Decent schools in cm area.

[vspin134]

My 4 year old daughter has been to ABS school for almost a year and a half now. The experience has been great - they taught well training kids respects "wai" and all. Recently they are expanding to welcome AEC neighboring countries and we feel they may not be able to keep up with quality over quantity. Btw we tried kindergarten program at NIS 2 years back and the program just started and there weren't ready to take in our daughter at that time. Any recommendation on any other school? Money is not an issue but we do not throw money at unnecessary expenses.

[BlackArtemis]

Lanna

Chiang Mai International

American Pacfic

Prem

Grace

Nakon Payap

The German Christian school (Where students learn in German)

Varee International

Are the international schools with international curriculum.

Panyaden is a bilingual school, international student body using Thai cirriculum

I am not sure where Chiang Mai Christian School falls

The Thai schools with English programs are:

Prince Royal

Dara

Monfort

Regina Coeli

Sarasas Witaed

Varee

and a few more that I can't think of off the top of my head.

All have various good points, and bad points. They vary in religious doctrine, and their emphasis on what a proper education should be.

Hopefully some parents or staff can share their input. But you can google these schools, and at least read their philosophy and see if it is in line with your own views.

Good Luck

And if anyone feels I made any errors on my list, feel free to correct me.

[vspin134]

Thanks blackArtemis. We will wait for other parents filling more feedback on this. We do prefer medium sized us curriculum international school with Thai language taught in some class.

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[PlanetX]

In terms of NIS, I guess you tried the "day care program" because the kindergarten program is for students aged 4-5.

[LawrenceChee]

We have our kid at Nakorn Payap and he's 2 and seems to be enjoying the program very much

I have been through their school orientation and the 4 teachers at the kindergarten area are really really patient with the kids as we drop and pick him up daily

After about 6 weeks there including the summer program , he has made much progress in terms of being more vocal and singing and dancing a lot and enjoying the craft work and the interaction with the kids

We like the fact that he has to share toys, eat with the rest without being able to choose what he wants

We enjoy watching him picking up the social skills, he bit a kid and the kid stratched him back on the face

He picked up an important lesson on life that every one needs to be treated with respect

As we use English with him at home it's a good complement to the bi-lingual aspects in school

The school has a few western teachers are teaching subjects in English and is a good combination with their Thai counterparts

[whatsupdoc]

My son moved from ABS to Nakorn Payap (NIS) and I am still very happy with that.

[cm das]

I have a 3 year old daughter in her second year at Panyaden. She loves it and I am very happy with her social & linguistic development since she's been there.

[vspin134]

We will check out NIS once again...you are right we were there two years ago with new day care program.

[Jowels]

My son moved from ABS to Nakorn Payap (NIS) and I am still very happy with that.

My 4-year old son has been studying at ABS for the past 6 months, and I'm not particularly impressed with his progress. It's still early days, and I'm sure he'll settle in, but if not, I may look at different schools later in the year.

Out of interest, what advantages do you think NIS has over ABS?

[whatsupdoc]

My son moved from ABS to Nakorn Payap (NIS) and I am still very happy with that.

My 4-year old son has been studying at ABS for the past 6 months, and I'm not particularly impressed with his progress. It's still early days, and I'm sure he'll settle in, but if not, I may look at different schools later in the year.

Out of interest, what advantages do you think NIS has over ABS?

Obviously NIS is more expensive than ABS but NIS offers far superior facilities, smaller class sizes (but much bigger class rooms), the teachers have better credentials, the hygienic standards are better and they usually don't make you pay more for extra's like school trips etc.

Maybe ABS is better at marketing themselves but that's about it.

[DaamNaam]

I have a 3 year old daughter in her second year at Panyaden. She loves it and I am very happy with her social & linguistic development since she's been there.

Ditto for Panyaden. Unique in every way. Kids absolutely love it there.

Why after 18 months at ABS are you looking for alternatives?

[Jowels]

whatsupdoc - thanks for the reply. I'd certainly agree that ABS market themselves quite well.

The comment concerning teachers at NIS having better credentials is interesting. A few teachers at ABS have been there several years, but based on the salaries paid (apparently around 30k pm) some of the newer kindergarten teachers probably only hold a TEFL certificate. According to the NIS website their teachers need a BEd or a Bachelor degree in a related area to the subject taught. However what they ask for, and what they actually get, may be very different.

The kindergarten 2 class sizes at ABS are currently 20 and 21. Although that's not too excessive the teachers must struggle to give the kids individual attention. What are the class sizes like at NIS?

[vspin134]

Our 4 year old is at K2 now and we like ABS teachers especially when it comes to activities and events, we see lots of teachers really participate and enjoy the events. I doubt the hygienic standard of larger ABS to smaller class at NIS (my daughter catch cold from school a few times a month). About catching cold it may just be individual immune system, we can't just blame school of kid getting sick.

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[whatsupdoc]

My son's grade at NIS has 2 classes with about 12 kids each

[naboo]

Does anyone have experience of the Montesorri kindergarten/primary in Hang Dong? Post the good, PM me the bad to stay within forum rules.

[BlackArtemis]

I've heard nothing but good about the Montesorri school and know a few parents and their kids who went there and left due to their child's age, not because they didn't like it.

Also, a proper school should list their staff on their website stating their qualifications, barring that they should willingly give this info to any prospective student.