Which Are The Best International Schools In Pattaya

[getithere328]

We are moving from the UK to Pattaya around June 2010. I am particularly keen to ensure our 5 yr old daughter attends a good school with an english curriculum. She speaks Thai and English fluently.

We will be coming to Thailand in a few months time and taking a look around some schools, however, it would be great to hear from anyone who have had kids go through or are still in an international school.

We will probably be living near Nakula.

Thanks.

[bellagrego]

We are moving from the UK to Pattaya around June 2010. I am particularly keen to ensure our 5 yr old daughter attends a good school with an english curriculum. She speaks Thai and English fluently.

We will be coming to Thailand in a few months time and taking a look around some schools, however, it would be great to hear from anyone who have had kids go through or are still in an international school.

We will probably be living near Nakula.

There is only one worth it's use of the title, International Schools. That is "The Regents School", located about 12 km from Pattaya on the highway to Bangkok. K-!3. The rest are just a poor excuse for a real education with European standards. Even they will fall short, but still are the best available. I did the research on staff, curriculum, and environment . The only down side is the cost. Very steep, indeed. I will leave it to you to get that sticker shock when you inquire. To be honest, way beyond my means. I am an educator and I will do the work in house for mine. When you try to get in depth information on the staffing or to look into curriculum , there is a lot of subterfuge. I visited many others offering quality education. A sad joke. Thais with no degrees teaching English from text on note pads written twenty years ago by Thai professors that never left Thailand. Butchering every sentence. I offered to edit and correct for them for free, they declined. Good luck, you will need it.

bella

Thanks.

[PattayaParent]

Regents

St. Andrews

Garden International

They all have websites if you Google for them.

Regents is nearest to Pattaya, about 15kms from Nahklua, St. Andrews is about 30kms from Nahklua, and GIS is in Ban Chang 40kms away.

You'll have to consider your transport options, if you're child is going to go on the school bus it could be a 1 hour plus journey depending on when she is picked up / dropped off.

Or consider living nearer the school you prefer and you do the commuting.

[ErikD]

I believe st. Andrews is quite good and I did hear a rumor that the big buildings being built now on the opposite side of the highway 36 not far from Regents is going to be a new St. Andrews international school; does anyone know anything about it? It would certainly be easier than travelling to Ban Chang every day.

[PattayaParent]

The new buildings near Regent's are unlikely to be anything to do with St. Andrew's as they have just completed some expansions on their current site and have plenty more space to expand if they need to.

Incidentally St. Andrews is not in Ban Chang, that would be Garden International School.

Depending on where you live in Pattaya it's not difficult to get to. From Nahklua / Central Pattaya go up Siam Country Club Road and onto the 36, about 30kms journey or from South Pattaya go along Sukhumvit to Phoenix Golf Club Road, about 42 kms journey.

Edited November 3, 2009 by PattayaParent

[getithere328]

We are moving from the UK to Pattaya around June 2010. I am particularly keen to ensure our 5 yr old daughter attends a good school with an english curriculum. She speaks Thai and English fluently.

We will be coming to Thailand in a few months time and taking a look around some schools, however, it would be great to hear from anyone who have had kids go through or are still in an international school.

We will probably be living near Nakula.

There is only one worth it's use of the title, International Schools. That is "The Regents School", located about 12 km from Pattaya on the highway to Bangkok. K-!3. The rest are just a poor excuse for a real education with European standards. Even they will fall short, but still are the best available. I did the research on staff, curriculum, and environment . The only down side is the cost. Very steep, indeed. I will leave it to you to get that sticker shock when you inquire. To be honest, way beyond my means. I am an educator and I will do the work in house for mine. When you try to get in depth information on the staffing or to look into curriculum , there is a lot of subterfuge. I visited many others offering quality education. A sad joke. Thais with no degrees teaching English from text on note pads written twenty years ago by Thai professors that never left Thailand. Butchering every sentence. I offered to edit and correct for them for free, they declined. Good luck, you will need it.

bella

Thanks.

Thanks for the info from everyone. I have to say that the quality of education in Pattaya (even if you pay top dollar) is one of my main concerns.

Bella, your idea of teaching at home does appeal to me, although my qualifications are not in teaching. I wonder how many expats are teaching there children from home?

[PattayaParent]

My colleagues daughter gets picked up in Nahklua at 07:25 to go to St. Andrews for a 08:30 start.

Don't worry about the quality of education in the good schools here, it's far better than in UK.

[getithere328]

Thanks for the reassurance pattayaparent, I guess our next step is to take a look around.

[ktamp]

In addition to the ones mentioned there is an international school of eastern seaboard. It is the furthest out located on the burapha golf course community.

I have a 5 year old at regents. We checked all of them out. they all have their pros and cons. I felt regents would be the best fit for my child and we have been very pleased thus far. You just have to check them out. I have friends with children at all these schools and they are happy. You just have to find the best fit for your child.

[PattayaParent]

I understand that the International School of the Eastern Seaboard is US curriculum ktamp and the OP asked for English curriculum.

[chael]

Hi,

perhaps this could help you figure out which school would fit your child. I have two kids aged 4 and 5. I put my 4 year old boy in GIS which is an international school following a british curriculum. My 5 year-old girl is in REPS(Rayong English Programme School)- a bilingual school following Thai curriculum but teaching english in major subjects Math, Science, etc....

They have been in these schools since they started schooling and fortunately they are happy. YOu can visit their website to get more information. For me it is about my kids not about me or what my friends tell me. As long as I see my kids happy then I am happy for them.

By the way the school offers boarding too but for higher ages though.

[chael]

Hi,

perhaps this could help you figure out which school would fit your child. I have two

[manarak]

My family and I will move as well, roughly at the same time. We've got a 7 yo son and a 5 yo daughter.

Yes, Regent's is expensive, but it is in my eyes the only school in the region that can make a good first impression, due to its on-the-paper qualifications and the visual effect of the premises.

You can laugh, but that is important too.

I integrated the costs for both children into my budget - it is the highest expense line, 33% of total cost (around 20k EUR).

[HaiSoh]

My family and I will move as well, roughly at the same time. We've got a 7 yo son and a 5 yo daughter.Yes, Regent's is expensive, but it is in my eyes the only school in the region that can make a good first impression, due to its on-the-paper qualifications and the visual effect of the premises.

You can laugh, but that is important too.

I integrated the costs for both children into my budget - it is the highest expense line, 33% of total cost (around 20k EUR).

Getithere and manarak.

what have you decided ? which school are your kids enrolled in ? or ?

we are moving also this summer and our kids are 7 and 10, hence the interest,

greetz.

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

Agree with the above recommendations:

In order

1. Regent's

2. St. Andrews

3. GIS (Garden International School)

and would add REPS (Rayong English Program School, located adjacent to GIS)

The last two are in Ban Chang, and involve a 1 hour bus commute (provided by school)

REPS is a relatively inexpensive alternative to the exorbitant tuition charged by the international schools, and the scholastic levels are not much lower than the international schools

[manarak]

My family and I will move as well, roughly at the same time. We've got a 7 yo son and a 5 yo daughter.Yes, Regent's is expensive, but it is in my eyes the only school in the region that can make a good first impression, due to its on-the-paper qualifications and the visual effect of the premises.

You can laugh, but that is important too.

I integrated the costs for both children into my budget - it is the highest expense line, 33% of total cost (around 20k EUR).

Getithere and manarak.

what have you decided ? which school are your kids enrolled in ? or ?

we are moving also this summer and our kids are 7 and 10, hence the interest,

greetz.

IF we move to Patts, then yes, it will be Regent's for the kids.

Another good point is that Regent's is situated in the hinterland of Pattaya, easy to get to without traffic chaos and no seedy immediate environment.

[hogheaven]

I understand that the International School of the Eastern Seaboard is US curriculum ktamp and the OP asked for English curriculum.

Do you know about Int. school of pattaya??

i found a web site but old info ?

[crobe]

Hi

I have 2 children at Regents for the last 4 years.

Like yourself, we were looking for schools for our kids when we moved across and decided on Regents due to the curriculum and location

It is quite expensive compared to the other schools, but has the advantage that if you have to leave to go back to the UK then they can fit in with the schooling without a break.

Some friends of our have preferred to move their children to St Andrews, but this is more of an American or baccalaureate based curriculum.

The main deciding factor is that we met and got on wth the staff and found that we could easily talk to them about anything - I now know and have a lot of respect for the current headmaster (Mike Walton), and I feel confident in having my children in his staffs care, which as I work away a lot, is very imortant for me.

They also now have a sister school in the UK, and I have got to know these people aswell, so I am confident if we have to return then I will have a place at a good school for my kids.

As to the standard, I would rate them much higher than a state school in the UK, but maybe not as academically challenging as some of the more expensive public (private) schools in the UK.

If you have younger children than I believe there is also a plan for a Montesorri school to be opening shortly in the same vicinity, on the other side of the new motorway extension.

Hope this helps

Crobe

Edited June 16, 2010 by crobe

[PattayaParent]

IF we move to Patts, then yes, it will be Regent's for the kids.

Another good point is that Regent's is situated in the hinterland of Pattaya, easy to get to without traffic chaos and no seedy immediate environment.

None of the international schools are in a seedy immediate environment and are outside of Pattaya.