International preparatory school in Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok International Preparatory & Secondary School:
Bangkok International Preparatory & Secondary School located in the heart of Bangkok, southern Thailand has managed to maintain its policy of being a mid-sized international school within a green and natural environment in the heart of Bangkok, offering high quality international education based on the English National Curriculum for its students.

Early Years Foundation Stage:
The Early Years consists of our Pre-Prep and the Reception classes. The Pre-Prep class caters for children who are three years old on or before the 31st August in any given year and the Reception children are four years old on or before the 31st August. These classes have their own curriculum called the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum which was specifically designed to cater for the needs of these young children. Educational research shows that these early years are vitally important in respect to a child´s social, intellectual, physical, and emotional development and indicates that the amount of learning that occurs during this time is proportionally greater than at any other time in their lives.

The curriculum is divided into 6 components:
* personal, social and emotional development
* communication, language and literacy
* problem solving, reasoning and numeracy
* knowledge and understanding of the world
* physical development
* creative development

Play is seen to be an important learning mechanism and children will have opportunities to participate in role play activities, puppet theatres, use small world toys and construction apparatus. They will be developing gross motor skills through using the tricycles, swimming, P.E. and using the climbing equipment. Fine motor skills will be developed through painting, drawing, writing and the use of manipulatives such as beads and craft materials.

We recognise that all children are different and will develop at different rates and this is reflected in our activities and expectations for the children.

The school day runs from 8:00am until 2:00pm and a full and stimulating programme is planned for each day.

We want all children entering our school in the Early Years classes to have very positive first experiences of school. Our aim is that all students who have completed the Early Years programme with us will be fully prepared for their future challenges in Year 1 and that their valuable educational experiences will provide the solid foundation that the rest of their learning can build upon.

Primary and Secondary School:
We are very conscious of the issues of transition between primary and secondary schools and so our Programme of Study supports effective transition between Key Stages 2 and 3 by building on the work done through the National Literacy Strategy in the Primary School. The Year 7 Programme of Study includes the revision and consolidation of objectives in the Primary School, but it also offers new challenges. It promotes year-by-year progression within Key Stage 3 by providing a clear set of expectations for each year, and ensuring that these expectations are challenging enough to contribute to raising standards for students of all abilities.

English
In English we follow the English National Curriculum's framework for teaching English. We believe that effective literacy is the key to raising standards across all subjects, and equipping pupils with the skills and knowledge they need for life beyond school. At Bangkok Prep we provide the students with the ability to recognise, understand and manipulate the conventions of language, and enable them to develop their ability to use language imaginatively and flexibly, and to tie in the development of oral skills with parallel demands in written text.

Mathematics
The mathematics programme of study follows the English National Curriculum's framework for teaching mathematics. The teaching programmes for years seven and eight are organised in six strands. The students are assessed throughout the year at fixed dates, usually the end of each half term. This allows the students to be closely monitored and ensures the work for them is planned and delivered accordingly. The students also sit the optional SAT papers to ensure they have maximum exposure to the style of questioning used in these papers.

Science
In Key Stage Three the curriculum is designed to provide a broad and balanced programme of study based closely upon the English National Curriculum. The aim is for the students to build on their scientific knowledge and understanding from Key Stage 2 and make connections between different areas of Science. Each study unit is taught through a combination of investigation and practical work with emphasis placed upon scientific enquiry.

Information and Communication Technology
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is more vital now than ever. We must ensure that young people have a knowledge and understanding of hardware and software, and also that they can harness the power of the Internet and the rapidly expanding world of digital communications. By giving them the skills and confidence to use ICT effectively, we are making it easier for them to find good jobs.

The students work on a programme called �Complete I.C.T' which takes the students through a variety of tasks. These tasks are set out and designed to provide complete coverage of the English National Curriculum, as well as inspire the students to become more experimental and confident in their use of I.C.T. The programme is also fully interactive and some homework assignments are completed on the internet site. The programme covers the detailed use of the following popular products:
# Windows
# Powerpoint
# Word
# Internet explorer
# Excel
# Publisher
# Access
# Front page

Geography
Geography is the study of places and of the human and natural processes which shape and affect them. It helps students to understand better their world around them and appreciate their environment on a world wide scale. The Geography Programme of study for Key Stage Three adapts the English National Curriculum to reflect the International and local dimensions of where the students live. In Geography, pupils will acquire and apply knowledge and understanding of four main aspects of Geography:

# the ability to undertake geographical enquiry and use geographical skills;
# knowledge and understanding of places;
# knowledge and understanding of geographical patterns and processes;
# knowledge and understanding of environmental change and sustainable development.

Modern Foreign Languages
Learning Foreign Languages is increasingly important in a global economy and also has great value in terms of cultural and linguistic richness in our society, personal fulfilment and global citizenship and understanding. Our students follow closely the English National Curriculum's framework for MFL. A key feature of this is the emphasis it gives to the teaching of thinking skills and to assessment for learning. These help pupils to reach higher levels of attainment and become independent learners.