Your first priority when living away from home is ensuring that your child’s education is up to the standard you are used to and that your child is confident and able to settle into the new school.
The decisions you will make will be based not only on the options available to you – be it in in Bangkok, Singapore, Hanoi, or Kuala Lumpur – but more importantly on the age of your child and the stage they are at in the education process.
Pre-School less stressful
If moving abroad with pre-school or primary school children, the process is likely to be a little less stressful and complicated than if relocating with high school children. It’s a fact that younger children adapt far better and more quickly to new surroundings, a new culture and a new language than their older siblings.
Older children will be more sensitive to standing out from the crowd, to leaving established friendships behind and having to adapt to a whole new set of circumstances. Furthermore, if they are about to embark upon key examinations it will be critical not to upset their educational regime more than is absolutely necessary.
Local or Private school?
Begin your critical research by determining what rights your child will have to a public education in your chosen country of choice. Sometimes the state education system is a real alternative to more expensive private schools. Many parents in mixed marriages investigate this option and find suitable solutions among local schools.
Most Scandinavian expatriates in this region go, however, for International schools where the level of education and the methods of learning is more like what they are used to. They also consider that eventually their child or children will have to relocate to another international school in another country or back home.
Money matters
Apart from having to determine which option would best suit your particular child, you also have to look at what you can afford.
It is possible to save up specifically for school fees; there are certain savings and investment schemes that are most applicable for this type of targeted and fixed term saving. If you are about to expatriate or already live overseas you may also have the added offshore advantage which can allow your money to grow unrestricted by taxation and therefore at a potentially far faster rate.
If you would like to find out more about such schemes, your eligibility for them or their suitability for your particular circumstances, a good advice would be to talk to one of the Scandinavian private banking companies in this region.
Paperwork
To enroll, most schools will also require detailed reports of your child’s schooling and performance to date, together with copies of their birth certificate and passport. Some schools will require you to present them also with a copy of your child’s vaccination records. Often these documents will have to be translated into the native language of the country you are relocating to.
Other Scandinavian children?
It may seem like a lot of facts you need to research, decide upon and get straight before you go – but if you do this essential groundwork before you relocate you will be doing the absolute best you can to ensure your child has a smooth transition and settles into their new school abroad with the least stress possible.
An easy path to follow is to contact schools where they already have children of your own nationality. If you don’t think the school is fit for your child, at least it will have given you insight in what to ask for at the next school.
Below, please read more about selected schools in selected places with most Scandinavians in this region.
ISS International School Singapore
ISS International School Singapore is an authorized International Baccalaureate (IB) World School that offers a multicultural environment for students from Kindergarten to Grade 12. ISS provides a broad based education for students through the full IB Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma
Programs.
The students come from more than 40 different countries – and the teachers from over fifteen. Students can take the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (lGCSE) examinations in a variety of subjects and can attain the American High School Diploma (authorized by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, California).
ISS has implemented ‘Blackboard’, the online learning platform, in grades 9 to 12, and will extend the online learning to the Middle School next year.
Address:
ISS International School Singapore
High School Campus:
21 Preston Road.
Phone: + 65 64 75 41 88,
Fax: +65 62 73 70 65
Middle School and Elementary Campus:
25 Paterson Road.
Phone: +65 62 35 58 44
Fax: +65 67 32 57 01
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.iss.edu.sg
Bangkok Patana School
Bangkok Patana School was established in Bangkok in 1957. Today, the school is located on an extensive, purpose-built 108 rai campus with facilities on Sukhumvit Soi 105. Students are taught according to the English National Curriculum, IGCSE/GCSE examination course and Senior Students follow the IB Diploma or Certificate courses. Students go on to attend leading universities worldwide.
Bangkok Patana School maintains the highest standards of the British curriculum, offering a comprehensive educational experience to children of all nationalities. Ages: 2 1/2 – 18+ (Nursery-Year 13). Current enrolment is 2,114 students.
Bangkok Patana has an elaborate security system where all visitors are screened before access to the secured compound which is further guarded with security cameras.
Address:
2/38 Soi Lasalle, Sukhumvit 105, Bangna, Bangkok 10260
Phone: +66 (0) 2 398 0200
Fax: +66 (0) 2 399 3179
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.patana.ac.th
The New International School of Thailand (NIST)
New International School of Thailand (NIST) established in 1992 is recognized as an IB World school by the International Baccalaureate Organization. NIST is an IB World School and follows the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) and IB Diploma Programme (DYP). Incorporated into the curricula are an extensive World Language Programme and an extensive co-curricular programme of creative, sporting and community service activities. The New International School of Thailand (NIST) offers a truly international education to culturally diverse students aged 3-18. NIST is independent of national systems, but incorporates the best in education from around the world.
Address:
New International School of Thailand,
36 Sukhumvit 15, Bangkok 10110.
Phone: +66 (0) 2 651 2065
Fax: +66 (0) 2 253 3800
Website: http://www.nist.ac.th
Harrow International School
Harrow International School, Bangkok is a privately owned independent school comprising of Early Years, Primary and Secondary schools and is modeled on the traditions of the British public school system. It is one of only two schools in the world carrying the name of the famous Harrow School in London and operates in association with its great namesake.
Harrow offers The Thai Studies (TS) and Thai Home Language (THL) Program which aims to pro-vide a comprehensive education in Thai culture and language for both Thai and non-Thai students alike from the earliest stages of the school to Year 11.
Harrow consists of 2 campuses in Bangkok; Early Years Centre located in Sukhumvit, downtown of Bangkok, and main campus in Donmuang near International Airport.There is also boarding at Donmuang campus which becomes a significant part of the school’s life. The first boarding house now is full with 70 students right now.
Address:
Donmuang campus: 185/45
Soi Kosumruamjai 7,
Sikan Bangkok 10210
Phone: +66 (0) 2 503 7222
Fax: +66 (0) 2 503 7223
Early Years Centre: 17 Ekamai Soi 4, Sukhumvit 63, Bangkok 10110
Phone: +66 (0)2 381 9851
Fax: +66 (0)2 381 9855
Website: http://www.harrowschool.ac.th
