

In general terms they are all good, and I dare say that compared to state schools, the difference between the private schools in Thailand has something to do with student preference i.e. a kid may do better at one of the private schools than they’ll do ay another, while another kid may do better at one of the other private schools as opposed to the one you may think is best.

It’s not all about the school – its about the student as well. Just what criteria are used to objectively measure them all? – I haven’t seen any criteria defined that would allow the Thai private schools to be lined up and compared objectively so that one can be said to be better than another, best out of all.

What would those criteria be in case: cost? student performance, number of students in a class, size of the campus, teacher/pupil ratio, amount teachers are paid, reputation, difficulty of getting into? Many of them share the same entrance criteria from an academic perspective - satisfy that, and the question then is can one afford to pay the fees, because they are all run as businesses, you pays your fees and in you go. All valid criteria when assessing an academic facility, but I have seen nothing to date that has objectively been able to catogorise any one as been the best, or better than any other one.

….. and don’t forget, there are a couple State schools in Bkk that can be compared to the private schools, not only in terms of academic results, but also in terms of facilities, subjects that can be studied, cost of attendence and difficulty to get into (though this last point is in no small part down to admin "corruption" in many cases).

I think its fair to say the private schools offer more than the State schools do (albeit if the State schools had the same finances they could offer the same), and the chances are the caliber of the teachers will be higher (thats not to say State school teachers are bad - some are, no question about it, but there are also some private school teachers I wouldnt want anywhere near my daughter).

Th best one can do is express an opinion about a school - which really has to be based on experience as a student or having had children attend.

[jonclark]

Dude serious St Andrews shouldn't be compared to Patana... Seriously, look at the quality of the buildings the equipment and the teachers?

Seriously, my girlfriend attended Patana for 12 years and needed a change, now she is at St Andrews and she says the education level is far below. I have been helping her with her IB Physics and I don't know what her teacher is on, but even she knows what he is teaching her is wrong. I just hope she passes the exams its her last year and her French class just restarted the course because the teacher and students were too poorly organized. This is their first year of IB at St Andrews and I feel really sorry for the kids participating.

Honestly, don't compare the two.

Ok the Phra khanong one.

I think what needs to be understood here is that the ST. Adrews schools are not one and the same. There are four different branches all were independent of each other. Most of them have all now been taken over, except the Sukhumvit 71 - which is the best, by a country mile. Great staff, massive resources and kids who really excel in IGCSE

Edited September 28, 2009 by jonclark

[aussiejosh]

The lasting legacy of Patana for me is that it exposed me to so many vastly different worlds, be it Thai or non-Thai, and also the lifestyle of a group of people several castes above mine - I'm still reeling to this day from the expensive taste I acquired...

I know what you mean, my dad is annoyed with my 15,000+ power bills, spending on his credit card and spending 3 times what I earn and he foots the bill... BUT I travel, have work opportunities in Dubai, Asia Australia and Europe so many doors were opened for me. I just became a little too accustomed spending too much.

[stout of heart]

Which school did you end up choosing?

[sparebox2]

Please don't leave out English Program (EP) of local school.

Example; Satit Prasarnmit EP.

[nocturn]

satit prasanmit is only 12-18 the op asked about school for his 4 year old

[sparebox2]

satit prasanmit is only 12-18 the op asked about school for his 4 year old

Satit Prasanmit have primary too for 5 - 12. They use differentr web sites.

http://prathom.swu.ac.th/ (Primary)

http://www.satitprasarnmit.ac.th/ (Secondary)

[Adh]

If you are in the lower Sukhumwit area and interested in the British Curriculum try:

http://www.bsbangkok.ac/

It takes kids from nursery up to 11. Not one of the big four or five schools but if you preferred a smaller school community it's got a nice intimate community vibe to it. A friend's son recently enrolled and they are both happy with it.