Further Education

Education is a very important decision to consider when moving to a school or university in a foreign country. Phuket has a wide rage of institutions to choose from. This guide from VillaCarte will help you find the right institution for your child.

There are a wide range of international educational institutions here, having finished which students can enter higher educational establishments in England or USA. The future prospects depend on the curriculum of the school you child attended. When selecting a school, it is important to learn if the school has the international accreditation. Check its availability otherwise the education process will be complicated.

The first thing that you notice is that the majority of schools begin tuition of kids in the nursery school, i.e. in the age between 1.5 and 2 years. By the age of 5 years kids stay in the kindergarten then they attend primary school (between 5 and 10 years) followed by the secondary school (between 11 and 14 years) and high school (between 15 and 18 years).

Big schools have rest houses and summer camps where children can spend their time with friends, take part in the creative activities or improve their knowledge in certain school subjects.

British International School, Phuket

Year of the foundation: 1996
Kindergarten: from the age of 3 years
1st school year: from the age of 5 years
Website: Http://www.bisphuket.ac.th/
Facilities on the territory of the school: laboratories for practical classes, linguistic classrooms, musical classrooms, art studio, theatre hall. Open swimming pools 50 and 25 meters long, football fields, tennis courts, baseball pitch, covered gym, fitness room, dance studio. The territory is under 24-hour protection.

British International School — The school of complete academic cycle. It accepts kids between 3 and 18 years old for day classes or boarding school. It is considered to be one of the best in South-Eastern Asia. The curriculum is based on the British educational model for the primary and secondary school. Teachers from Great Britain, Australia and USA work at school, thus the language of teaching is English. There is a Russian speaking assistant who can help the new students to adapt to the new environment.

Besides the academic curriculum, there is a summer camp at school, where every July kids from different countries go info sports together, entertain and travel while learning English and practicing their communication skills in the international environment.

Having finished the British International School, the students enter British universities, because the final test result at school is accepted as the entrance tests in the universities.

Cost of education in the kindergarten: USD 8,000 per year
Cost of education at school: between USD 15,400 and USD 19,600
Cost of the school campus: between USD 8,200 and USD 10,700

Phuket International Academy (PIA)

Year of the foundation: 2008
Kindergarten: from the age of 1.5 years
1st school year: from the age of 7 years
Website: http://www.uwcthailand.net
Facilities on the territory of the school: 1-storeyed houses for students, football field, swimming pool, tennis court, basketball pitch and a playground. The school territory is under 24-hour protection.

All school subjects are taught in English, but there is a special assistant who helps kinds with poor English to adapt to the new environment.

Cost of education in the kindergarten: USD 6,400 per year
Cost of education at school: between USD 15,000 and USD 18,400
Cost of the school campus:  USD 15,000

Head Start Phuket

Year of the foundation: 2005
Kindergarten: from the age of 1.5 years
1st school year: from the age of 5 years
Website: http://headstartphuket.com/
Facilities on the territory of the school: computer classroom, dance and wrestling hall, football field.

Head Start Phuket was originally a small homelike school. In 2015, it expanded and moved to the new academic buildings. However, the focus on the individual approach and a quiet family environment was preserved.

The curriculum is based on Cambridge international curriculum. The school is focused on learning languages, so the students learn several languages including Thai. The school leavers can enter Cambridge University and other British universities.

Cost of education in the kindergarten: USD 6,200 per year
Cost of education at school: between USD 8,300 and USD 10,600
School campus: n/a

QSI International School

Year of the foundation: 2000
Kindergarten: from the age of 4 years
1st school year: from the age of 5 years
Website: https://www.qsi.org/thailand/pkt/
Facilities on the territory of the school: library, computer classroom, sports and play grounds, football field.

At the moment of foundation, the school was targeted to children of American diplomats, that is why the US curriculum was accepted as the basis. The teachers are mostly from North America.

Cost of education in the kindergarten: USD 4,000 USD per year
Cost of education at school: USD 12,000
School campus: n/a

Kajonkietsuksa School

Year of the foundation: 2013
Kindergarten: from the age of 3 years
1st school year: from the age of 5 years
Website: http://kajonkietsuksa.ac.th
Facilities on the territory of the school: there are three schools on Phuket in Thalang, Chalong and Kathu districts.

They have two curricula: English and international. Teachers are from Great Britain and Thailand.

Cost of education at school: USD 3,600 under English curriculum and USD 7,200 under the international curriculum
School campus: n/a

OAK Medow School Phuket

Year of the foundation: 2015
Kindergarten: from the age of 3 years
1st school year: from the age of 5 years
Website: https://www.oakmeadowphuket.com
Facilities on the territory of the school: sports ground and playground

The school originally was a kindergarten, but now it includes all educational stages up to the student’s age of 18 years. The language of tuition is English, and the American curriculum is taken as the basis.

Cost of education at school: USD 4,300 per year
School campus: n/a

Palm School Phuket

Year of the foundation: 2010
1st school year:  from the age of 5 years
Website: http://www.palmhouseprimaryschool.com/
Facilities on the territory of the school: library, sports ground, field hockey pitch, tennis court, rock climbing zone.

It is located in Rawai. It is the only international school in the southern part of the island now. Palm School Phuket is a small school founded by an Englishman, that is why the curriculum is based on the English educational system here.

Cost of education at school: USD 6,800 per year
School campus: n/a

The Rawai Progressive International School

Year of the foundation: 2010
Kindergarten: from the age of 3 years
1st school year: from the age of 6 years
Website: http://www.montessori-thailand.com/
Facilities on the territory of the school: classrooms and game rooms.

The curriculum is based on Maria Montessori educational system. The main focus is made on the English language and the traditional Thai cultural values. Consciousness and respect are the key values cultivated in kids. The Rawai Progressive International School is an interesting alternative to the classical American and English school.

Cost of education in the kindergarten: USD 5,500 USD per year
Cost of education at school: USD 7,100 per year
School campus: n/a

Source: VillaCarte – https://villacarte.com/en/blog/life-style/246