Schooling Advice Needed For My 17 Year Old Son

[seksan26]

Can someone please advise me, i am looking for an international school for my son. We are due to move to Bangkok at the end of July.

My son studies in England nearing the end of year 12 but cannot speak, read or write Thai.

But he would like to go to a Thai international uni in Thailand after he finishes school.

I also am not on an ex pat package so i have to pay for his education myself. We can move anywhere in Bangkok and near his school.

So could someone please help me in deciding what the best option is for my son in terms of choosing which international school and what uni after the end of year 13? Also he is doing A levels in England which are Psychology, Law , Media Studies And Ict.

So ideally we would like an inernational school that offers A levels and not the IB as if we understand correctly he will have to resit

his whole first year of sixth form (year 12) hence why a international school offering A levels makes more sense?

Edited February 15, 2012 by seksan26

[thaiclan]

Do you really need to uproot him at this late stage in his education? Is it not possible for him to spend a year with a relative so he has a seamless end to his schooling?

He will already be in the middle or at least started coursework, if you move him now the schools are likely to put him back a year so that he gets to grips with the curriculum they use - plus as you state most international schools offer IB and not A levels.

If coming to Thailand is a must then I'd seriously look at an online school such as Oxford learning or the Cambridge online. Then your son can follow an online course for the final year and sit his A levels at an accredited centre in Thailand.

As for uni, what does your son want? He is eligible for UK universities without the heavy overseas fees so wouldn't he want to go to uni there (or Europe?). Thai universities do not have a high reputation which will matter when he enters the job market so you should think seriously about it if he has the option of a UK or European uni.

Good Luck :-)

[samran]

I'm assuming you aren't willing to compromise your son's best chances at getting through his secondary schooling seemlessly, then you are really only going to have the choice of the Pattana, ISB or NIST standards level international schools where the fee structure is extremely high.

At which point boarding school back 'home' generally looks like an affordable option for some expats that I know. Perhaps it is an alternative for your son?

[ludditeman]

Strange post

In the UK the sixth form is divided into 2 sections

Year 1 AS level course, you do 3-6 AS levels with exams at the end of the year (no requirement to carry on).

Year 2 A level course, you choose 2-4 subjects from your AS level courses, and study a further year.

Year 1 and Year 2 are completely 'stand-alone' courses, you can take your AS levels in one school and your A levels in another school.

There is no overlap unless the school finishes Year 1 early, then starts Year 2 (in which case you have wasted a very small time)

How come you and your son think differently?

How come you think your son is studying A levels in his first year of sixth form? I can assure you he is not.

Edited February 16, 2012 by ludditeman

[seksan26]

Hi guys,

Thank you for your valuable advice. i May have not explained it clearly, my son will finish His As Levels year 12 in England first and start his A levels in Thailand year 13. So at this moment in time we are looking for a school that does A levels and not The IB So he can continue his final year without hassle.

Are there any schools you guys could recommend? The only one we have seen so far is 'Harrow international' which offers A levels which seems like a good school.

My son is of British nationality so he will qualify for Uk universities. But are there any good 'international' universities in Thailand? if such a thing exists.

He is just about going to be settled down in Thailand after his last year of sixth form. Going back to Uk straight away for university after seems stressful to him but would you recommend it? Is it better for him to study in Uk or Europe? He is obviously willing to do whats best for his future.

Thank you everyone for your help

[ludditeman]

I would leave him in the UK for at least the next year. If not for university.

There must be a friend or relative he can stay with.

Prospects out here are poor, distractions for a young man are extreme.

[samran]

Pattana, NIST or ISB

[thaiclan]

@ Samran....

Do they offer "A" Levels...?

Edited February 17, 2012 by thaiclan

[samran]

@ Samran....

Do they offer "A" Levels...?

Not sure to be honest. You asked for some names of some good international schools, I gave you some. Add Harrow, Shewsberry to the list as well. St Andrews is another. Many of them I suspect will.

Edited February 17, 2012 by samran

[bkk_mike]

There's an EU residency requirement to be eligible for student loans for University in the UK. Nationality just means you don't need a visa. It doesn't get you the subsidised fees and loans.

Are you really sure you want to jeopardise that?

If you are then I believe the Regents school does A levels as well as IB.

Edited February 20, 2012 by bkk_mike