As I keep telling anybody that will listen, Phuket is by far one of the best places to live in the world – but what about raising and educating children in this tropical paradise?
Good news! Due to a growing demand there are now two major international schools in Phuket; one being the British Internatianal School which is located inland from Royal Phuket Marina towards Loch Palm and Red Mountain golf courses (handy after you drop the kids off). This school is a magnicicant looking building, and boasts fantastic facilities to match. Children are taught following a traditional curriculum; drawing upon the best practices of the English National Curriculum, the Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education and the International Baccalaureate
The other choice is the new Phuket International Academy located in the Thalang district inland from the North of the Laguna region. The journey to it isthrough the lush rubber plantations, and the modern academy has the rainforest hills of the National Park as its back-drop. This new school or Academy as it is called has three centers in one facility operating an open door policy and follows the International Baccalaureate (IB) World School. This is a relatively new program that I personally had never heard of until I had the pleasure of showing some good clients the Academy last week.
As I sat there listening to the admission department explaining the program to my clients, who’s children already follow the same program in Singapore I was left astounded. First of all the centers sports facilities are unrivaled with it’s tennis academy, kids club, basket ball court, Olympic sized swimming pool, Zen garden, Art, Dance, Rugby , a Football Academy run by Brazilian Soccer Schools, Cricket , Athletics track, Arts and Wellness Centre plus a Mind centre. Sailing lessons are planned for later in the year along with a Kids Adventure Zone.
Phuket was recently voted one of the best places in the world to retire to, and now with these two leading schools it will not be long before its voted alongside the best places in the world to educate children.
And if you do have a child studying at school in Thailand you can apply for a guardian visa.
More information on the Phuket Academy can be found on their web site www.phuketinternationalacademy.com
More Information on the International Baccalaureate program can be found at www.ibo.org
More information on the British School can be found at www.bisphuket.ac.th
