St Stephens International School Khao Yai Reviews

[IssanSam]

My family and I are living in Issan and my two children are currently attending the local school. I am very disappointed with the teaching, particularly the teaching of English.

We do not want to move to Bangkok or Pattaya so I have been looking at the St Stephens Khao Yai website. Unfortunately there are no recent reviews so I would be grateful if someone could

let me know what the standard of education is like and whether it is a happy school.

Several years ago we spent a weekend in Khao Yai and liked the area very much. We now need to know whether it is a good place to live, what there is to do etc.

Many thanks

Sam

[Disting]

Hi Sam

I was in just the same situation as you. Living up country and our daughter at the "best" local school. Class of 38 kids, one not very nice teacher. Not good discipline, lots of repeat style teaching techniques that were just learnt parrot fashion, not much actual understanding. She didn't like going to school.

We looked around and saw St Stephen's also. Went for a visit and thought it looked good. We also looked at one big school in Pattaya but had no want to live down there. Was a big decision leaving our area as all her friends were there and also the wife's family.

We took the plunge and started her in August 2012 at the beginning of the school year. Has been the best thing we have done as far as she is concerned. She is in the 1st year, has a great teacher and has made so much progress in the 6 months she has been there. Its a small school and has a really nice atmosphere. Totally unlike the previous one. She has made lots of friends and is so happy there.

There are 13 kids in her class so the teacher/child ratio is so much better. Lots of one on one tuition. Have met many of the other teachers and they are all a nice crew. School facilities are good, nice grounds, swimming pool, sports area, golf course right next door, science labs, library etc. Again, such a difference from our old school. Just generally a nice place to be. Our daughter now loves going to school again.

As far as living in Khao Yai is concerned, its a lovely area. Temperatures are 3 or 4 degrees cooler than elsewhere in Thailand and gets more of a breeze off the mountains. Tons of restaurants along the main road, big Tesco at Pak Chong, things for the kids to do, go cart track, 10 pin bowling at one of the resorts and the park just down the road.

All in all, its the best move we have made since moving to Thailand 12 years ago.

Hope that helps.

[overdog]

The problem I have with places like this is the money. They charge an arm and a leg. What do you get? Sure, the foreign teachers are nice - they should be at least that for the money these schools charge! I'm not sure that families get in return for what these schools demand. Calling itself an "international" school just doesn't justify the expense in my books. St Stephens is just another example.

[Happy2BHere]

The problem I have with places like this is the money. They charge an arm and a leg. What do you get? Sure, the foreign teachers are nice - they should be at least that for the money these schools charge! I'm not sure that families get in return for what these schools demand. Calling itself an "international" school just doesn't justify the expense in my books. St Stephens is just another example.

They charge "an arm and a leg" because what qualified Western teacher is going to come and work for a Thai salary? We moved to the Pak Chong area from Bangkok, my wife wanted to be closer to her family and we wanted to get out of the city. We looked at a few of the international school in the wider area but only St Stephen's was the one that I would call an international school. There is California Prep and St John Mary's in the Saraburi area, both are considerably cheaper but after closer inspection, I discovered that the teachers were either not native English speakers or were native English speakers but not actual qualified teachers. Not sure about you Overdog, but my child's education is important and it matters to me that he is being taught at a school that hires qualified teachers. We had heard on the grapevine that St Stephen's wasn't a good school, and searches on the internet brought up some negative comments. However, most of them were at least 5 years old. Since enrolling our son there we have been very happy with the school. The class sizes are small, the teachers are experienced and there is not a high turnover of staff; most have been working at the school for longer than 3 years.

Sam, perhaps a visit to the area and St Stephen's would be a good way to form an opinion. The school is very welcoming when it comes to visits. You can arrange for your children to spend a day at the school and meet the staff. If you make sure you visit on a school day, there is a good chance you can meet some of the other parents and chat to them too.

[Disting]

The problem I have with places like this is the money. They charge an arm and a leg. What do you get? Sure, the foreign teachers are nice - they should be at least that for the money these schools charge! I'm not sure that families get in return for what these schools demand. Calling itself an "international" school just doesn't justify the expense in my books. St Stephens is just another example.

Hi overdog.

I get where you are coming from with the expense. Its not just the teachers that we pay for. The facilities and grounds cost so much more. I haven't seen any of the up country thai schools with the facilities that st. Stephen's has. Most of them have a very attractive concrete area to play on. No library, science labs etc. All that costs to set up. Plus luxuries like all the classrooms being air-conditioned. Plus if you want good teachers, you need to pay for it. I dont want her being taught by any old person with a one piece tefl teaching certificate. I want properly trained teachers.

When you put it up against other internationals, a lot of them seem to be in cities and don't have the space. At khao yai, its in such a nice setting, the air is so much cleaner. A much healthier place to raise children.

In my view the cost at the level my daughter is at is well worth a few sacrifices. The standard of education she is getting will set her up for life. Actually being taught using proven techniques rather than just copying reams of stuff from a whiteboard. She is also being taught about life outside of thailand which is sadly lacking in thai schools.

Not to mention the friends and connections she will make as she progresses through school.

[SneekyPete]

I have my two children currently enrolled at St Stephen's Khao Yai - one in Primary and one in Secondary. My wife and I are completely satisfied with the school. The teachers from overseas are certainly professional, dedicated and caring. The standards are wholly in line with what one will find in all other International schools found here and abroad. St Stephen's is properly accredited and registered as an International school with an international curriculum. There are schools in Thailand that proclaim to be International schools, but fall short of the true ranking. I am happy to assure anyone that St Stephen's is NOT one of those.

Comments from the other parents are often of how there is a noticeable atmosphere of 'family' and of being connected. Yes, it is a small school. The school's setting in Khao Yai is extremely pleasant with much room grow, and space for the learners to move about and enjoying growing up in a green environment.

These, and many other positive attributes, made this an easy choice for me and my family. Put simply, St Stephen's in Khao Yai is a good school, with professional teachers delivering a great programme.

As per Overdog's statement, he obviously has not done his homework. St Stephen's fees compare very favourably with similar schools. Quality education in Thailand does not come for free, unfortunately.

[IssanSam]

Very many thanks for all the replies and information. That is certainly a different insight to what was written 6 or 7 years ago. It does sound a very nice school. Just what we are looking for. My wife and I would rather our children were educated in a smaller school where the teaching is much more on a personal level so St Stephen's fits the bill on that front.

Is it easy to come and have a look round the school?

Sam

[GooEng]

I have a son in year 1 at SISKY and I cannot praise it highly enough.

He is in a class of about 10 kids comprising thais, 50/50 and farang kids that cover years 1-3. They have a fantastic Australian teacher along with a very competent Thai assistant, so you can imagine the level of individual attention the kids get.

Their daily routine is varied, extra-curricular activities encouraged, day trips, school shows, music, and the school grounds and facilities are great.

I know the head teacher and vice principal reasonably well and they are both consummate professionals committed to their school and their job.

SISKY suffered in the past from a poor rep related to fast turn over of teachers and that is something the heads have been working hard to change with success.

I can't speak for the upper grades teaching standards first hand as I've no kids there but I know several of the teachers well, and can only say good things about them - I'd be happy to school my kids all the way through there. The senior kids I have met and chatted to seem happy and polite and due to the small scale kids of all years know each other by name.

They have a kindergarten operating now for pre-schoolers and I look forward to getting my youngest in there this coming August.

I echo SneekyPete's comments about the family atmosphere and his thoughts in general - it's worth every penny.

If anyone wants further or more detailed info about the school or the Pak Chong/Khao Yai area, feel free to PM me. Replies might take a few days as I'm offshore a lot, but I am happy to help, and if you appear at the school for look the staff will be more than happy to give you a look round the place.

Edited February 15, 2013 by GooEng

[SneekyPete]

Very many thanks for all the replies and information. That is certainly a different insight to what was written 6 or 7 years ago. It does sound a very nice school. Just what we are looking for. My wife and I would rather our children were educated in a smaller school where the teaching is much more on a personal level so St Stephen's fits the bill on that front.

Is it easy to come and have a look round the school?

Sam

I'm sure it's easy, Sam. Just phone ahead to make an appointment. The school's admin team will assist you properly. Good luck.

Edited February 24, 2013 by SneekyPete

[JustWhatTheDoctorOrdered]

Here is another thread about this school and my ramblings.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/633486-international-schools-patana-bangkok-ststephens-khao-yai/