Moving to Thailand and
Finding the right School - by Bob Kennett
Bangkok is a large busy city perhaps a little unjustly famous for it's
traffic problems. Recent infrastructure improvements have made travelling
around the city a lot easier and faster but it is still advisable to find
accommodation reasonably close to your place of work or your children's
school or both. Choosing the best school is not an easy matter particularly
as there are now a large number of international schools in Bangkok. As
it is a very important decision it is certainly advisable to select a
short-list to visit before making your final choice.
Important aspects to consider about the location of a school include
ease of travel to the school for students (does the school have a reliable
bus service for example) and is it in a safe, quiet and clean location
(generally not on a major road or in an industrial area). The school should
have good facilities, plenty of space (playing areas with trees and shaded
areas) with clean, large, bright classrooms. Equipment should be up-to-date
and the furniture well-built with safety in mind and the correct size
for the children in each age group. The teachers should be qualified native
English-speakers experienced in the National Curriculum. When you visit,
the atmosphere of the school should be welcoming and friendly and the
students should be visibly enjoying being in the school and clearly happy
with the work they are doing. The Office staff should be able to answer
all of your general questions adequately and take you to meet the Head
of the School or the teacher appropriate to the age of your child to discuss
academic details. If you achieve all of this you are well on the way to
finding the "best school for your children".
About the Author,
Bob Kennett has been involved with the development of British education
in Thailand for the past 17 years, initially as the Chairman of the Board
of the largest British school in Bangkok, then as the Managing Director
of a successful international school group with 5 separate campuses and,
now, as the owner and developer of the St George's International School
in Bangkok.
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