INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS GUIDE DIVERSE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS 2018 PUBLISHER BKK Kids Limited Partnership P.O. Box 11, Larn Luang Post Office Bangkok 10102 PHONE 081 751 0011 EMAIL [email protected] FACEBOOK BKK.Kids TWITTER BKKKids INSTAGRAM bkk.kids www.bkkkids.com EDIToRIAL EDITOR Victoria Harrison CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Victoria Harrison, Richard Holmes, Ana Morales, Faye Morgan-Rose ASSISTANT Ashoo Rachanivarakonkul DESIGN CREATIVE DIRECTOR Karmen Chandontrikij PRODUCTION Tanya Heading SPECIAL THANKS Colette Lacrosse and Dr. Faye Morgan-Rose JOIN OUR MAILING LIST EMAIL US FOR A ©2018 BKK Kids Limited Partnership. All rights reserved. While every effort has been made to ensure that information is accurate at the time of publication, BKK Kids Limited Partnership and authors cannot be held responsible for the outcome of any action or decision based on the information contained in this publication. The publisher and authors do not give any warranty for the completeness or accuracy for this publication’s content, explanation or opinion. We hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions. 4 5 CONTENTS Welcome our Editor PAGE 8 What Defines International School? PAGE 10 Internationally Recognised Curricula Programmes PAGE 14 Benefits Learning More than One Language PAGE 22 Fostering Global Citizenship PAGE 26 The Value After School Activities PAGE 31 Learning Support In Outside of Schools PAGE 34 Learning Support Resources PAGE 38 International Schools Directory PAGE 41 Maps PAGE 104 6 wELCoME Dear Parents, Welcome to the 2018 edition of BKK Kids’ International Schools Guide! We are lucky enough to live in a centre of excellence when it comes to educational offerings. Bangkok boasts a wide range of programmes and curricula that give our children diverse learning environments – there are definitely a lot of options for us, as parents. While much of our decision comes down to our background and nationality, our mother tongue, and our beliefs and desires for our children’s future, we all want to make the right choice for our children. And hopefully this guide will provide more insight into the international schools available here. We’ve spent time researching the programmes and curricula on offer, so that you don’t have to. Take some time to read through what you can expect in your international schooling experience as a parent, and as a decision maker for your children. International school education is not just about reading, writing and arithmetic. It’s so much more than that, and the variety of offerings, all with the aim of enriching the students, extends beyond the classroom and standard subjects. This incorporates a wealth of extracurricular activities including, but certainly not limited to, sports, music, arts, creativity, engineering, volunteering, skills-based learning and much more. It also includes learning additional languages, which can help children develop in other areas of their life and education, as well as broadening their global outlook, enhanced by the diversity of their teachers and peers. And, recognising that everyone learns differently, we cover learning support resources available both in and outside of Bangkok’s international schools. We hope you enjoy reading the publication as much as we’ve enjoyed creating it for you. 8 WHAT DEFINES International curriculum ACCREDITATION International school? MULTINATIONAL MULTILINGUAL student body and teachers In Thailand, the term “international school” entered the lexicon only a few decades ago when the number of such HIGH RATES OF schools proliferated due to regulatory easing on international educational institutions. Today, there are well over a hundred international schools in Bangkok alone, spanning nursery to transitioning across borders secondary school levels. And the number continues to climb. 10 11 What exactly defines an international school? In a nutshell, it is an institution that fosters international education by adopting a curriculum other than that of the school’s country of residence. Student bodies are typically diverse, encompassing both locals and expatriates; in most cases, English is the main language of instruction, with the obligation of studying an additional language(s). In 2009, a meeting of the International Association of School Librarianship devised a list of qualities describing an international school, including: • International curriculum (American, British, Singaporean, International Baccalaureate, etc.) • International accreditation (International Baccalaureate, New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Western Association of Schools and Colleges, etc.) • Multinational and multilingual student body and teachers • Student body with higher rates of transition across borders, and thus education that can be seamlessly “transferred” across different international schools In Thailand, the International Schools Association of Thailand (ISAT) serves as an association of local private schools. Established in 1994, it promotes high standard of educational quality, ethical practices and student learning. It also acts as the liaison between its member schools and the Ministry of Education and the Office of the Private Education Commission, among other public agencies, disseminating information to its members on relevant issues pertaining to education legislation and reforms. ISAT also helps with the marketing of international education in Thailand as well as overseas, with the aim of making the country a regional education hub. Other roles include the promotion of Thai language and culture in international schools. 12 INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL curricula IN B A N G K O K 14 15 American British National education system Curriculum There are four main categories of curriculum available The American international education system is based on core In Britain, education is based on the British National Curriculum. in Bangkok’s international schools, namely, American, subject matter standards and learning benchmarks recognised It is compulsory for all children between the ages of 5 and 16 British, International Baccalaureate (IB), and other by one of six education accreditation departments in the US, with clear provision made for students, based on their ages, including the Western Association of Schools and Colleges in specific developmental Key Stages. A defined curriculum individual nationalities. Examples of the latter include (WASC) and New England Association of Schools and Colleges accompanies each Key Stage, with clear assessments and Singaporean, Australian, French and German curricula. (NEASC). examinations to monitor and track each child’s progress. Each Key Stage encompasses core subjects, including English, To gain accreditation, the school’s curriculum must be in While available within the city in fewer numbers, they mathematics, science and information technology, as well as line with the standards determined by the organisation. foundation subjects in the humanities, creative and performing offer equal benefit and value. International American schools’ curricula can vary from school arts, modern language and physical education. to school (based on ever-evolving standards); on the whole, There is also a fifth emerging educational option available in Thailand’s growing range such schools maintain higher standards than the public school Students study the international version of the General Certificate of international schools, which is far more holistic, embracing open free flow learning systems within the US. of Secondary Education (IGCSE), including core and elective subjects, over the two years of Key Stage 4, from the age of 14 to programmes; these include Montessori, Waldolf and Reggio Emilia. They reflect a more At high school level, for 17 and 18 year old students, the 16. First introduced over two decades ago, the IGCSE originally philosophical approach to an educational curriculum, but they are certainly important schools offer Advanced Placement (AP) courses that allowed students overseas, whose first language was not and successful in their own rights, often at nursery and kindergarten levels although strengthen US university applications. In most cases IBDP necessarily English, to take the GCSE exam, formally assessing Montessori can go up through to secondary school. (IB Diploma) classes are also offered. Both the American the child’s attainment of his or her compulsory education. Today, System and the IB system offer great advantages to children All are internationally recognised as certified educational programmes, allowing it is the world’s most popular international qualification, taught in throughout their schooling; however, the IB system adopts a qualifications that grant access to all major universities, depending on the path you thousands of schools worldwide. and your children choose. However, the structure of each curriculum determines the more holistic and global approach to learning. Nevertheless, progression and development of learning through early years to university. both IB and AP points count towards the university places Upon completion of Key Stage 4, students will sit for the IGCSE and each course can be chosen purely down to the academic examinations. Those planning to attend university continue goals of the individual student. In the US, taking IB courses is onto Key Stage 5 to complete two years of advanced courses, a means of adding credentials and enhancing the quality of comprised of the IB and A-level courses in Years 12 and 13.