Bangkok - Post Report Question and Answers
What accommodations do schools make for special-needs kids?
ISB can offer certain services, but some of the smaller schools , in my opinion, are even better. We used St. Andrews Samakee International School, and were very happy with their inclusive support. - Feb 2023
Several schools offer support, opinions are mixed. Do your research, be honest with the school about the abilities of your child, and speak with other parents before making a choice. - Jan 2023
Varies from school to school, but I understand that both ISB and NIST do make accommodations and provide special services for some special needs kids. One of my children's elementary schools has an excellent integrated program for kids with certain needs, but I believe this needs to be individually negotiated with each school. - May 2022
ISB does a great job of accommodating students with special needs. Staff is knowlegeable on learning disabilities and do their best to provide appropriate instruction and modifications for students who need them. Pull out or push in instruction at each level as well as a Speech Therapist and OT. - Aug 2019
Most of the international schools won't accept your child, regardless of how mild the disability. St Andrews Samakee accepts children with special needs but they recently turned down a family with a child with special needs because the particular classroom was full. There is also a school downtown called The Village which caters to children with special needs. There are a couple of therapeutic service companies that offer OT, PT and speech, but support is limited. Recommend you do your homework before you accept an assignment here. - Aug 2015
I don't have direct experience with this but can say that I know of several families who have. I have been told that some are very open to "shadows" in their classrooms, others are not. I understand that parents have to work very hard to coordinate special needs but that there are resources and options here. - May 2014
I believe there are several schools that will help with this. It shouldn't be a problem in Bangkok. - Oct 2013
The three or four main English-speaking schools are fully booked and frequently waitlist children, and do not have adequate accommodations for most special needs students. The Village and Rose Marie Academy offer a spectrum of programs for those kids, and their parents have been very pleased with them. - Jul 2013
It varies by school, but I know that Ruamrudee has a good program for special-needs kids. Students in this program must pay a supplement. - Jul 2012
I don't think there is a ton in Bangkok, but I do know a couple of families that have found a plan that works. - Oct 2011
The admissions officer we dealt with at ISB was somewhat of a nightmare. Of about 26 schools contacted around the globe, this was the sole gatekeeper that gave us trouble laced w/ inhospitable tone and forced us to spend thousands of dollars in testing to prove that the school could accommodate a kid who had an IEP showing mild needs and teachers arguing on his behalf that his needs were basic. It was one of the most rigorous, harrowing times of our parenting lives. Once in, the learning support people were lovely and couldn't believe we'd had that trouble since there were plenty of children with special needs being served at ISB. Now that I've been through the process another round with 30+ more schools, I know this official is patently unreasonable and should resign. Good luck to parents with special needs. Hopefully, ISB will be more accommodating. (Patana and NIST were lovely, incidentally.) - Feb 2011
I know at least one parent who has had a good experience with this. - May 2010
The larger international schools (NIST, ISB, Pattana, and Harrow) don't really have anything available other than a basic IS (Intensive Studies) program, which is available to students who are struggling with english (reading & writing, and comprehension). This program is designed to help bring a child up to grade level. Aside from this, many parents hire private tutors, usually a fellow teacher for after school tutoring. We have an 8 1/2 year old son (3rd grader) with ADD/ADHD, and because of this, he struggles in all subjects. We're very fortunate here, in that there are several different options available for those children, where a larger international school wouldn't be such a good match. Regarding schools that are better equipped to handle children with learning disabilities, whether they're academic, language, attentional, social, and or behavioural difficulties, I'd suggest looking into the following schools: Rose Marie Academy, St. Andrew's Academy (several locations/campuses), ELC (Early Learning Center). ATOC (Acorns to Oaks) can accommodate children with Down's Syndrome, as well as Autism. Our son is enrolled at Rose Marie Academy, which has been really good for him. The school is small, with a current enrollment of 70 or so students, and class room sizes are small (6 -8, which offers the students more one-on-one time with the teacher. - Jul 2009
Most of the schools have considerations for special needs students. Ruamrudee is the only school that offers a full program for a wide range of needs. I think the others do accept some kids with SN. - Apr 2009
ISB, NIST and Bangkok Pattana have learning specialists who take care of students with learning issues, but for students who have more needs, I am not sure. I have heard that schools are out there in Bangkok, but I cannot name one off the top of my head. - Feb 2009
