Choosing a preschool in Thailand: eleven questions worth asking
Including several that schools find uncomfortable — which is precisely why they are worth asking.
Joy Stapleton··6 min read
We would rather you chose a school carefully than chose us casually. Here is the list we would use ourselves, including the questions we find awkward.
About the people
1. What training does each teacher actually hold, and where did they do it? “Qualified Montessori educators” without a named qualification is a phrase, not an answer.
2. How many adults are in the room, and for how many children?
3. How long have the staff been here? High turnover in a small school tells you something.
About the day
4. Can I visit during a working morning, unannounced or nearly so?
5. What happens between eight-thirty and midday, specifically?
6. How long is the longest uninterrupted stretch of the day?
7. How much of the day is spent outside?
About the awkward things
8. What is the collection procedure, and what happens if someone I have not named turns up?
9. What is your illness policy, and is it enforced when it is inconvenient?
10. What happens if my child is unhappy for a month?
11. What are your fees, in full, including everything charged separately?
A school that answers all eleven without hesitating is telling you a great deal — and so is one that does not.
Comparing schools in Krabi?
We reply personally, usually within one working day.