Kindergarten preschool advice needed

[honoluabay]

Well it's time for the kid to start school but which 1 ?

Looked online but need personal references from other parents.

Our son is 5 now but looking for next semester or next year.

Thanks for the help.

Aloha

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[Flying Clog]

Ours goes to the Phuket International Academy, and I don't have a bad thing to say about it - it's excellent as far as I'm concerned.

[Blindside]

Depends on your budget ultimately.

PIA is obviously good as is BIS, but.... is it affordable to you?

Other options are QSI, Headstart (not sure if they are full currently) and KIS.

Make an appointment, look around. Ask yourself (amongst other things):

Do the children look happy?

Is it a safe environment?

What is the food like?

How do you feel walking around?

Are the classrooms child friendly? ie. full of children's work (not that of teachers), is it a learning environment? ie. not a sterile depressed one.

How close is school to home? A child driving from home to school and back for 2 or more hours everyday is not ideal - especially at 5 years old - although having said that it seems relatively unavoidable on the island at the minute.

[Shot]

According to many on this forum, you must send your child to the most expensive international school on the island. If you don’t, it may be considered child abuse.

Edited May 26, 2014 by Shot

[Flying Clog]

Yes Shot. That's exactly what we're saying..

[Shot]

Yes Shot. That's exactly what we're saying..

Not talking about you. Please search this forum, and you will see what I mean.

[bearpolar]

International school pre-schools are way too early. They are amazing and they teach amazing things BUT this is not what childs were supposed to do at that age.

I would suggest a nicely rated thai pre-school. If you are in phuket town there is one that wins all the government prizes on the road behind Outlet. They will provide good dirty fun and VERY basic learning which is what you need before getting stuck into the soul-sucking school system at age 5

I tried both and both were great. I would just rather my child have a fun and happy life instead of being able to do what he'll know at age 6-7 3 years earlier. They wont ask him at what age he learned his alphabet once he goes on the job market.

Edited May 26, 2014 by bearpolar

[fiddlehead]

Where do you live?
If in Rawai, Chalong or Nai Harn, would you really want your 5 your old to be on a bus for 2+ hours EVERY DAY?

Lots of choices around, location is a big factor as traffic here can be a bitch at times.

[madmitch]

International school pre-schools are way too early. They are amazing and they teach amazing things BUT this is not what childs were supposed to do at that age.

I would suggest a nicely rated thai pre-school. If you are in phuket town there is one that wins all the government prizes on the road behind Outlet. They will provide good dirty fun and VERY basic learning which is what you need before getting stuck into the soul-sucking school system at age 5

I tried both and both were great. I would just rather my child have a fun and happy life instead of being able to do what he'll know at age 6-7 3 years earlier. They wont ask him at what age he learned his alphabet once he goes on the job market.

That's what we did. No need to pay International School prices but I think that in the UK curriculum found at most of the International Schools year 1 starts at 5 years old anyway. So perhaps the OP is a little late for pre-school.

[steelepulse]

Keep traffic in mind. What area are you in now?

[alansiporin]

If you live south of Chalong Circle, give a new school a try, Growing Minds Phuket. Small, friendly, happy kids and parents, affordable, good food, and qualified and stable staff.

Can contact <removed>

DISCLAIMER: My family is involved in this school.

Edited May 26, 2014 by LivinginKata
email removed as per forum rules

[thaibutty]

Our son goes to Smiley Kidz Nursery and Preschool and we couldn't be more happy. He has developed so much in the last year. Teachers are great and the school owners/directors are always around and very easy to approach. Great school and very reasonable in price.

[honoluabay]

We checked out Buds in chalong looked very nice met some teachers and talk to the owners. Both were very nice. Anyone have experience with them.

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[patongphil]

We checked out Buds in chalong looked very nice met some teachers and talk to the owners. Both were very nice. Anyone have experience with them.

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Our 3 year old goes there and have nothing but good to say. I believe they are expanding into Primary school as well.

[NamKangMan]

I don't have young children here, nor do I plan to, but out of interest, can a few members who are sending their children to these kindergartens post some rough figures of cost per year, per child, if that's not a too personal question?

[phuketrichard]

having raised a daughter here in Phuket an who now attends university in CA

She spent 2 years at the Montessori school in Chalong, 6 years at BIS ( than Dulwich), 1 year in small experimental school (horizons) last 3 years at QSI

Find a good pre school till 6 than a Bilingual school in your area til your child is 10 or so than choose

• PIA/BIS both British Curriculum EXPENSIVE/great sports,class size 20 or so /class
• Headstart;, not as expensive and not as many sports or facilities ( dont know much)
• QSI ( this is where my daughter graduated) good individualized attention as less than 140 kids (1-12 grade) American Curriculum,
  Majority of teachers have 20 ++ years experience compared tthe others where it seems to be around 2-5, class size less than 8, not much
  sports

UNLESS u have mucho $$$