Have You Sent Kids Abroad?

[MrPatrickThai]

Has anyone here ever sent their kids abroad to study secondary school.

 

One of my daughters is going somewhere next year(15 y/o)  but I'm not sure where yet. Maybe the UK, where she has citizenship, or Australia, where she has family.

 

Possible even Sweden or Germany. I wouldn't consider the USA .

 

Any experience welcome, from costs, visas, did you miss them, how did it affect their future education etc ?

 

Thai schools where I live are pathetic, even the private ones.

[NanLaew]

If you foresee your daughter completing further education and seeking at least initial employment in either the UK or Australia, it's a good plan. However, one has to carefully assess your daughter's abilities to dovetail into a foreign school education. If she has been in the lamentable Thai education system since first grade, then it could be very challenging especially if she is doing it standalone and without close family support. If she has been afforded one of the very few local international school educations that actually give you value for money here, it may be easier as their syllabuses are mostly geared towards some form of international standard or accreditation.

 

Personally, my nephew did exceedingly well at a UK boarding school after a very poor start in UK public schools. The separation worked wonders for him, his grades skyrocketed and he managed to secure a couple of scholarships and went on to university, albeit not studying his first choice. Unfortunately, he dropped out before completing his first year after finding his second choice subject was too difficult. I think this may have been more due to lack of prescience and selecting a rather 'off the wall' subject with regard to what he already excelled at. Hopefully, after a gap year licking his wounds in the attic (and playing endless video games) he will sort himself out and get a job as a brickie.

[phuketrichard]

why not send her to board at an international school in Bangkok,Phuket or Chiang mai ( if u can afford it)

 

 

[whiteman]

Hopefully, after a gap year licking his wounds in the attic (and playing endless video games) he will sort himself out and get a job as a brickie.

 

It will take him much longer than a year to shake off the computer addition.My son did nearly the same as yours is doing  one year at Uni dropped out into computer game world of warcraft hooked to it for 4 years. Now at 32 he is in logistics and with his girlfriend of many years from the USA he met on line playing Warcraft. She moved to New Zealand to be together with him. A missed opportunity gone.  You live and learn he is still livign and I hope learning seeing I have been living in Thailand for 13 years.

 

Back to the subject we send our Thai students to a Napier school in New Zeland called New Horizon College - Napier had very good reports from all students we have sent and we have also visited the school. They have home stays. Mainly ex teachers homes

[MrPatrickThai]

36 minutes ago, whiteman said:

Hopefully, after a gap year licking his wounds in the attic (and playing endless video games) he will sort himself out and get a job as a brickie.

 

It will take him much longer than a year to shake off the computer addition.My son did nearly the same as yours is doing  one year at Uni dropped out into computer game world of warcraft hooked to it for 4 years. Now at 32 he is in logistics and with his girlfriend of many years from the USA he met on line playing Warcraft. She moved to New Zealand to be together with him. A missed opportunity gone.  You live and learn he is still livign and I hope learning seeing I have been living in Thailand for 13 years.

 

Back to the subject we send our Thai students to a Napier school in New Zeland called New Horizon College - Napier had very good reports from all students we have sent and we have also visited the school. They have home stays. Mainly ex teachers homes

I'll check them out, thanks for the reply.

 

One thing I've still  to find out - are homestays required in Australia. I want her to stay with my sister in Melbourne and attend a local school. Homestays are $320 a WEEK! 

 

[MrPatrickThai]

1 hour ago, phuketrichard said:

why not send her to board at an international school in Bangkok,Phuket or Chiang mai ( if u can afford it)

 

 

I don't like the spoiled attitudes International students have.  Also, I'd like her to experience a totally new culture.

[MrPatrickThai]

2 hours ago, NanLaew said:

If you foresee your daughter completing further education and seeking at least initial employment in either the UK or Australia, it's a good plan. However, one has to carefully assess your daughter's abilities to dovetail into a foreign school education. If she has been in the lamentable Thai education system since first grade, then it could be very challenging especially if she is doing it standalone and without close family support. If she has been afforded one of the very few local international school educations that actually give you value for money here, it may be easier as their syllabuses are mostly geared towards some form of international standard or accreditation.

 

Personally, my nephew did exceedingly well at a UK boarding school after a very poor start in UK public schools. The separation worked wonders for him, his grades skyrocketed and he managed to secure a couple of scholarships and went on to university, albeit not studying his first choice. Unfortunately, he dropped out before completing his first year after finding his second choice subject was too difficult. I think this may have been more due to lack of prescience and selecting a rather 'off the wall' subject with regard to what he already excelled at. Hopefully, after a gap year licking his wounds in the attic (and playing endless video games) he will sort himself out and get a job as a brickie.

Thanks for the reply!

I understand that she would have to probably go back at least one year to catch up with the language. She goes to an EP, but frankly her English is not great, despite me only ever speaking it to her.

I'd rather send her to a boarding school abroad than an International boarding school in Thailand. 

[DavisH]

Australia could attract International school fees if she is not Australian or had permanent residency. You need to look into that, as the fees can be quite high (even for a government school). You can check if she can be 'dependent' on your relatives there, and get the local rate, but I don't know. I'm sorry here EP education hasn't worked out. The problem with a lot of schools here is that they mix with other Thai kids and speak Thai most of the time....you need to make sure she has more exposure to English until it becomes second nature. Lots of English books and videos can help. 

[whiteman]

The school in Napier is not near the big city eg Auckland or Wellington that other Thais go to so she will not really be mixing with other thai that is why we send them to the seas side town Napier Also Napier is very safe. Check it out

[MrPatrickThai]

Just now, whiteman said:

The school in Napier is not near the big city eg Auckland or Wellington that other Thais go to so she will not really be mixing with other thai that is why we send them to the seas side town Napier Also Napier is very safe. Check it out

I'll check it out for sure, as I also went to Napier University!

[SGD]

Why not leave Thailand and put your kids in decent schools in a first world country rather than your staying in Thailand and farming your kids out, far too late IMHO at aged 15, to fix the mess of an education they have presumably had whilst growing up in Thailand ?

 

Answers might be different depending on whether they are biologically your kids or just some inherited with the Thai partner.

 

If biological the surely you have an obligation. If her baggage, then anything is better than the alternative I guess.

[thescot]

We are leaving for the UK (Scotland) tomorrow for just that reason. The catchment area school is one of the best in the area and after a few forms filled in online 3 weeks ago with the local council and then a few replies to the school my daughter had a place starting next month. She is 13 and will start year S2 after the school initially replied saying that S3 would be her start school due to her birthday date. A reply stating that the UK dates make no sense as the Thai school system is totally different in when it's terms start, her first language is NOT English and that most of the subjects being taught would all be new and i felt that she would already be on catch-up starting S2 and that S3 would be too advanced.
It will be tough for her at the start i imagine but her English verbal is very good and written will catch up in no time. My wife and i will visit the UK regularly and if my daughter wants to return during school holidays then that will be her choice. In my case a very easy process to get a school place with us thinking about the possibility one weekend and a place finalised the following week.

PS. The option to do this came about when it became obvious my daughter thought it funny that she had to correct her school English teacher's on many things (teachers - Thai / Pinoy). Not funny for us as parents. Reading the news here reporting that they want to lower the standards for English teachers does make me laugh though :) .

[nahkit]

My daughter went to the UK when she was 14 to attend a government school that also had some boarding facilities (less than 20% of the pupils were boarders).

The fees were much lower than they would have been at a conventional boarding school, there are several of these state boarding schools in the UK (or at least there were 15 years ago) and they were originally set up for the purpose of schooling children of members of the armed forces.

 

On the down side, she hated it there and gave us 3 years of hell, as soon as she completed her GCSE exams we took her out of the school to complete her education locally.

[micmichd]

On 21/07/2017 at 9:00 AM, NanLaew said:

If you foresee your daughter completing further education and seeking at least initial employment in either the UK or Australia, it's a good plan. However, one has to carefully assess your daughter's abilities to dovetail into a foreign school education. If she has been in the lamentable Thai education system since first grade, then it could be very challenging especially if she is doing it standalone and without close family support. If she has been afforded one of the very few local international school educations that actually give you value for money here, it may be easier as their syllabuses are mostly geared towards some form of international standard or accreditation.

 

Personally, my nephew did exceedingly well at a UK boarding school after a very poor start in UK public schools. The separation worked wonders for him, his grades skyrocketed and he managed to secure a couple of scholarships and went on to university, albeit not studying his first choice. Unfortunately, he dropped out before completing his first year after finding his second choice subject was too difficult. I think this may have been more due to lack of prescience and selecting a rather 'off the wall' subject with regard to what he already excelled at. Hopefully, after a gap year licking his wounds in the attic (and playing endless video games) he will sort himself out and get a job as a brickie.

 

2 minutes ago, nahkit said:

My daughter went to the UK when she was 14 to attend a government school that also had some boarding facilities (less than 20% of the pupils were boarders).

The fees were much lower than they would have been at a conventional boarding school, there are several of these state boarding schools in the UK (or at least there were 15 years ago) and they were originally set up for the purpose of schooling children of members of the armed forces.

 

On the down side, she hated it there and gave us 3 years of hell, as soon as she completed her GCSE exams we took her out of the school to complete her education locally.

If your daughter's mother is Thai, then I would certainly not send the daughter to Germany. Too many racists there, your daughter would be an outcast. Even in a university town like Heidelberg.  Maybe different in Berlin or London, but I doubt it. 

I would certainly recommend one of the international schools in Thailand mentioned by someone else. 

[Kenegg]

I worked at a boarding school in the UK for over 12 years...watched kids go in unable to speak any english saw them come out the other end with English more perfect than mine + a host of other skills....

Take a look at their website and see what they have to offer....

www.Rydal Penrhos.com

[hyperHowie]

3 hours ago, SGD said:

Why not leave Thailand and put your kids in decent schools in a first world country rather than your staying in Thailand and farming your kids out, far too late IMHO at aged 15, to fix the mess of an education they have presumably had whilst growing up in Thailand ?

 

Answers might be different depending on whether they are biologically your kids or just some inherited with the Thai partner.

 

If biological the surely you have an obligation. If her baggage, then anything is better than the alternative I guess.

I went to St. Mary's International School, a middle school in Tokyo, run by French-Canadian brothers (but I was a Protestant.). Although my parents lived about 45 min away, I still boarded. Later, I went to Fork Union Miktary Academy, an American prep school.  My parents lived 3 hrs away.

My education was excellent but something is lost not living with your parents, attending a single-gender school and not livng a normal childhood. Instead, you're ensconced in an overly disciplined bubble. That's my perspective, but others might have had positive results (or they they might have had terrible or no parents, a horrific environment or school failure.)

 

Also, as a parent, you lose time with your child...and they grow so fast. I sgree with a previous poster. Move. You give yourself a break; let her experience a different culture; improve her English and experience time with daddy.

 

You can always return to Thailand.

Edited July 22, 2017 by hyperHowie
Errors

[masuk]

On 21/07/2017 at 2:31 PM, MrPatrickThai said:

I'll check them out, thanks for the reply.

 

One thing I've still  to find out - are homestays required in Australia. I want her to stay with my sister in Melbourne and attend a local school. Homestays are $320 a WEEK! 

 

Australian high schools generally arrange home-stays for their students, as most are under 16.  By the time they go to University, they will team up with friends and rent a place.

The Thai students we had were excellent, one male lad even liked to cook our family a Thai meal once a week.

The only students who didn't make the grade were those who rented a flat and shared with fellow nationals.  They lost a good English-learning and living experience.

[ncc1701d]

My kids lived outside Australia all their lives. They move to Australia and have excelled. Far exceeded my expectations. I miss them a lot, but try to see them during school holidays. 

[DavisH]

19 hours ago, masuk said:

Australian high schools generally arrange home-stays for their students, as most are under 16.  By the time they go to University, they will team up with friends and rent a place.

The Thai students we had were excellent, one male lad even liked to cook our family a Thai meal once a week.

The only students who didn't make the grade were those who rented a flat and shared with fellow nationals.  They lost a good English-learning and living experience.

That's a lucky find. Once I finished my studies my land lady picked up another student. She was Thai and barely functional. I would say she came from a wealthy family and never had to do anything by herself. Many Thai kids from wealthy families have no idea how to cook. They need to learn quickly when they go overseas. This is the biggest benefit for Thai kids - they learn independence, along with English, of course. 

 

The only point for western parents in Thailand to send their kids back home to study is if they plan for them to live back overseas, with no plan to return to Thailand to work. Plenty of Thais study in Thailand, get a degree, then go and do postgrad studies overseas. I've also had a few students go through my EP and do their undergrad overseas. It would be a lot more difficult for kids from a regular Thai school to do that. 

 

I've been a  teacher here more than 15 years and I find parents panic way too much about their education. Certainly, parents should follow up on what their kids are doing at school, but the main thing is that they are making adequate progress and are happy. I've seen too many kids here pushing into certain schools and certain careers (..you WILL be a doctor!) and they really are not happy at all. I'm aware of many students here starting medical degrees here and dropping out because it was not what they wanted to do. 

[sandemara]

'What youre contemplating is a tough challenge for any child, at that age'. Hormones are volatile and social mores can be confusing. We didn't just transfer the child. The whole family moved to a social and ESL education-friendly environment (in our case Australia) while two children were young - the boy to pre-school and a daughter who had suffered through only two years of the Thai education system - a dreadfully unhealthy academic environment, socially, morally, spiritually and intellectually.

Both children blossomed and were safe in a supportive family (and school) environment.  We were determined both children would be able to move freely (dual citizenship) between Thailand and Australia and would be able to make up their own minds in the future about where they would choose to settle and do business.

Despite some challenges (unavoidable in a growing family) we're satisfied with the results mof our commitment. Both kids atained a teritary education in Australia but we ensured they retained links with Thailand. The girl is a dynamite young businesswoman based in Bangkok, her brother is an administrator in a decent private  international school in Bangkok. Both enjoy extensive travel and business trade ventures. Both have terrific international networks of friends as well as homes in Bangkok.  Neither suffer fools or hypocrisy and maintain healthy positive (even tolerant) attitudes. They cherish honesty and responsibility in their dealings with others. It's pleasing to watch them both fly.

I would not have expected such happy outcomes if they had lacked close, continuing family support when it was most needed.

I think constant, easily accesible family support was key. Kids can learn so much if given a reliable, regular family environment. Beyond being exposed to decent  basic academic opportunities. 

Have you compared the costs and benefits of recruiting a private, live-in tutor with the right academic background as an alternative to isolating your daughter from the family environment and putting  her, alone, in what would be an alien community to her mind? In one situation, you have large costs to bear, but must also suffer estrangement, stress and constant worry (along with a feeling of helplessness exacerbated by distance if things start to go wrong. In the alternative, there are financial costs involved, but you and your whole family have each other to rely on, while a stranger (who is more likely to be able to bear the stresses) faces the challenges your daughter avoids.

[Mohawg55]

Hi, 

 

Have you ever thought of Canada? The public high school system there is ranked #1 of all English speaking countries and top 5 in the world in the 2015 OECD PISA test results.

 

The province of Nova Scotia has the best price in Canada. It will cost you about 550,000 Baht per year for everything:10 months of tuition, insurance, homestay (private room, 3 meals and snack/day), orientation, application fee, etc.). Excludes visa fee paid to the Canadian embassy and airfare.

 

This also includes free consultation n and  orientation in Thailand, all pre-travel arrangements, and free visa applications services by Nova Scotia's country representative in Thailand. They even will prepare the visas for free for all of the students immediate family members who want to travel to visit while the student is studying there.

 

Nova Scotia is one of the safest provinces in Canada (which is ranked one of the safest countries in the world), 98% English speaking Caucasians, guaranteed Caucasian homestay, and they have scholarships and pathways into universities for international students studying there.

 

Just a thought. Have heard others speak about this program.

 

Good luck 

Mo

 

[rickudon]

Most posters seem to have the funds to be able to make a choice. Not so  easy for some of us. I am on a pension and international schools or other private schooling/home stays in western countries are out of the question. The only options for my daughter are Thai schooling (although the one our daughter attends is actually fairly good, possibly in top 3 in the city.) or return to the UK. Unfortunately without a house in the UK (gone to the ex-wife) housing would be a critical issue as would a settlement visa for the wife (who has little interest in going there), Fortunately daughter is only five so it is a decision which could be made later, if finances permit. But not every one has the options they would like.

 

From feedback i have received from my son (who went to school with 2 half-thai children in his year) he thinks that the first 2 years in the UK were tough for them, and to have a chance to do well at the GCSE's you would need to relocate by age 12.

[otherstuff1957]

I teach at a bilingual school and several of my students have gone off to spend a year (or more) abroad - mostly to the US, but also New Zealand or Canada.  They all left with reasonably good English skills and returned as fluent English speakers. 

 

If you just want to improve their English skills, one year at age 14 or 15 would be enough.  If you want them to get a full Western Education, send them after they finish P6.

[NanLaew]

On 7/21/2017 at 10:53 AM, whiteman said:

Hopefully, after a gap year licking his wounds in the attic (and playing endless video games) he will sort himself out and get a job as a brickie.

 

It will take him much longer than a year to shake off the computer addition.My son did nearly the same as yours is doing  one year at Uni dropped out into computer game world of warcraft hooked to it for 4 years. Now at 32 he is in logistics and with his girlfriend of many years from the USA he met on line playing Warcraft. She moved to New Zealand to be together with him. A missed opportunity gone.  You live and learn he is still livign and I hope learning seeing I have been living in Thailand for 13 years.

 

Back to the subject we send our Thai students to a Napier school in New Zeland called New Horizon College - Napier had very good reports from all students we have sent and we have also visited the school. They have home stays. Mainly ex teachers homes

Actually he was severely hooked on the video games about the time his grades were sliding; up all night gaming and probably falling asleep in class. Before he was 10 years old he said he always wanted to design games better than the ones he played. Only after going to boarding school did the good student appear. I reckon there was no internet and 'lights out' rules unlike the relatively undisciplined regimen at home. Pity he overcooked it though.

[NanLaew]

On 7/22/2017 at 9:24 AM, thescot said:

We are leaving for the UK (Scotland) tomorrow for just that reason. The catchment area school is one of the best in the area and after a few forms filled in online 3 weeks ago with the local council and then a few replies to the school my daughter had a place starting next month. She is 13 and will start year S2 after the school initially replied saying that S3 would be her start school due to her birthday date. A reply stating that the UK dates make no sense as the Thai school system is totally different in when it's terms start, her first language is NOT English and that most of the subjects being taught would all be new and i felt that she would already be on catch-up starting S2 and that S3 would be too advanced.
It will be tough for her at the start i imagine but her English verbal is very good and written will catch up in no time. My wife and i will visit the UK regularly and if my daughter wants to return during school holidays then that will be her choice. In my case a very easy process to get a school place with us thinking about the possibility one weekend and a place finalised the following week.

PS. The option to do this came about when it became obvious my daughter thought it funny that she had to correct her school English teacher's on many things (teachers - Thai / Pinoy). Not funny for us as parents. Reading the news here reporting that they want to lower the standards for English teachers does make me laugh though :) .

Good luck with the move and her settling in over there. We did have plans to head for Scotland ourselves about 4 years ago where our son could get better schooling while the wife and I also took care of my aging mother. Our son was in a Thai international school in preparation for that. Unfortunately, my mum passed away a lot sooner than expected and we rejigged the family plan accordingly and switched him to a decent Thai private school. However, we have been revisiting the options of returning to Scotland and were wondering what would be a good age/grade for our lad to transition.

 

If I may ask, was this catchment area school in an area where you had already (recently) lived, was a registered voter or had retained a home or other accommodation? You read horror stories in the UK press about kids, usually in England, having to endure long bus or even train rides since the local schools are full and they end up commuting to wherever they can be enrolled. Maybe the Scottish education system is better managed in that regard. I am from the northeast BTW. PM me if you don't wish to post it here.

 

On 7/24/2017 at 9:34 PM, rickudon said:

Most posters seem to have the funds to be able to make a choice. Not so  easy for some of us. I am on a pension and international schools or other private schooling/home stays in western countries are out of the question. The only options for my daughter are Thai schooling (although the one our daughter attends is actually fairly good, possibly in top 3 in the city.) or return to the UK. Unfortunately without a house in the UK (gone to the ex-wife) housing would be a critical issue as would a settlement visa for the wife (who has little interest in going there), Fortunately daughter is only five so it is a decision which could be made later, if finances permit. But not every one has the options they would like.

 

From feedback i have received from my son (who went to school with 2 half-thai children in his year) he thinks that the first 2 years in the UK were tough for them, and to have a chance to do well at the GCSE's you would need to relocate by age 12.

This sort of confirms the optimum age/grade that thescot (above) also seems to have targeted with his 13 y-o daughter. It gives me some goalposts. Thanks.

 

Now.... anyone know any good lottery numbers?

[DavisH]

14 hours ago, NanLaew said:

Good luck with the move and her settling in over there. We did have plans to head for Scotland ourselves about 4 years ago where our son could get better schooling while the wife and I also took care of my aging mother. Our son was in a Thai international school in preparation for that. Unfortunately, my mum passed away a lot sooner than expected and we rejigged the family plan accordingly and switched him to a decent Thai private school. However, we have been revisiting the options of returning to Scotland and were wondering what would be a good age/grade for our lad to transition.

 

If I may ask, was this catchment area school in an area where you had already (recently) lived, was a registered voter or had retained a home or other accommodation? You read horror stories in the UK press about kids, usually in England, having to endure long bus or even train rides since the local schools are full and they end up commuting to wherever they can be enrolled. Maybe the Scottish education system is better managed in that regard. I am from the northeast BTW. PM me if you don't wish to post it here.

 

This sort of confirms the optimum age/grade that thescot (above) also seems to have targeted with his 13 y-o daughter. It gives me some goalposts. Thanks.

 

Now.... anyone know any good lottery numbers?

I've had a few students finish my EP (m3 level) and go to finish schooling overseas. They have done very well, which I expected, as they were good students for me.