Schools in Phuket

There is a wide choice of schools in Phuket ranging from public schools run by the Ministry of Education to private schools which offer a wide range of curricula. For parents of children with Thai nationality, the public schools are a very affordable option, however, the top schools are very hard to get into and English language teaching is considered supplemental at best. For expat families and parents who want their children to be taught in English there are two options: international schools and private Thai schools which offer an English Programme (EP).

International Schools

These include the British International School (BIS), Phuket International Academy (PIA), Headstart International School, Quality Schools International – Phuket (QSI), Kajonkiet International School (KISP) and the Rawai Progressive School. Curricula range from the British National Curriculum to Montessori. Students are accepted from 3 up to 12 or 18 years old, with some schools also offering full boarding. These schools typically run on an international trimester system with the school year beginning in August.

Schools with English Programmes (EP)

To cater for the growing demand for English language education many private Thai schools also offer an English Programme, as well as the standard Thai curriculum. The English Programme is based on the Thai curriculum and roughly 80% of the course is taught in English by certified native English-speaking teachers, while subjects such as Art may be taught by Thai teachers. Class sizes are also typically much smaller than in the regular Thai programme.