Leadership for a better world

Harrow International School, Bangkok is a Kindergarten -Year13 Independent School which follows a traditional British curriculum. It has 1,250 pupils on roll.

A Harrow education is a broad one, enabling pupils to fulfil their academic potential and enjoy many activities outside the classroom. The school is situated on a spacious campus in Don Muang and the facilities are excellent, including those for boarding. The teachers are primarily from the UK and very well qualified; many of them live on site or close to the school in the local area. This enables a strong sense of community to develop.

There are 35 nationalities in the student body and links with the other schools in the Foundation are strong. There are also good relationships with other International Schools in Bangkok. Harrow Bangkok is a thriving, energetic school which promotes individual development within a caring, supportive, international community.

Organisation of the School
Harrow International School is organised into three sections: Primary , Preparatory and Secondary which together share the Don Muang campus. The age range of children attending the school is from 18 months in the Little Lions Parent and Toddler Group to 18+ years in Year 13, when students graduate from the school.  Each section of the school has its own Head  who is supported by middle management teams, class teachers/tutors and specialist staff. He or she is responsible to the Head Master while retaining considerable autonomy.

To ensure consistency and a gradual transition from the homeroom based approach of Primary to the subject specialisation of Secondary, the Preparatory School has been established, in a dedicated area on the campus, for Year 6 and Year 7 students.

The curriculum, physical organization and facilities are appropriate to the needs of the children and allow for progression between each stage. The extensive facilities include science and IT laboratories, art, music and drama studios,  a large sports hall, 25 metre swimming pool, fitness centre, tennis courts, extensive playing fields and an air-conditioned canteen.

The Curriculum
At Harrow International School students are challenged to achieve the highest academic standards appropriate to his or her potential. The curriculum is broad and balanced and ensures that children have the skills and knowledge to develop as young learners seeking identity, belonging and purpose.

In the Early Years Centre (Pre K, K1 and K2)the curriculum is based on the UK Early Years Foundation Course which enables children to learn through a variety of activities; it is child centred and very successful in establishing, as its name suggests, excellent foundations for learning and behaviour In Key Stages 1, 2 and 3 (Year groups 1 to 9) students at Harrow follow the National Curriculum of England and Wales as the foundation curriculum. This is adapted, as appropriate, to reflect the fact that the school has 34 different nationalities and is based in Thailand.

At its core the curriculum has the development of Literacy, Numeracy and Science skills and knowledge. In order that the curriculum is broad and balanced, children experience a range of subjects taught by the class teacher or by specialist teachers according to age group. Subjects include Information Communication Technology (ICT), History, Geography, Art, Music, Physical Education (PE), Art, Thai Studies and Personal Health and Social Education (PHSE). Modern Foreign Languages, including French, Japanese, Korean and Mandarin, are introduced in Key Stage 1.

Students  in Years 10 and 11 prepare for the International General Certificate of Secondary Education IGCSE)with the final examinations being taken after two years of study. Many of the top Independent Schools in the UK study IGCSEs as they are seen as rigorous and an excellent preparation for A-level. At Harrow all students must study English and Mathematics as compulsory subjects, as well as a Modern Foreign Language and options from the Sciences, Humanities and the Arts. Students are expected to study at least eight examination subjects.

At 16 students move into the Sixth Form and begin a two year course studying A-levels; upto 5 subjects are studied in Year 12 and examined at the end of the year (AS). In Year 13 most students opt to continue to study 3 of those subjects and these are examined at the end of the year(A2). The final  grade reflects performance in both AS and A2 although the top grades require a very high level of performance in A2. UK Universities use A-level performance to offer places.

A-levels are rigorous and challenging and are an excellent basis for study at any of the world’s top universities; all such institutions accept them as the basis for entry. Students are encouraged to enjoy studying subjects in their own right and not merely as a means of gaining entry to university.