Parents....Are your kids in internationals schools?

[ulike]

Hello Thai and Foreign Parents,

Do any of you have your children studying in Samui international schools?

1. International School of Samui (ISS)

2. Onnrak School

3. SCL

4. Panyadee

If so, please may we start a conversation here? I am so keen to learn about your family's experiences.

I may be moving to Samui with my Thai niece for her to attend an international school for one year before moving to the UK.

Thank you

[evadgib]

You may find the search facility on this page useful. There have been several threads covering this issue in recent months.

HTH

[ulike]

Thank you evadgib,

I have been through the website and used the searching function in full today.

I am looking for updated information and also to communicate with current parents with Children in those schools (in particular ISS).

Thank you.

[Rooo]

Links:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/607244-international-schools-in-samui-quality-education/?p=6419145&hl=%2Binternational+%2Bschools

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/633848-international-school-of-samui/page-2?hl=%2Binternational+%2Bschools#entry6352963

[ulike]

Thank you Roo, I read them before posting.

[Torrens54]

Don't know about Samui but I offer these points.

Our daughter, now aged 13 goes to my wife's old school, probably the best Public School in Chiang Mai, "Wattanothaipayap," we sent her there

after we returned from a couple of years living in Australia. Our daughter is always either top or second in English in her class and recently scored very high marks in an inter-school English competition.

I wanted to use a Private School but my wife, who majored in English at Teacher's College here in CNX, insisted that her "old school" would be fine. She has been absolutely right. The school is well disciplined, we've had home visits by the class teachers,( I suspect these are done with very little "advance notice" just to check out the home environment) and we recently had a group of my daughters friends home to learn European style cooking.

These "kids" were so polite and they fitted in very well. It was also my subtle way of finding out what my daughter's school mates are like. I'm very pleased to say that I couldn't have wished for better. They all take their studies seriously and share a friendly rivalry.

Just thought you might want to consider these points while deciding on which type of school to use in Samui.

All in all, I think this Public School is far better than the Private Schools I attended in Australia at great cost to my parents.

Hope this helps!

[Johnnie99]

You should also be aware that most international schools are no better educationally than fee-paying schools here; the soubriquet 'international' does not guarantee an education, nor standards of behaviour better than those in other schools.

In my long experience, students from 'international' schools are far less well behaved, very much more arrogant and more disrespectful than other students here.

The fact that the employers of their parents pay for their education appears to make them think that they are better than other people. Sad, but true.

Education at an 'international' school is unlikely to prepare your child for life in a Western educational environment and certainly not in the UK.

Sorry to be rather negative, but experience is a great teacher.

[rayongchelsea]

You should also be aware that most international schools are no better educationally than fee-paying schools here; the soubriquet 'international' does not guarantee an education, nor standards of behaviour better than those in other schools.

 

In my long experience, students from 'international' schools are far less well behaved, very much more arrogant and more disrespectful than other students here.

 

The fact that the employers of their parents pay for their education appears to make them think that they are better than other people. Sad, but true.

 

Education at an 'international' school is unlikely to prepare your child for life in a Western educational environment and certainly not in the UK.

 

Sorry to be rather negative, but experience is a great teacher.

Which international schools are you referring too.

I have had the complete opposite experience.

Why is it that most leave and go abroad after their education.

The teaching is excellent.

No comparison with the Thai system, which is rote learning large classes and generally docile. Special lessons at weekend for teachers to make extra money.

They are well behaved, but are also taught to think for themselves.

Extra activities and options well beyond anything a Thai school offers.

Nothing to do with to make them appear better..

Standard of English teaching is way above a Thai school , all lessons are in English.

Most do not have employers pay for their education..they are mostly rich Thais..

I immediately took my daughter out of the Thai system when I started visiting and watching the lessons..veneer was fine..underneath not so good..

They are expensive though and to equate the cost to what you get from an international school education is the question..but they are superior..but to some are they worth the investment.?

More arrogant probably..

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[asdecas]

You should also be aware that most international schools are no better educationally than fee-paying schools here; the soubriquet 'international' does not guarantee an education, nor standards of behaviour better than those in other schools.

In my long experience, students from 'international' schools are far less well behaved, very much more arrogant and more disrespectful than other students here.

The fact that the employers of their parents pay for their education appears to make them think that they are better than other people. Sad, but true.

Education at an 'international' school is unlikely to prepare your child for life in a Western educational environment and certainly not in the UK.

Sorry to be rather negative, but experience is a great teacher.

I would dispute the assertion that academic standards are generally no better at international schools, but even if that were true, there are other factors that may stand an international school student in better stead for the future than his/her contemporaries in a state school. These may include, but not be limited to, the connections they make among their peers and the breadth of both academic education and other activities within the curriculum. Certainly you would be hard pushed to find foreign families working in Thailand on an expat package that includes education who, having the choice, do not opt to send their children to an international school.

I'd agree with your comments about attitude though.

[Tropicalevo]

You should also be aware that most international schools are no better educationally than fee-paying schools here; the soubriquet 'international' does not guarantee an education, nor standards of behaviour better than those in other schools.

In my long experience, students from 'international' schools are far less well behaved, very much more arrogant and more disrespectful than other students here.

The fact that the employers of their parents pay for their education appears to make them think that they are better than other people. Sad, but true.

Education at an 'international' school is unlikely to prepare your child for life in a Western educational environment and certainly not in the UK.

Sorry to be rather negative, but experience is a great teacher.

Perhaps you should visit the local schools here on Samui. You do not say where your experience has been learned.

Like you, my feeling about International 'brats' in major cities with large numbers of expats would be similar to yours. However, Samui is not the same. It is dangerous to generalise.

I have met children from all of the International schools here on Samui and on the whole - they are polite and well behaved. The few that are not - do not stay. (One poor lad has been expelled from at least two schools here.)

The OP asked for info from "Thai and Foreign Parents, " that had "children studying in Samui international schools?"

So - as you do not appear to be a parent of a child at any of the International schools here - then I think that your post on this thread is probably

(As is my post )

[bigbig83]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/384508285012062/

ISS PARENTS GROUP

Edited November 20, 2013 by bigbig83

[robsamui]

You should also be aware that most international schools are no better educationally than fee-paying schools here; the soubriquet 'international' does not guarantee an education, nor standards of behaviour better than those in other schools.

In my long experience, students from 'international' schools are far less well behaved, very much more arrogant and more disrespectful than other students here.

The fact that the employers of their parents pay for their education appears to make them think that they are better than other people. Sad, but true.

Education at an 'international' school is unlikely to prepare your child for life in a Western educational environment and certainly not in the UK.

Sorry to be rather negative, but experience is a great teacher.

I was a departmental manager in one of BKK's biggest international schools for the first two years I came to Thailand.

All my previous experience was in the UK - this was my first (and only) first-hand experience of an International school in Thailand.

I had heard all the usual stories about arrogant, lazy, spoiled kids, but was delighted to find that the reality was just the opposite. Students at every level were a pleasure to work with. With one or two notable exceptions,in general they were bright, attentive, cosmopolitan and polite, both Thais, and the other nationalities. - confident and perhaps overly-outspoken, in some cases, yes. But in comparison to the several schools I taught at in the UK, a pleasant and refreshing change. It was not the kids who were in any way a problem.

It was the parents, particularly the mothers, who drove everyone insane. Every single fee-paying female parent was a total and utter expert. They would visit lessons or lunch breaks unannounced and spend hours outlining their child's delicate emotional constitution and offer advice, if not outright instruction, to the staff on how they should structure their lessons and approach so that their child would be least psychologically and emotionally damaged. Parents' evening were a dreaded nightmare.

Although the last para hardly relates to the OP's queries!

I have also had observational experience of the main school you talk about, and it is excellent. So is the other one in Lamai, although they each approach the curriculum and pastoral aspects from a slightly different direction!

My perception is that such schools on Samui are a little different to the ones in Bangkok or the larger cities. There are few (if any?) corporate employers here (a couple in the 5-star hotels, maybe?) and the parents of the children at Samui's fee-paying schools are all long-term local business people or residents. Unlike corporate employees, parents and their kids here don't move on after one or two years. In fact it is the teachers who do this - most are on the youthful side, bright, keenly on the career ladder, and have no intention of staying here (or anywhere) long-term. The kids may well head off later to further education in BKK, but Samui's schools have a permanence and community spirit that isn't present in the big independent schools in Bangkok.

R

Edited November 20, 2013 by robsamui

[natb19]

Although I don't qualify as a parent, I have had the opportunity to hang out and see first hand the results of both type of school, and also teach them (outside of the school context)

The common denominator I have seen of the well rounded students has been the good parenting they have received.

[KRaymond]

Don't know about Samui but I offer these points.

Our daughter, now aged 13 goes to my wife's old school, probably the best Public School in Chiang Mai, "Wattanothaipayap," we sent her there

after we returned from a couple of years living in Australia. Our daughter is always either top or second in English in her class and recently scored very high marks in an inter-school English competition.

I wanted to use a Private School but my wife, who majored in English at Teacher's College here in CNX, insisted that her "old school" would be fine. She has been absolutely right. The school is well disciplined, we've had home visits by the class teachers,( I suspect these are done with very little "advance notice" just to check out the home environment) and we recently had a group of my daughters friends home to learn European style cooking.

These "kids" were so polite and they fitted in very well. It was also my subtle way of finding out what my daughter's school mates are like. I'm very pleased to say that I couldn't have wished for better. They all take their studies seriously and share a friendly rivalry.

Just thought you might want to consider these points while deciding on which type of school to use in Samui.

All in all, I think this Public School is far better than the Private Schools I attended in Australia at great cost to my parents.

Hope this helps!

Actually yupparaj wittayalai is the best public school in Chiang Mai. And Wattano is the second. But it's pretty much the same though.

[liddelljohn]

A good public school with a solid government sponsored EP program is now as good a most expensive International schools , but it must be one of the merit programs ,,, they only accept top students by exams , money will not help a weak or unmotivated kid to get into such a program , my eldest daighter has just entered a UK university to study vetinary surgery after completing Matiyom 6 in a good Thai government EP program he English is perfect , she also speaks ,Thai, lao ,mandarin & Japanese fluently ,my brothers wife in UK is a secondary school teacher in sussex and she says my daughter is far ahead of most UK students of her age .

[brzy]

My son has been at 3 of the 4 schools (almost all 4), for the last 3-4 years he has been at panyadee school where he as achieved a lot, but sadly now we are relocating to Bkk. He had to undertake entrance tests for English international schools in bkk for which they don't normally pass on the scores but....... he scored 139/145 which stunned the teachers . Now i cannot say its 100% the school and the teaching that did this but it certainly helped. Also a word of warning most of the schools here in samui now have a high percentage of little/non english speaking Russian children. So i would check the school before entering any children.

gl in finding the school best for you and your child.

[Oliver Reed]

Schooling in Samui over the years has been difficult, as the international schools are run as businesses.

I spent 6 years on Samui and saw 4 international schools come and go..The 2 that seem to be there for the longhaul are Panyadee and ISS...my son eventually ended up at ISS...I always found the students polite and friendly, although the standard of education was not always as you would hope for..There was a high turnover of staff, and some of the staff were not much more than graduates with a TEFL related qualification (no proper teaching experience)..In the end it was my sons suffering education that made my mind up to leave Samui and head back to the UK, where upon appraisal by his new school, he was found to be coming up short in all areas.

Basically, in the wet season, the school would often close, and too much time (IMO) was spent on things like beach clean ups (publicity for the school) and the christmas nativety play, and not enough on the academic side of it.

Your niece being Thai, and only looking for 1 year, willalmost certainly benefit from a year in the international school, as there will be other Thai students in class to help her along.

My son never attended Panyadee, but i always heard good reports from parents i knew, whos children attended..My advice would be to make contact with both schools and arrange an induction at both ISS and Panyadee, then decide what you think is the better option

[khunPer]

I have a child in Primary at Onnrak School. That is not an International School, but a private Thai School with English programme. It is a very nice (and new) school where about half the teachers are British or native English-speaking – we are happy to use it. In my opinion seems like a good combination of Thai language and culture and some degree of International level – many books (fx Science) are in English and follows British primary standard.

To my knowledge, from when we checked the schools here, Panyadee in Chaweng Noi (just south of Chaweng) is a British certified school, following British term (Onnrak follows Thai term, which is about half a year pushed). The main reason we did not choose Penyadee, however it appeared very attractive, was, that at that time they did not have a school bus service and we live quite a long way from the school.

I think, that if you only look for a one-year school solution at Samui before moving to Britain, you should seriously check Panaydee.

We have friends using ISS (previous called Blue Water School), one kid were moved to a boarding school in Bangkok (which may be better if you are going to continue education in Thailand), another kid were moved to Saint Joseph School in Nathon (do not know the exact reason).

About the comment in a post above about private school standard compared with public schools: If you are looking for a school with some level of English and understanding/standard beyond what’s going on in Thailand, you shall look for a private school, don’t expect much more but Thai during primary in a public school. Even the private school fee may seem relative expensive (depending on your financial situation), you do get something more than from a public school.

Saint Joseph in Nathon is a Catholic private school (they do not teach religion), which many Thai families use. To my knowledge Saint Joseph in some degree is better than the public Thai schools and has a lower fee than the other private schools – it is a quite big school and they do provide a fine minibus school bus service.

[Renny]

Hi All

There is a lot of mention of ISS & Panyadee but I would like to know opinions on SCL in lamai as I am thinking of enrolling my daughter there next year and am not yet on the island.

Thanks in Advance.

[AlfGarnett]

khunPer, on 20 Nov 2013 - 17:48, said:

I have a child in Primary at Onnrak School. That is not an International School, but a private Thai School with English programme. It is a very nice (and new) school where about half the teachers are British or native English-speaking – we are happy to use it. In my opinion seems like a good combination of Thai language and culture and some degree of International level – many books (fx Science) are in English and follows British primary standard.

To my knowledge, from when we checked the schools here, Panyadee in Chaweng Noi (just south of Chaweng) is a British certified school, following British term (Onnrak follows Thai term, which is about half a year pushed). The main reason we did not choose Penyadee, however it appeared very attractive, was, that at that time they did not have a school bus service and we live quite a long way from the school.

I think, that if you only look for a one-year school solution at Samui before moving to Britain, you should seriously check Panaydee.

We have friends using ISS (previous called Blue Water School), one kid were moved to a boarding school in Bangkok (which may be better if you are going to continue education in Thailand), another kid were moved to Saint Joseph School in Nathon (do not know the exact reason).

About the comment in a post above about private school standard compared with public schools: If you are looking for a school with some level of English and understanding/standard beyond what’s going on in Thailand, you shall look for a private school, don’t expect much more but Thai during primary in a public school. Even the private school fee may seem relative expensive (depending on your financial situation), you do get something more than from a public school.

Saint Joseph in Nathon is a Catholic private school (they do not teach religion), which many Thai families use. To my knowledge Saint Joseph in some degree is better than the public Thai schools and has a lower fee than the other private schools – it is a quite big school and they do provide a fine minibus school bus service.

Somebody I know has recently left the Island to return to the UK. His children attended St Joseph school, according to him the English is now taught by Filipino teachers, and their spoken English sounds like a Mexican from a Spaghetti western. Only relaying what he said to me, so can not verify it, and feel free anybody to correct me if I'm wrong.

My children attend Oonrak, we are all happy with that school. Would never consider an international school again, from experience.

[Neilly]

.

My children attend Oonrak, we are all happy with that school.

And mine...and couldn't agree more

[thehelmsman]

As a rule you would perfer not to have a filipino teaching the English.

Isn't St. Joseph like a private school. In Sakon Nakhon St. Joseph's is as good as it gets or so I've been told.

[robsamui]

ulike - please see new PM to you.

R