If you are one of the UK families that decided to set off on the expat circuit, you certainly wouldn’t be alone, as many couples with children realise how much money they can make when working as an expat package abroad. More often than not, this leads to exotic destinations like Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand, where you might work for 3 years, before moving to another company branch.
Kindergarten to Year 12 Schools
For the expat who wishes to have their children learn their native curriculum, there are K-12 schools that teach either the US or the UK curriculum and this allows a child to pick up where they left off when you change your work venue. If, for example, your child has just finished middle school in the US, you would want to find an International school in Bangkok that can offer the first year of senior school, that means the child will automatically move on to the next phase of their standard curriculum.
The Expat Package
It is likely that your employer will be paying for your child’s school fees, but that doesn’t mean you should choose the most expensive, indeed, school fees and school performance are not related. If you are interested in one particular school, then check out their website, making sure to read their vision and mission statements, which will tell you a lot about their educational beliefs.
Native Teachers
If you are an American, then you want qualified American teachers instructing your children; the same goes with British parents, who would want their child learning the UK curriculum from native UK teachers. This ensures a high level of continuity, which helps the students to fully reach their potential, plus if you do decide to extend your contract in Thailand, your child won’t have to change schools.
Experiential Learning
The top schools adopt a hands-on approach to learning, which normally comes in the form of projects, with the students having the ability to choose their project topic, and learning in such an environment gives the children responsibility and the ability to problem solve, while working in a team that has a single objective.
The Internet is always the best place to start your quest for the best international school, and once you have browsed a few websites and narrowed down your choice to a couple of schools, you can book a tour of each, then you will be in a position to make an informed decision.
Ask many questions and insist on sitting in on a few classes, just to get a feel of the teacher-student ambience. Ask about religion and whether this would be forced upon the children, while also finding out if a child’s special talent would be nurtured, or if the school only focuses on the main group of learners.
There is much to consider when searching for the right school for your child and being in a strange country means you should always choose an international school, as they use US or UK curriculums.
