The 10 Best International Schools in Thailand 2018

September 2018

Best 10 International T h e

Schools in Thailand

Thai-Chinese International School A Trilingual School Cultivating and Strengthening the Cognitive Skills

Editorial

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f students have a choice between playing a game and doing a math worksheet, they would certainly pick the game over math. And, that doesn’t mean teachers have to turn over their classes and let them play ‘Pokémon Go’. Instead, teachers can use smart learning games to engage students in learning. In today’s information age, it is crucial for educators to implement new strategies that will meet the need of the students. But, thanks to recent technology and digital tools that are helping the teachers to make learning more innovative and engaging than ever before.

Gamication: Making Learning Fun!

Game-based learning allows hands-on learning approach that provides the opportunity to explain topics that are often times too difficult to explain verbally. Moreover, gamification can include badges, leaderboards, and any type of educational competition which helps to determine the grades on the basis of accumulated points that the students have accomplished.

The use of such learning games allows students to fail, overcome, and persevere. Apart from this, instantaneous feedback and small rewards are motivational factors that make the students learn more with more interest.

Introducing gamification in the classroom requires some homework on the specific needs of students, their interest and learning levels. The game should be appealing to the students and should not be too easy or too difficult. It shouldn’t be overused or put in curricula just for the sake of gamification but it should make learning more enticing for students. The studies also show that interactive learning games can help to reduce students’ dropout rates. The gamification in education will evolve the new way of learning and is expected to produce excellent academic results.

Eventually, it will allow students to enjoy going to school.

A perfect classroom learning environment always has been the prime element of creativity which makes the lessons more interesting and interactive. Creative classrooms can really transform the way students gain knowledge and how they apply it in their real life. Moreover, creative expression plays a key role in a student’s overall development. However, gamification is still only part to make learning fun, but it is also to be noted that games are not a replacement or substitute for the full curriculum or for the requirement of students to put effort into learning but can be used to enhance the overall learning experience! T R

Nilam Thakkar

Nilam Thakkar CONTRIBUTORS Aishwarya and Anmol

Shweta Ambilwade Sapana,Sumit Phill Miller Steve Smith Amy, Prasad

Septenber 2018

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Contents Thai-Chinese International School: A Trilingual School Cultivating and Strengthening the Cognitive Skills

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International School Of The Month

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Article 22 Tech-Talk

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Bangkok Patana School:

Educator’s Insights

Teaching In and Beyond Classrooms to Groom Well-Rounded Individuals

What is the importance of co-curricular activities for holistic development of students in schools?

Technology: Revolutionizing Education Industry and Making Learning more interesting

36 Spotlight Impact of School Counseling Programs on the Students

Ascot International School: Rendering a Caring Environment for All-Round Development of Children

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Montessori Academy Bangkok International School: A Structured Environment for Optimal Childhood Development

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NIVA International School: Laying Robust Foundation for Assured Future Success

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St. Stephen's International School Khao Yai: Nurturing Lifelong Learners by Providing an Encouraging Environment

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The International School of Samui: Imparting Value Based Education to Each Child

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Exploring the Top International Schools in Thailand

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oday’s children are tomorrow’s future. Tomorrow, they will be the ones who will be an integral part of the society’s decision and nation’s upliftment. So to make these future citizens more active, diverse, talented, and to expand the horizons of learning for them it is necessary to provide them education with global curriculum. The international schools are fulfilling such pragmatic needs and nurturing students with diverse knowledge. The numbers of international schools are rising in the world as more countries are now experiencing significant volume of immigration. These would help the young children to open their mind and to learn inter-cultural and international knowledge.

International schools provide skills and knowledge which is necessary to become an active part of this everexpanding community of cultures and nations. International schools help to bring the world into the classroom while providing an environment for optimal learning.

Thus, The Knowledge Review comes up with a special edition on “The 10 Best International Schools in Thailand”, which brings forth some of the leading international schools which are innovatively transforming education worldwide. This issue highlights some of those schools which have made a name for themselves in the global arena for providing brilliant educational and infrastructural facilities in the field of education.

On cover page, we have highlighted, Thai-Chinese International School, a prominent school which aims to provide a strong educational program based on American curriculum standards and three essential languages: Chinese, Thai, and American English.

The issue also features Thai-Chinese International School, Montessori Academy Bangkok International School, International School of Samui, Ascot International School, Niva International School, Bangkok Patana School, St. Stephen’s International School Khao Yai Campus, California Prep International School, KIS International School Bangkok, and International Community School.

The issue includes enlightening article written by Stephen Ladas, Assistant Headmaster at the International Community School (ICS) Bangkok.

So, flip the pages for more information on these leading institutions and enjoy reading!

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We C Dive elebr Influ rsity ate T e n Stud ce o O e u n Be r t s And Curiou To Acc s epti ng

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he school aims to provide a strong educational program based on American curriculum standards and three essential languages: Chinese, Thai, and American English.

Thai-Chinese International School (TCIS) is a kindergarten to 12th grade International school, situated in Samudh Prakarn, Thailand. Taiwanese founded the school in 1995 with an aim to provide education based on American curriculum as well as offering classes in English with language classes in Thai, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese. This school celebrates diversity in the campus; the students from over dozens of nations attend the school each day for an extraordinary beginning of the career.

It has separate buildings for high school, middle, and elementary schools with the facilities like, indoor pool, AstroTurf football pitch, indoor gyms, hi-tech computer lab, rich library with a 20,000+ (trilingual) book library, and rock climbing wall. The school provides a perfect learning environment with world-class learning experiences to their students. It has Google Certified Educators and multifaceted teachers that help students to enrich the knowledge beyond teaching.

An Adroit Leader Who Transformed the School Dr. John McGrath is the Superintendent and Head of Schools at TCIS. Prior to that, Dr. John served as the Head of the high school at TCIS. He has more than 38 years of rich experience in education including elementary, middle, and high school through graduate programs at the university level. He is a Canadian and has been a resident in Thailand since 2009. He was working as a System Principal for a district in Ottawa where he was responsible for 42,000 students across 85 locations.

He taught the principal’s qualification course at Queen’s University and worked as a coordinator for the principal’s qualification program at the University of Ottawa.

TCIS has a strong leadership team which is under the able supervision of professionals like Dr. John. His dexterity, humbleness, and expertise helped the school to achieve great success. His major contribution at TCIS includes nurturing

Dr. John McGrath Superintendent & Head

academic expectations, re-energizing the school’s mission, re-branding the school, creation of music zone, implementation of a Chrome book program, bringing Google summit for Education to TCIS and many such initiatives which aim at empowering the students by providing them immense exposures and hands-on learning.

Innovative Syllabi to Nurture a Creative Mindset TCIS has dynamic, student-centered, and unique trilingual curriculum. This school encourages the students to collaborate, communicate, and be creative to enable critical thinking. It offers distinctive academic programs such as Coding, Graphic Design and Digital Arts, Rock Band, Environmental Science, Chinese and Thai language classes, STEM programs, Writer's Workshop as well as After School Enrichment Program. It uses G Suite for Education, a Google suite of productivity tools that helps students and teachers interact seamlessly and securely.

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Our Community Is Responsible For The Continued Grow Of Each Student In A Comprehensive Educational Program.

TCIS offers Advanced Placement (AP) classes which provide college-level curricula and work to the students during high school period. Through Advanced Placement program, students can get the opportunity to earn college credit and placement. Students of TCIS outperformed in Advanced Placement exams, particularly in arts and language exams. In Chinese program, TCIS secured #1 among various international schools of Bangkok and students scored highest in Chinese test in Thailand. Moreover, this school follows Expected School wide Learning Results (ESLR) and prepares students to be Responsible Global participants, Effective Communicators, Collaborative Workers, Independent Life Long Learners, and Complex Thinkers.

Life at TCIS TCIS embraces the diversity by celebrating Chinese New Year and Double Ten Day (National Day of the Republic of China) as well as Japanese Day and Korean Day. It also organizes Thai events such as Songkran, Wai Kru, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, and Loy Krathong. Thai department of the school arranges Thai Knowledge Bowl where students can demonstrate their knowledge of Thai language, history, and culture.

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Our Students Are Motivated, Hardworking, Flexible, And Quick To Adapt To New Environments

Moreover, events such as Spirit Week, Winter Carnival, and Sports Day are organized by the student body and their elected leaders. These events include cultural performances by students and experts from outside of TCIS and the celebrations extend to the areas like food, language, arts, and customs.

Students are encouraged to take participation in clubs, sports teams, volunteer, and community activities. These activities enhance the academic performance, diverse skills, and self-esteem of the students.

TCIS has many student run clubs that celebrate personal diversity as well as instill a sense of service by helping the local, national, and even global community of citizens.

The students of TCIS have won silver medal at the Asian Science and Math Olympics and have competed against students from all over Thailand. One of its students has won the Asia Pacific Junior Golf Association Thailand (APJGA) at Kanchanaburi. Moreover, several students have secured 1st Place in the English Language Proficiency Test.

This school also emphasizes on boosting creativity as well as the talent of students and has created a class called Rock Band. This class demonstrates the student about the professional working musician. Also, students learn to play cover songs and then they perform it at the assemblies. Apart from this, exciting projects are allocated to them to learn more about writing, recording, producing, mixing, and releasing their own original songs. All these songs are made available for purchase and streaming on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, and Tidal.

Financial Assistance and Scholarship TCIS offers various forms of scholarships to the students who outperform in academics, athletics, and the arts. The scholarships are available for middle school and high school to recognize, celebrate, and reward the excellence inside and outside the classroom. The school offers discounts for alumni, diplomats, and employees of the same corporation.

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TCIS offers several opportunities to the students to explore their future lives beyond high school. Career development programs include Mandarin camp in Taiwan, the Asian Student Exchange Program, study abroad programs in the U.S. and Canada, international robotics competitions, engineering camp in Taiwan, travel to Europe as musical performers, and the chance to work with patients and health care professionals via Operation Smile.

The school has a wide range of assessments such as interest inventories, skills assessments, emotional intelligence, learning style preferences, and uses MAP, PSAT, SAT, and AP tests scores to find out best career options that fits appropriate for students’ personality, strengths, and interests. TCIS carries modern, career-focused, and international perspective to high school education.

Notable Alumni The school has numerous notable alumni who have attended top ranked universities around the globe. Joe Rummaneethorn, class of 2018, was one of the few, who admitted to the Princeton University in 2014. This year he will graduate Princeton with a degree in biological and chemical engineering with future plans to pursue his master’s degree.

One alumnus was inspired by Environmental Science class at TCIS and he is working to make Bangkok a better place.

Bruce Chen, class of 2010, works as a community engagement coordinator for the Scholars of Sustenance Foundation in Thailand, which is a food rescue mission whose goal is to reduce food waste by directing surplus foods to needy people. Moreover, two young alumni were

elected to the 10th Board foundation and are playing an important role in leading this school into the future.

Major Achievements Most recent accomplishment of TCIS is that it has more Google Certified Educators than any other school in Thailand. Another recent accomplishment was introducing National Honor Society to TCIS where they celebrate and acknowledge the accomplishments of the students both inside and outside the classroom. Its Chinese program was #1 among the international schools in Bangkok in Chinese competition and TCIS’s students have the highest AP Chinese test scores in Thailand. T R

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We challenge our students to collaborate, to communicate, to be creative, and to ink critically

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Career Development Activities

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Name of the Institution

URL

Ascot International School

ascot.ac.th

80/82 Ramkhamhaeng 118, Sapansung, Bangkok 10240

Bangkok Patana School

patana.ac.th

643 Lasalle Road (Sukhumvit 105), Bangna, Bangkok 10260, Thailand

California Prep International School

caprepschool.com

9 Moo 11, Tambon Banpa, Amphur Kaeng Khoi, Saraburi 18000, Thailand

International Community School of Bangkok

ics.ac.th

1225 The Parkland Road Bangna, Bangkok 10260 Thailand

International School of Samui

iss.ac.th

Koh samui, Surat Thani 84320, Thailand

KIS International School Bangkok

kis.ac.th

Kesinee Ville 999/123-124 Pracha Uthit Rd, Huai Khwang, Khet Huai Khwang, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10310, Thailand

Montessori Academy Bangkok International School

montessoribkk.com

Khet Bang Na, Bangkok, 10260, Thailand

Niva International School

niva.ac.th

18 Soi Phokaew 3, Yaek 11 Ladprao 101, Klong Chan Bangkapi, Bangkok 10240, Thailand

St. Stephen's International School, Khao Yai Campus

sis.edu/khaoyai

30130 Nongnamdaeng Pak Chong Nakhon Ratchasima 30130, Thailand

Thai-Chinese International School

tcis.ac.th

Chang Wat Samut Prakan 10540, Thailand

Location of the Institution

BANGKOK PATANA SCHOOL:

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Students thrive on enquiry-based learning through a progressive British curriculum

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The School aims to ensure that students of different nationalities grow to their full potential as independent learners in a caring British international community.

A successful businessman turned American writer, who became a celebrated historian, James Adams, once said, “There are obviously two educations. One should teach us how to make a living and the other how to live”. The Bangkok Patana School renders both of these, distinctly and accurately, to all its students for shaping their future as well as shaping them as people. Founded 60 years ago in the year 1957, Thailand’s original British International School, has a proud record of academic, sporting, and artistic achievements. ‘Patana’ in Thai means ‘development’ and the school does justice to the name perfectly.

The history of Bangkok Patana School is defined by a focus on academic achievement and personal excellence.

Under the stewardship of committed parents and dedicated staff members, this not-forprofit school remains at the forefront of education in Thailand and is one of the most respected educational establishments in South East Asia, today. Its priority is quality learning and teaching as well as it aspires to cultivate progressive global citizens. The school currently has an enrolment of over 2,200 students from over 60 different nationalities.

Courses and Accreditations Bangkok Patana is the largest British international school for children belonging to the age group of age 2 years to 18 years.

It offers courses to its students from foundation stage to primary to secondary to senior studies. The school follows the British national curriculum up to Year 11 and the International Baccalaureate in Years 12 and 13. Students benefit from the rigor of a British education combined with a strong extra-curricular program that nurtures them into global citizens who shape their world through independence, empathy, creativity, and critical thinking.

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International School Of The Month

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We develop global citizens who shape their world through independence, empathy, creativity, and critical thinking

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This year, it had its first batch graded under the new 9-1 system, with the old A* being separated into Grades 8 and 9 to identify those of the highest ability, in its GCSE subjects of Art and PE. These reformed courses have been specially designed to be challenging for the students and increase their competency. Even though it is academically non-selective, Bangkok Patana’s results are in the top tier of international schools.

Bangkok Patana School is accredited by the Council of International Schools, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, and is an IB World School.

Outdoor Learning The school promotes and practices the idea of outdoor learning. Addressing the same, at Bangkok Patana they say, “Gaining insight and understanding of the wider world doesn’t just hold academic implications, but also arms learners with the knowledge needed to make considered decisions with regard to safeguarding both their local and wider environments”. This teaching method gives the students from all years an invaluable chance to take part in true experiential learning within a natural setting.

Rather than utilizing textbooks or search engines for research, Bangkok Patana’s Secondary Biology students explore the flora and fauna to find creatures they would like to study.

Fresh air and hands-on learning methods have helped students’ deepen their understanding to a level unlikely

to be facilitated in the classroom. This allows its students to produce powerful research before creating biological illustrations of their respective creatures.

The school believes, ‘Ecosystems and the nutrient cycle are key elements of science. For Year 5 students, getting out among the trees to see their ‘rainforest’ learning in action is critical to cementing this core scientific component, immersing students in the fascinating world of plants and the ways they adapt to the surrounding environment’.

Co-Curricular Activities and Events In addition to the regular school education, all students at Bangkok Patana are given opportunities to participate in a range of fun and interesting activities, encouraging them to maintain a well-balanced lifestyle.

The school offers 400+ Extracurricular Activities (ECAs) during the academic year. More than 90% of students attend one or more ECAs each week. Activities range from sports, music, and arts to the Model United Nations (MUN) and the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award program. It has five focused academies, staffed with specialists, with yearlong programs in Football, Swimming, Tennis, Gymnastics, and Dance/Drama. Beyond the classroom ECAs, it conducts various events like one-week residential trips from Year 5 onwards, field trips, educational visits, TEDx Youth, and the most celebrated International Day.

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Community service and action is strong amongst its community of teachers and students. Students not only volunteered in a community organization, but are challenged to lead or create a project that demonstrates change to the people it is meant to serve.

At Bangkok Patana, students as young as five years old are made aware of the community around them and encouraged to develop a strong sense of altruism.

Best-in-Class Faculty The teaching faculty of Bangkok Patana School comprises of about 80% of qualified teachers from the UK or British international schools, with the rest coming from Australia, Canada, the US, and other countries.

Learning in the Outdoor Classroom is bolstered by teachers such as Alexander (Coke) Smith. Coke has been an environmental educator for 30 years. With teaching experience in Washington, California, China, and now Bangkok Patana School in Thailand, he is one of the most respected outdoor educators on the circuit. He is also an avid wildlife photographer and writer, published in dozens of magazines and books worldwide, including publications such as the BBC’s Planet Earth Two and Science Magazine, among many more.

Moreover, the Secondary Design & Technology faculty was one of the first international schools’ faculties to be awarded the prestigious Design Mark Award from the UK in recognition of excellence in design teaching methods.

All-Inclusive Infrastructure Bangkok Patana School has made a commitment to provide teachers and students with world-leading, cutting-edge learning environments. Its superbly resourced campus of 50 acres includes state-of-the-art classrooms and IT facilities, new Secondary and renovated Primary Libraries, three swimming pools, an indoor sports center, tennis courts, and games pitches. Additionally, its technologically advanced Arts Centre offers world-class facilities for students, teachers, and the community. The school's Science Centre mimics the high standards of scientific learning usually found in top-notch, post-secondary institutions. Its on-campus Outdoor Classroom is an example of the attention given to the learning environments.

Building the Future of its Students Bangkok Patana School’s graduates attend some of the best universities around the world including well known institutions such as- in the UK - Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College, King’s College, the London School of Economics and Political Science, and all the other Russell Group institutions; in the US - Ivy League schools such as Yale, Cornell, Princeton, Harvard, and the University of California schools; and renowned European universities. Typically, about 80% of graduating students have received offers from their first and second choice universities. T R

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About the ‘Head of School’ Head of School, Matt Mills, is a career educator, who at ten years of service is the longest serving Head in the long history of the school. He grew up in the Pacic Islands and spoke Samoan uently. Matt trained to be a teacher in New Zealand and has worked in Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Germany. With intercultural experience ingrained in his blood, he is uniquely positioned to lead such a diverse student body. “My role as Head of School is to have a clearly dened vision and be able to enact that through the talent pool of teaching faculty and staff. I am a great believer that you judge your own personal success by the success of people inuenced by you,” he asserts.

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he art challenges the technology, and the technology inspires the art.” – John Lasseter, a famous American Animator and Filmmaker, and also the Chief Creative Officer at Pixar.

It is true that we – humans are increasing our dependency on technology day-by-day. It is one such component which is not only getting into our veins instead it is entering into our blood cells. The time has arrived that we can hardly imagine an hour without technological devices. Despite having numerous effects, technology offers multiple positive effects which create the foundation for our discussion, i.e., technology and its influence on the education sector.

How technology is revolutionizing the education industry are as follows: Internet and its influence on the Young Minds Since its inception, the internet is influencing every sector that exists on earth. It is not just making progress or helping things to move ahead faster; it is penetrating the

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minds of humans. Gone are the days when the internet was just a public utility. Today, it is more personal. From personalized newsfeed to dining choices, the internet is becoming intelligent and making things easier for public life.

In the education sector too, the internet is getting into the nerves. Nowadays, students hardly sit with a giant dictionary book while looking for a word’s meaning, they “Google” it or type on the search bar of any popular search engines like Bing, Yahoo or Google. Those enormous books of Encyclopedia are getting extinct now.

There is hardly anything on this planet that the internet cannot help us with.

With the internet, life is easier, and knowledge is free. It appears that internet asks people, “If you are looking for something, the answer is here.”

Learning on the Couch Old blackboards and chalks are rapidly vanishing with the emergence of the smart-classrooms. Students are adapting to the new technology-based education system where teachers are referring to learning videos instead of book chapters and asking students to learn from computer-based study

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modules with slideshows, mini video clips, and other online study modules.

Slowly, it will vanish too, and there will be the rise of personalized educative techniques.

With the personalized approach of educative methods, teachers are organizing online lecture sessions and online doubt clearing sessions for students. These online educational programs are encouraging people to study from anywhere, anytime. Some people start working early due to economic pressures but desire to study further, and that is where technology comes into the scenario to help people study at their own time while leaning on the couch. On the other hand, there are places where schools are far from reach; their technology can make an outstanding impact with online schooling programs. Soon a day will come when schooling can be done at students' own pace and their place.

Implementing Analytics for Better Learning Technology is renovating software and the entire IT industry. There are wellupdated and well-equipped schools which are implementing analytic software to observe and track students’ learning processes. With such software,

teachers are keeping a note and monitoring each student’s learning process, style and progress.

With the influence of technology, educators and even parents might organize virtual study groups to help pupils learn and exchange knowledge with losing time for traveling. It is a well-accepted fact that discussion widens up the views and opens a new perspective towards everything. It is believed that these online study groups with the influence of analytics will help students to learn better as well as teachers to track students’ progress better.

Higher Learning from the High School level Isn’t the entire education system transforming? Educational institutes, even high schools, and colleges are introducing high-tech courses like nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, automation, and robotics to enhance students’ interest and knowledge about the subjects at a very early age. The institutes are introducing students to robots and robotics at much lower levels to expose them to the practical learning experience and get hands-onexperience while learning something.

The education is redefining itself and technology is the fuel to that. T R

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Ascot’s challenging curriculum enables its students to become adaptable lifelong learners in an increasingly changing world.

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want to go back to my school days’, ‘I wish I could re-live those days of my school, again’, so frequently these words fall on our ears; so frequently we wonder these were true. A student, along with the education, takes away a bundle of memories from his/her school. It is not just a place that polishes the academics of a student, but it is a mold that sculpts the children into who they are.

It is immensely important that this mold shapes the young minds rightly.

Therefore, it is necessary to provide a right environment for the growth of children in the most critical years of their life.

One such school, rendering lifelong memories to its students, is Ascot International School. It offers a nurturing and caring environment where everyone is valued and has a voice. With a unique culture of support that encourages students to take risks and explore learning, it has created an

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atmosphere where one can see smiling faces of children as they run into the school, see them play together, and hear their laughter.

Located in a quiet residential community on Ramkamhaeng Road, Ascot was officially established in 1995. Its culture has been built over 20 years and every member of the school contributes to its success- children, parents, teachers, TA, maids, nannies, and support staff.

Eclectic Curriculum and Accreditations Ascot offers the IB Diploma Program for the children aged 12 & 13. It is a candidate school for the IB Primary Years Program for nursery to Year 6 (Ages 3-12), which it anticipates to be approved by the end of 2018. At Ascot, students of early years and primary years already learn using IB methods.

For early years’ students, the school leverages EYFS of England and Wales

as its guiding curriculum; a comprehensive curriculum that focuses on the development of the child, wholly. For the primary years, it follows the National Curriculum for England and Wales curriculum to help the learners become positive, productive, and globally minded individuals who strive to embrace lifelong learning. All its years reflect its unique position as a British curriculum international school in Thailand.

The school is authorized by many external accreditation boards who attest to the fact that the education on offer is of a high international standard.

These boards include IBO, CIS, as well as it is an authorized examination center for IGCSE examinations for the Cambridge International Examinations boards. Ascot is also accredited by national bodies in Thailand, which include ONESQA and the OPEC.

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Ascot International School Rendering a Caring Environment for All-Round Development of Children Extensive Infrastructure The green campus of Ascot features four main academic buildings- early years, primary, and two secondary buildings. Also included is an indoor gymnasium, covered swimming pool, and basketball court, as well as one of largest football fields of any school in Bangkok. Its state-of-the-art classrooms, libraries, science labs, music room, and art studio benefit its students on various scales. The school is currently expanding its facilities to include a new primary library and futsal stadium.

and activities, Mandarin language and culture, and much more. These are selected in order to inculcate right qualities in the children of that particular age group.

Ascot has recently opened a new campus in Kobe, Japan. It is currently open to Early Years and Primary Years students and will be expanded to offer a Secondary (High School) program, with boarding facilities, by 2020.

Career Exposures Ascot graduates have gone on to study across the globe in countries such as the UK, the United States of America, France, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Finland, Singapore, Ireland, and Switzerland. Graduates, who chose to continue their studies in Thai universities, have gotten administered in schools such as Chulalongkorn, Mahidol, Thammasat, and Kasetsart University.

Co-Curricular Activities Ascot offers variety of extra-curricular activities (ECAs) every day after school, from 3pm - 4pm. It has separate ECAs for early years, primary, and every age group. ECAs for early years include story book art, Thai cooking and culture, arts & crafts, swimming, outdoor games, to name a few. Whereas, for primary years, ECAs include English club, choirs, badminton, homework club, pop songs

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The school also has the world-class Ascot Football Academy, where students train from 4pm - 5:30pm.

Since its inception, the Academy has grown from just a few players to over 160 students. Ascot’s football team has bagged many victories in major football tournaments, both locally and internationally.

Ascot’s alumni have moved on to be respected members of society becoming doctors, pilots, engineers, lawyers, business graduates, hospitality management, and even improving their family businesses. T R

e Enthusiast Leading Ascot Mr. Gary Booth is the Headmaster of Ascot. Upon completing a BSc in Geology, he began working in the oil industry. He then completed his PGCE and became a Science teacher. He has taught around the globe, including the UK, Bermuda, and Thailand.

At Ascot, Mr. Booth enjoys the excitement of being in a learning community where children are encouraged to take risks and extend themselves. “It is an exciting place to be, surrounded by people who are taking risks and learning all day,” says Mr. Booth. He loves to learn new things and enjoys talking to people who have a passion for learning. He encourages all students at Ascot to make mistakes, learn from them, reect, and improve.

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MABIS aims to nurture confident, independent, and compassionate human beings by providing the tools and experience that children need to embark on rich, meaningful journeys and become responsible citizens of the world.

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ontessori is a unique, childcentered method of education that is based on self-directed activity, hands-on learning, and cooperative play. This approach supports the natural development of children in a conducive environment which values the human spirit and the development of the child as a whole.

Established in 2010, the Montessori Academy Bangkok International School (MABIS) is a pioneer of Montessori education in the Thai capital. It is also one of the first International Schools to offer a comprehensive and authentic Montessori curriculum for children as young as toddlers all the way through to elementary school.

MABIS’s vision is to support children’s love for learning by providing rich, meaningful learning experiences that help them to fulfill

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their unique potential. The school believes that all children can reach that potential and cultivate a sense of responsibility for a better society if they are nurtured by a proper support system.

MABIS gives each child the respect and freedom to pursue their passions. It also affords them the opportunity to be independent and develop their capabilities while overcoming challenges and exploring the world around them.

State-of-the-art Infrastructure and Facilities MABIS supports extra-curricular activities ranging from sports to music to science. On the campus, there is a multi-purpose sports hall, a soccer field, a swimming pool, outdoor and indoor play areas, and an auditorium.

The school also has an organic garden, dance and art studios, several music

studios, a library, and classrooms that are fully-equipped with Montessori teaching materials.

Every MABIS classroom is designed to meet the growing needs of each child at the school.

Exceptional Academic Programs and Pedagogy MABIS believes in a holistic approach to learning and emphasizes on all aspects of an individual’s development - physical, intellectual, spiritual, social and emotional.

MABIS offers a well-rounded and enjoyable learning experience delivered through a trilingual Montessori program. Under the Language Immersion Program, students from Preschool to Grade Six learn English, Mandarin, and Thai in an environment that provides them with the opportunity to gain fluency in all three languages.

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Montessori Academy Bangkok International School: A Structured Environment for Op mal Childhood Development It uses a combination of beautiful classrooms and a mixed-age community of learners to allow children to learn from one another. The school has an innovative curriculum that is supported by this rich and multisensory learning environment. It provides special didactic materials that engage children in learning in an interdisciplinary and a multiple intelligence approach.

Moreover, children do not only acquire a solid foundation in traditional academic skills of literacy and mathematics but are also exposed to the study of zoology, botany, geography, and history, even at the kindergarten level.

Every MABIS lead teacher is Montessori-certified and chosen specifically for their passion, dedication, and experience in delivering the highest-quality Montessori programs. In addition to the lead teacher who delivers lessons in English, each classroom is supplemented with two additional teachers in support of the Mandarin and Thai language immersion program.

MABIS arranges regular field trips for students so they can connect concepts learned in the classroom to examples in

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the real world. Past field trips have included an exploration of a dinosaur dig site in Kalasin province, a visit to the largest observatory in Southeast Asia, star gazing from Thailand’s highest peak in Chiang Mai, and panning for gems and learning about the gem mining process in Chantaburi.

Facilitating Lifelong Success MABIS gives its students a solid, reliable foundation upon which to continue their education. The school’s alumni have been admitted to various renowned education institutes in Bangkok like Bangkok Patana, NIST, Concordian International School, St. Andrews, KIS, the International School of Bangkok, and the International Community School and also overseas such as The Montessori School of Tokyo and International Montessori School in Hong Kong.

MABIS is currently in the process of expanding its program to include middle school and high school Montessori education. T R

A Versatile Leader Serene Jiratanan is the Founder and Principal of MABIS. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Cornell University, a Master’s in Business Administration from MIT Sloan, and a Master's in Early Childhood Education from Pacic Oaks College. She also holds AMI Montessori teaching certications for children ages 0-3 years, 3-6 years and 612 years.

Serene was a Montessori parent herself and fell in love with its creative pedagogy when she lived in Beijing.

That experience inspired her to leave behind a successful corporate career and start MABIS when she moved back to Bangkok with her family.

Serene is a self-motivated, resourceful and enthusiastic teaching professional with a genuine interest in fostering students’ cognitive and social growth.

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What is the Importance of Co-Curricular Activities for Holistic Development of Students in Schools?

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olistic development, educationally speaking, addresses a variety of student growth areas that schools aim to advance in the educational lifetime of a student. These include not only the intellectual aspects of a child’s also growth, but development of the moral, spiritual, emotional, and physical arenas - all integral to the development of the ‘whole child’. Part of our collective human experience is to attach meaning and purpose to what we experience. Our minds and hearts work in concert with each other to enable us to think through decisions and have the ability to feel how decisions impact ourselves and others around us. Critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity are vital skills to develop in students as they grow to make decisions that affect not only their own lives, but impact our society. All of this together, make co-curricular activities vital in developing students holistically.

In pre-adolescence, a child’s brain is developmentally at its greatest capacity for learning, making this a crucial time for discovery, growth, and exploration. Conversely, during adolescence, the brain is also pruning synapses that aren’t cultivated or used regularly. It is an ideal time for brain development. Co-curricular activities from a young age offer a vast array of opportunities to grow and strengthen students holistically, providing a chance to cultivate and nurture their intellectual, social, physical, emotional, and even moral or spiritual selves. For example, playing sports after school builds teamwork, physical strength, a spirit of determination, and perseverance. Activities such as robotics, drawing, web design, foreign language learning, playing music, etc. bring out the creative, curious, and critical thinking sides of students.

It is well worth mentioning that balance is also a key component when working to build holistic growth in children. Parents often feel pressure to fill their child's free 30

time with as many activities as possible. Child psychologists actually suggest more of a balance at no more than 2-3 activities in any given semester or time period.

One thing that can be overlooked in thinking about educational development is the vitality of free, imaginative play. Creativity and teamwork flourish during free, unstructured times with friends. It is vital that we keep room in their schedules to cultivate these times.

Many international schools in Bangkok emphasize on the emotional & spiritual components of a child. Developing how we feel about others, ourselves, and the world around us is integral to being ‘whole’ people who can lead fulfilled lives, impacting the world with purpose, meaning and goodness. A key piece of that is granting opportunities for positive relationships to be forged between students and teachers. Student learning increases when an encouraging rapport is built with a teacher because students want to feel listened to and valued as individuals, knowing the teacher cares for them and desires to do what is in their best interest. An emphasis on developing trusted relationships with students is at the heart of many successful teachers.

Students respond with educational risk-taking and overall increased learning when a teacher provides a safe classroom learning environment through a trusted student-teacher relationship.

Nowadays, international schools offer a variety of afterschool enrichment activities for students, and encourage them to participate in small teacher-student mentoring groups. Students join these small groups, including a trusted teacher and a handful of peers, and are encouraged to share their daily thoughts and experiences in a safe, comfortable environment. Such group activities build rapport and trust between teachers and students, and lead to greater holistic development in the children by providing an outlet for emotional support and social development. T R

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EducatorĘźs Insights

Stephen Ladas Assistant Headmaster

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Stephen Ladas currently serves as the Assistant Headmaster at the International Community School (ICS) Bangkok. He came to ICS as a High School History teacher, serving two years in that role.

After receiving his Master's Degree in Educational Administration, he moved into secondary school administration for six years. After that, he had the privilege of moving into the role of Assistant Headmaster of the school. He is currently serving in his 12th year at ICS.

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NIVA’s mission is to cater to the intellectual, social, emotional and physical well-being of its students.

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IVA American International School is a K-12, co-educational international school located in Bangkok, Thailand. This school has been serving the needs of Bangkok families interested in high caliber, English-language education since 1991. Through a rich mix of proprietary curriculum and highly professional teachers, NIVA consistently separates itself from the one hundred-plus international schools in the Bangkok metropolitan area by providing students with a high-end education in a nurturing and family-like environment.

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character development. NIVA graduates attend top universities in America, Australia, Europe, Thailand and many other countries in Asia. Each year, a number of graduates receive various honors and scholarships to include multiple full-scholarship recipients and valedictorians. The institution’s alumni achieve excellence not only in their tertiary education but also at their work; business owners, architects, pilots, doctors, dentists, IT specialists and a myriad of other professionals count themselves within the ranks of NIVA alumni.

NIVA’s fully credentialed and highly effective faculty works tirelessly to implement a rigorous curriculum incorporating Asian and European standards along with the main American strands to emphasize high standards, independence, global citizenship, technology-use and

NIVA’s seven rai, purpose-built, campus is located in the Bangkapi district of Bangkok. The leafy campus is an oasis in an otherwise busy, and frenetic, metropolitan Bangkok. NIVA boasts purpose-built science laboratories, an auditorium, indoor swimming pool, a

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NIVA International School: Laying Robust Founda on for Assured Future Success

modern computer lab, and multi-purpose courts and fields. Students, parents, and faculty alike remark that the the well-maintained natural and open environments provided at school are part of the reason that they love to be at NIVA. Life at NIVA NIVA’s student population comes mostly from influential business families and high-end professionals. As a function of the nature of NIVA families, the school has curated its academic programs in a dynamic way that develops students’ vital analytical and critical thinking skills to shape both their intellectual and business acumen. Its leadership development program provides students with opportunities to perform real-world tasks ranging from planning all the way to execution; truly shaping and sharpening their leadership qualities.

NIVA combines academic rigor with empathetic teaching to create a school that is dedicated to excellence in all of its facets. The school has been under the same management since its inception and it is the goal of the founders to not only challenge students academically, but also to send them home happier than how they arrived in the morning. Student success, true to its holistic meaning, is the name of the game!

Providing Wings to Fly NIVA always believes in providing wings to every dream which rightfully deserves a world-class education no matter what their economic condition is. Thus, every year NIVA offers scholarships worth more than 10 million Thai Baht to the talented underprivileged.

Such generosity reflects NIVA’s bigheartedness and makes it one of the most sought-after schools in Bangkok region among all strata of society. T R

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e Leading Light of NIVA What else could be more interesting for a school if it is mentored by a person, who has several decades of vital experience in teaching and managing school operations?

Nathan Anthony, Founder and President of NIVA International School, who is a veteran teacher with adept management capabilities, is guiding NIVA towards the zenith of success. He has a Bachelor's degree in Science and a Master’s degree in Educational Administration.

Nathan is the symbol of absolute commitment to NIVA student’s happiness, development and success. It is through his dedication to education and student's prosperous future that NIVA is able to continually strive for excellence through innovation and creativity.

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oday’s school counselors play important role in the education sector. Their guidance not only helps in academics but also in various life scenarios. They help in the overall development of the students’ personality i.e. academic, social, emotional, personal, and career development. Studies show that the school counseling is beneficial for the students that are studying elementary or for ones that are opting for higher studies.

School counseling (SC) program are designed to facilitate student achievement reforming their behavior, attendance and helping a student in developing them socially. The first step in any counseling is to determine the condition that leads to the effectiveness of the program. SC programs provide counseling in form of three factors i.e. academics, career, and social bonding. The counseling program plays an effective role in school climate and in advancing student’s achievements.

College Readiness Students that seek guidance regarding the academics have improved their high school and college readiness. Studies have illustrated that high school graduation rates and four-year college enrolment rates increase when an additional high school counselor is hired. Students who work with a high school counselor before the 10th grade are more likely to apply to the college. Moreover, students with access to college guidance have shown higher college application rates.

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Spotlight Schools with one counselor for every two hundred and fifty students or less that have shown to have more than ninety percent graduation rates, ninetythree percent attendance rate, and less than two percent discipline issue rate. Taking account of small-group counseling, guidance assists in improving elementary school student failing grades around eighty percent.

Cultivating Student Outcomes SC shows a wide range of positive student outcome such as math proficiency, increased attendance, increased reading proficiency, higher graduation score, lower suspension rate etc. Results achieved via SC programs add the value to the student education and enhances student’s engagement and performance .

Social-Emotional Skills School counelors endorses positive environment and enhances student’s abilities to properly manage the social and emotional demands of their lives. They provide instructions, team-assist in teaching counseling program’s core values and learning activities in classrooms aimed at social and emotional development. They have the adequate understanding of the nature and range of human characterstic specific to child and adolescent development.

Appropriate methods are promoted by counselors in the school environment to propel students towards positive mindsets and support social and emotional development through direct and indirect services. Counselors helps in building Cognition, Attitude, Behavior, Self-Regulation, and Social skills.

Personalized Growth Majority of SC programs comes with adequate counsel-tostudent-ratio. This ratio is strongly related to the student outcomes. SC programs are highly effective when counselors pay special attention to the student needs. A well counsel-to-student ratio can help students in transitions, academics, special education support, discipline proceeding, and many more.

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SC programs help students in developing the positive actions and attitude required to achieve their educational and future professional goals. Understanding the effects of indiscipline, or accepting the responsibility and the support in personal development is an important factor in cultivating a positive learning environment.

Refining Organizing A well-organized SC program benefits positively students in knowing themselves. As SC program is based upon defined goals or aim and offers and prepares students in meeting their essential organizing skills. Such programs assist in analyzing the strengths, weakness, and opportunities.

Developing these critical and problem-solving skills support students in getting familiarized with practical reasoning and in making complex choices. Recognizing and understanding all these skills aid students in unleashing their full potential. Following the purpose, SC programs draw an identifying long-term objective as well as short-term student plans.

Helping in Making Decisions At some stage of school, students have to make a decision that can make or break their future. Using the SC programs, the decisions can be made easily. These decisions might be far-reaching, might be small, or may not change anything.

Counselors play important role in making these decisions as they take account of individual participants. They involve students in decision-making, evaluate the options, and can help in making a list of pros and cons taking account of participant's personal preferences.

They analyze how these students will take decisions. What factors do they prefer? What is important for them? Etc. and prepares them for the possible outcomes of these decisions.

Generally, the counselors lead the traditional way in guiding the students while taking the decisions. They mostly take the rational and linear path in order to guide the students.

A comprehensive SC program comprises components like the school’s academic mission and is driven by student data, which is based on academic, social, and career development. School Counsellors uses these data on student’s achievement, attendances, behavior, and improves future results. They work closely with students and personalize their education pathway, develop the essential knowledge, skills, and mindset needed to achieve academic and overall life success.T R

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The school aims to develop a culture and a community of learners within a special East meets West educational environment

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n the current busy and competitive world, it has become difficult for the parents to help their child in the daily studies. Consequently, they depend solely on the schools for their child’s development. This development does not only mean learning the subjects, but also the values and cultures and being ready for the future.

St. Stephen’s International School Khao Yai is one such school, which embraces the best principles of East and West and creates tomorrow’s generation of global leaders. The school does this by equipping its students with wide-ranging knowledge and skills, and the ability to apply these as they keep abreast of ever-changing technological advancements.

The Resolute Curriculum The school’s curriculum is broadly based on the English curriculum with an international focus throughout. The primary school runs on the International Primary Curriculum (IPC). Within this, the learners engage in exciting, globally relevant thematic units of work that help them engage in learning from multiple perspectives.

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Themes are explored through independent yet integrated subjects and cover all key academic areas such as science, history, geography, art, design technology, society, international studies, ICT and computer science.

Each unit begins with an ‘Entry Point’ to engage and excite, a ‘Knowledge Harvest’, to identify prior learning, research and recording activities and an ‘Exit Point’, to reflect on and celebrate learning. Mathematics and English are taught as discrete subjects.

In the secondary school, students study a curriculum based on the English Key Stage 3 (KS3) curriculum for students age 11 – 14 and the IGCSE for students age 14 – 16. At KS3, focus is on achieving a broad all-round education that challenges every individual student and further develops their academic skills and dispositions of the learner profile introduced in the primary school. Thus, when students choose the options that they will specialise in for their IGCSE courses, they have been well prepared for the choices that they will make.

The Ideal Location The International School benefits from its location on a magnificent 51-rai site in the World Heritage environment of the renowned Khao Yai National Park.

Both its day and boarding students profit from the outstanding learning opportunities that the school and the surrounding area provides. Uniquely, the school hosts the Howling Gibbon Outdoor Education Centre on its site which in turn hosts visiting schools from across Thailand. On campus, its students benefit from its 25m swimming pool, tennis courts, a large gym and extensive sports field and grounds and various ‘hands-on’ activities. Their outdoor education specialist staff make sure that the students have proper access to activities such as kayaking, jungle trekking, rock climbing and abseiling, environmental surveys and animal tracking.

More than Just a Normal School The school promotes not just academics but also develops the student’s physical wellbeing, cultural understanding, and their character.

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St. Stephen’s International School Khao Yai: Nurturing Lifelong Learners by Providing an Encouraging Environment Describing the life experiences, the school states, “Life experience skills are cultivated in our students so that they understand themselves and society, maintain good health, ever enrich their wisdom, are self-reliant, honorable and disciplined, as well as being honest young citizens of the future.”

A Learner Profile In order to develop their learner profile, the students are encouraged to participate in the wide-ranging afterschool activities programme. Students are also supported to be considerate and empathetic of others and become involved in a range of community activities.

Intertwining the Cultures The school takes the best educational practice from the west and intertwine the respect, culture, and desire to learn from the east. The result is an environment in which all communities are welcomed that is focused on learning and setting ideas into practice.

Whether it is a young kindergarten or a primary student in the IPC or a secondary student developing thinking skills, student’s progress is both evident and tangible. Rigour and challenge abound at the school and academic expectations are high.

Immigrants Programmes For the international students, the school has extensive and comfortable boarding accommodation. The boarding students have additional support in developing English and other academic skills as well enviable access to the school's facilities and a programme of weekend activities during term time.

Character Development The character development of the students is underpinned by the school's learner profile, a collection of fifteen dispositions that are essential for students to be comfortable and confident in whatever situation they find themselves. So, not only are its students making excellent academic progress they are also becoming more self-aware.

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Impressive Placements The graduates from the school are placed in top Thai universities such as Chulalongkorn University, Thammasat University and Mahidol University studying courses such as Engineering, Psychology and Mass Communication.

The graduates have also gone to Deakin University in Australia (Commerce), the University of Swansea in the UK (Medical Genetics), Suzhou University in China (Medicine), and Grand Valley State University in the US (Advertising and Public Relations) as well as other top universities. T R

e CommunityDriven Founder With the belief in supporting the young people to become good leaders of their communities, late Kris Assakul founded St. Stephen's International School. He wanted to give back to the Thai community by providing a school that offered a highquality education directly from his experience in Hong Kong. Developing this school completed his dream, in which, the students around the world could benet from its outstanding facilities, learning, and resources.

He completed this nal project before he passed away in 2002.

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The school aims to foster academic achievement, nurture well-being and encourage extracurricular involvement in all pupils, in order to maximize their potential to lead enriching and successful lives

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ounded in 2007, The International School of Samui (ISS) follows the British Independent School model as well as the British curriculum which is supported by the University of Cambridge curriculum programs. It is an ‘Outstanding School’ according to its most recent 2018 inspection. ISS is situated in one of the main areas of Koh Samui with the availability of all necessary facilities nearby. It has a hospital and shopping Centre just a few minutes away and is a 5-minute drive to the beautiful beach.

Vivacious Campus with Modern Infrastructure ISS has lush green surroundings with advanced infrastructure and very well maintained campus. It has a 25-meter swimming pool, air-conditioned sports hall, science laboratories, a ‘black box’ drama theatre with a capacity of 200.

Primary and senior school common and recreational rooms are in ample

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supply. There is a well-equipped D&T room which includes twenty cooking stations complete with cooking equipment.

Diverse and International Learning Environment It is a truly international school with over 250 pupils currently enrolled from over 35 different countries. The school celebrates diversity and supports the diverse culture in the campus.

Moreover, 82% of the total students are expatriates which depict that it truly has an international education environment. The school has maintained a community and familyorientated atmosphere where students, parents, and teachers are able to develop constructive relationships with one another.

Comprehensive Program of ExtraCurricular Activities

sports and extra-curricular activities to foster team building skills and cooperation amongst the children as well as honing great coordination and other spatial skills. Moreover, the school focuses on making learning enjoyable and to give every child the opportunity to develop a sense of confidence in them. ISS has a one-toone music department and a variety of extra-curricular activities related to sporting, theatrical, arts and more. The school believes that extra-curricular activities are as important as academics for overall development of the students.

Teaching with a Global Perspective The International School of Samui has an extensive and interesting curriculum covering a wide range of subjects and skills which include comprehensive after-school activities, school trips, and excursions. The school offers quality education of an international standard

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The International School of Samui Impar ng Value Based Educa on to Each Child at three levels i.e., early years, primary and senior school level.

It provides meaningful education to children from two to four years of age and follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum. EYFS is a framework that supports an integrated approach to early learning and care.

For its primary school, ISS follows the British National Curriculum supported by the Cambridge Primary program focusing on topic-based learning. At Senior School level, children 11 to 16 years old are educated to a high standard with a strong focus on their well-being and pastoral care.

Offers Scholarship and Financial Support to Students The school offers various forms of scholarship programs to the students.

In 2017, the school reached its 10th anniversary and to make this milestone memorable the founder provided funding for 10 additional scholarship schemes for senior school students.

The ‘Lees Scholarship’ is a special scholarship program which is offered to children living on Koh Samui who demonstrate a strong academic aptitude but who were unable to study at ISS due to their families’ financial circumstances.

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Glimpse of Some Achievement The school achieved the first accreditation from the Council of British International Schools (COBIS) in Thailand over ten years ago. On top of this, it recently renewed its Silver accreditation status from the Education Development Trust (EDT) - a world authority on International school inspection and evaluation having inspected schools around the world for more than 20 years. In 2018, the school achieved 43% A/A* IGCSE grades and 96% A*/C grades. This was a record result for the school and two times more than the UK average.

Preparing for Better Career Opportunities ISS has a dedicated IGCSE form tutor who organizes practice interview sessions for all students as well as advice and guidance on creating individual CV’s. The school offers a week’s work experience at the end of the summer term for all IGCSE students on top of 6th Form and University guidance all year round.

After completing their studies at ISS, students receive every opportunity to be enrolled at internationally renowned universities and schools around the world. T R

Passionate Front-runner with Extensive Experience Jeremy Lees is the Headmaster and Founder of ISS. He is a UK qualied teacher with a BSc (Hons) degree in Laser Physics and Optoelectronics from the University of St Andrews. He has rich experience in the elds of education. Formerly, Mr. Jeremy served in the British Army as an Ofcer and combat helicopter pilot. He has made a signicant contribution in the success of the school. ISS has grown into one of the most prestigious institutions under his able leadership. Mr. Lees is a gentle, kind and hardworking professional who always perseveres to achieve the best result for the students and school which reects in their excellent and outstanding IGCSE results year on year.

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