Darasamouth School

[osmar]

Is anyone able to give me first-hand advice/comment with regards to Darasamouth School?

Any observations welcomed, particularly the all Thai programme.

Thank you.

[IrishIvan]

I've only heard bad reports about it. Underpaid teachers. You pay peanuts and get monkeys. I won't be sending my offspring there

Sent from my GT-N7105 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Shot]

Unfortunately, and in the past, threads like this have turned into school bashing based on hearsay, not first hand experience. Followed by the “if you don’t send your child to the most expensive international school, you don’t love your child” brigade. Those folks will be along shortly. This is quite sad because a lot of useful information is lost along the way, or never gets posted. Most parents I know make the best decision they can with the tools available to them, and more importantly, what’s best for their child.

If you have specific questions, feel free to PM me.

[hansgruber]

I'm pretty sure it's considered child neglect sending kids to this school**.

** Hans has no experience with this school. Anything posted regarding the school by Hans is nothing more than hearsay.

[stevenl]

In trying to decide where to send my kid this was my first choice, after having done extensive research. In the end I received a special offer I could not refuse from an international school, so he never went to darasamuth.

Sent from my D90W using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Somtamnication]

Well, I tutor two kids from there. Mostly positive, but then again, comparing that school to a government school is like apples and oranges.

The non ep program has Pinoys teaching Englishee. The ep area has farang teachers. Worth paying a visit. It has improved since the non paying issue crept up a few years ago.

Avoid the North Korean Democratic Republic of K****et school further down the road.

[hansgruber]

In trying to decide where to send my kid this was my first choice, after having done extensive research. In the end I received a special offer I could not refuse from an international school, so he never went to darasamuth.

Sent from my D90W using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

So basically your extensive research was a waste.

You made your decision based on a financial windfall/deal whether it was the the best school or not.

What did your extensive research come up with regarding best education? Money buys the best?

[bearpolar]

at 6000b a month its hardly cheap. 20 students per class. 60k to teacher, 60k to school. add all grades and the school's got a ton of fundings and teachers are decently paid for a non-international school.

As long as all the white teachers have some kind of degrees they cant be that bad, most of any education comes from the quality of the student. A good student will perform anywhere thats half acceptable and a shitty one will need a great great great school to perform half decently. So as long as your kids are below average in inteligence/motivation any acceptable school will do. Only have to worry if they are quite dumb.

if i end up not being able to afford the crazy 20k/b month international school darasamouth is my first choice. I would love to hear about steve's special offer though. PM me if it still exists as i will need to make a choice soon and spending 20k a month to teach ABC's and basic stuff that could be learned on a 6hrs a day screening of dora isnt something i really want to do

Edited February 25, 2014 by bearpolar

[stevenl]

In trying to decide where to send my kid this was my first choice, after having done extensive research. In the end I received a special offer I could not refuse from an international school, so he never went to darasamuth.

Sent from my D90W using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

So basically your extensive research was a waste.

You made your decision based on a financial windfall/deal whether it was the the best school or not.

What did your extensive research come up with regarding best education? Money buys the best?

Wow, you really have a problem. I'm not dignifying your post with an answer.

Sent from my D90W using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[hansgruber]

In trying to decide where to send my kid this was my first choice, after having done extensive research. In the end I received a special offer I could not refuse from an international school, so he never went to darasamuth.

Sent from my D90W using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

So basically your extensive research was a waste.

You made your decision based on a financial windfall/deal whether it was the the best school or not.

What did your extensive research come up with regarding best education? Money buys the best?

Wow, you really have a problem. I'm not dignifying your post with an answer.

Sent from my D90W using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Why? Serious question.

You contradicted yourself by saying your research found Darasamuth was the best but opted for International school because of a good deal. Why did that sway your decision? The prestige or some call it face?

[IrishIvan]

In trying to decide where to send my kid this was my first choice, after having done extensive research. In the end I received a special offer I could not refuse from an international school, so he never went to darasamuth.

Sent from my D90W using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

So basically your extensive research was a waste.

You made your decision based on a financial windfall/deal whether it was the the best school or not.

What did your extensive research come up with regarding best education? Money buys the best?

Wow, you really have a problem. I'm not dignifying your post with an answer.

Sent from my D90W using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

you just did

Sent from my GT-N7105 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[stevenl]

In trying to decide where to send my kid this was my first choice, after having done extensive research. In the end I received a special offer I could not refuse from an international school, so he never went to darasamuth.

Sent from my D90W using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

So basically your extensive research was a waste.

You made your decision based on a financial windfall/deal whether it was the the best school or not.

What did your extensive research come up with regarding best education? Money buys the best?

Wow, you really have a problem. I'm not dignifying your post with an answer.

Sent from my D90W using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Why? Serious question.

You contradicted yourself by saying your research found Darasamuth was the best but opted for International school because of a good deal. Why did that sway your decision? The prestige or some call it face?

Because Darasamuth was offering the best value for money. Better than Kajonkiet and Dowrung, better than the Thai government schools. That changed when I got a special deal from another school, closer by and even better suited for what we were looking for, for about the same price as Darasamuth.

@ the OP: I am hearing positive things about the school next to Homeworks (I think it is), about halfway between Kajonkiet on ChaoFa and Darasamuth, left hand side.

[apiwan]

I know Dara samut in sri racha,

I know someone a girl who went there,

Turned out a nice girl,

English erm not brilliant but ok,

She went on to uni and now got a degree

That's all I know

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[IrishIvan]

I forgot to mention darasamouth has a Christian curriculum. This alone is reason not to send a kid there

Sent from my GT-N7105 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[simon43]

60k to teacher

Not sure where you got that figure from for Dara. The last time that I looked, they were paying about 35k for a white face with degree, which is why I passed over their job vacancies.

Simon

[eezergood]

I forgot to mention darasamouth has a Christian curriculum. This alone is reason not to send a kid there

Sent from my GT-N7105 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Exactly!

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[eezergood]

Because Darasamuth was offering the best value for money. Better than Kajonkiet and Dowrung, better than the Thai government schools. That changed when I got a special deal from another school, closer by and even better suited for what we were looking for, for about the same price as Darasamuth.

@ the OP: I am hearing positive things about the school next to Homeworks (I think it is), about halfway between Kajonkiet on ChaoFa and Darasamuth, left hand side.

Best value for money based in what? Again I am genuinely curious


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[bearpolar]

to be fair, what other choice is there for under 10k a month in phuket?

Remember that the cheapest international school is priced the same as the payment on good mercedes back in farangland + insane downpayments and most of it goes to the admins who drives 7-10mil baht cars.

[IrishIvan]

to be fair, what other choice is there for under 10k a month in phuket?

Remember that the cheapest international school is priced the same as the payment on good mercedes back in farangland + insane downpayments and most of it goes to the admins who drives 7-10mil baht cars.

If you can't come up with 10,000 baht a month for your child's education then you need to rethink your priorities. Most alcoholic expats drink 10k in a week

[YaiJung]

Darasamut is one of the better middle-class schools on the island. Daoroong is another that is more or less in the same league. Both are good choices for somebody who can't afford the over-the-top expensive international schools.

These schools are both much, much better than government schools. My exgf's son went to darasamut. He came from a government school and couldn't read in the 3rd grade. Darasamut held him back a yr and taught him to read and to love learning. If you were ask him he would probably tell you the swimming pool wasn't so bad either.

Most of the kids come middle-class families, parents have decent jobs or businesses, etc. Both darasamut and daoroong are solid choices in that price range.

[bearpolar]

to be fair, what other choice is there for under 10k a month in phuket?

Remember that the cheapest international school is priced the same as the payment on good mercedes back in farangland + insane downpayments and most of it goes to the admins who drives 7-10mil baht cars.

If you can't come up with 10,000 baht a month for your child's education then you need to rethink your priorities. Most alcoholic expats drink 10k in a week

lots of darasamuth student end up going to important universities in and out of thailand.

lots of darasamuth student end up with great jobs in thailand.

10 000 a month is more than 90% of western country citizen could afford for their kid's school. cheapest private schools in my country come to about 7000b a month and they aren't even full. Farangland public schools are no better than darasamuth for the most part. Again if the kid is retarded of course he'll suck in those schools but anyone half clever with good parents will end up doing really well and learning what he doesnt learn there outside.

Also there isnt a single international school under 17500 per month and that's a small one. The next one starts at 23000 + 100-200k of extra fees. 23000 is 650$ a month. That's a ton of money for any normal person who has a house/car/saving for retirement. I mean we cant all live in 6000b bungalows with 2000b mattresses can we?

I personally don't know many people who actually learned ANYTHING useful untill college. Everything interesting and useful outside of math is learned outside. Pretty sure any kid that wants to learn advanced math can do it at darasamuth or get a private tutor at some point for peanuts.

You could of simply posted. "I love giving 80% of my tuition to the admins of international school to feel good about myself".

Imo the best school would be 5-10 parents getting their kids of the same age together/ paying each 7-10k a month for a good teacher and having them "home schooled" together with a good curriculum. Teacher gets paid well, no admins in 10 million baht cars and kids get the best curriculum.

I'll send mine to the PIA french department but i wouldn't feel bad one day sending him back to darasamuth.

Edited February 25, 2014 by bearpolar

[fiddlehead]

I agree, schools here are just outrageously priced and one of the best money making businesses I see on the island except perhaps for the police force.

I looked into Darasamuth and liked it except for the location and just can't deal with that traffic or expect my kid to spend 2 hours a day on a bus.

They seemed to even have some sports and that's quite rare in the lesser priced English schools. (learn swimming if you live on an island? Not a bad idea!)

Dowrung is another possibility, but the class size there just seems tremendous.

Looks chaotic to me.

I too was a little concerned that it is a Catholic school (Dowrung) but they assured me there are no priests, nuns or Christian studies, just a statue of the virgin Mary at the entrance. Anyway, I have some pretty smart friends who got their schooling in Catholic schools so, not too afraid about that. Opening kid's minds to different religions isn't the worse thing you can do.

Such a shame that so few have yet answered the OP with first hand knowledge.
That's all he asked for.

Most posts are just hear-say.

Thanks for the great post Bearpolar. I knew the big boys were expensive but didn't know how bad it was.
Somebodies making some serious money here! (not the teachers)

[bearpolar]

You can always email the english department. They respond quickly and the guy running it seems well educated.

Still remember the 'admin parking spot' at headstart. There's no space for parents and teacher but 3 full space for the expensive mercedes of the admin that only comes a few times a month to show her money and power.

Would be fun to see what schools the non-hiso wealthy thais went to. Id bet my 2 nuts that most of them went to private thai schools like darasamuth. Thais are semi-racist/too proud and a LOT of business owners will not want an international schooled kid.

I used to be in the 'go home if you cant afford the international school' crowd but after having paid for it and seen very small difference (at least under the age of ~14, its not like you learn anything then) im really not against darasamuth type schools + some private tutoring in advanced languages/math when they turn around 10~

[eezergood]

You can always email the english department. They respond quickly and the guy running it seems well educated.

Still remember the 'admin parking spot' at headstart. There's no space for parents and teacher but 3 full space for the expensive mercedes of the admin that only comes a few times a month to show her money and power.

Would be fun to see what schools the non-hiso wealthy thais went to. Id bet my 2 nuts that most of them went to private thai schools like darasamuth. Thais are semi-racist/too proud and a LOT of business owners will not want an international schooled kid.

I used to be in the 'go home if you cant afford the international school' crowd but after having paid for it and seen very small difference (at least under the age of ~14, its not like you learn anything then) im really not against darasamuth type schools + some private tutoring in advanced languages/math when they turn around 10~

Which schools did you compare?

Again i am curious

[bearpolar]

All of the ones that are not in the Rawai area.

[eezergood]

All of the ones that are not in the Rawai area.

on what did you base this? what parameters?

[IrishIvan]

All of the ones that are not in the Rawai area.

on what did you base this? what parameters?

money

[eezergood]

It certainly seems that way, but people can afford what they can afford....but I was sat having dinner with my mrs when some German/Swiss/Austrian was complaining about the cost of education here. Talking to his British mate, saying he simply can afford this & that. I then noticed his reasonably expensive Rolex, order a 2nd bottle of THB1500+ wine, gold for the wife etc...... This is the exact behaviour that make me sick, these arent men - dogs!

When my little one needs schooling, if i can afford what I deem to be good education - then off we go to someplace I can afford or home. I am not so in love with Phuket/Thailand to put his potential before my personal comfort.

[patongphil]

I am considering sending my daughter to an EP school until she is about 11-13 odd and then to an International school. I believe this will give her full command of the Thai language and culture and then finish in an International atmosphere. I believe to stay and live successfully in Thailand total fluency will be a great asset.

Just have to decide which schools hey!!

[eezergood]

EP???