At St Andrews International School Bangkok, our mission is to provide an inclusive, international education in a safe, happy, supportive and stimulating environment where all needs of the learner are met. Our dedication to inclusive education is reflected in our non-selective admissions process. We recognise the many factors that may influence the rate at which a child develops academically and socially. Therefore, we strive to have an extensive support network to nurture all our students’ development.
How do we Support our Students?
- One team, one community who work together
- Personalised and stimulating curriculum
- Supportive Therapists & Specialists
- Attentive Learning Support Assistants (LSAs)
- Strong communication with our families
- Opportunities in the community
Special Educational Needs (SEN) Programmes – STARS and Embracing Differences
We created the STARS and Embracing Differences (ED) programmes to support our SEN learners, designing learning around individual students and their needs within a dynamic school environment. The curriculum is delivered at each child’s ‘edge of learning’ and runs alongside comprehensive functional and social skills programmes. This well-balanced approach develops knowledge and understanding throughout their learning at St Andrews.
The STARS and ED Specialists work closely together with students to encourage their strengths and talents. Where there are opportunities to access mainstream classes, we facilitate participation and engagement. The programmes build confidence, relationships, resilience and progressive thinking.
Our Specialists
We use a Transdisciplinary Approach, collaborating closely through child-centred practice. Our Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Art Therapists, Play Therapists and Physiotherapists work with the educational team to highlight how they can develop pupils’ skills across various school learning opportunities. In addition, we offer the Orton-Gillingham (OG) Dyslexia Program.
Tailored Therapy
- Direct one-on-one therapy
- Group therapy, e.g. social Skills, vocational opportunities such as cooking classes
- ‘Push in’ type therapies (e.g. supporting children at lunch/snack time, mainstream class, pool etc.)
- Therapists advise strategies and resources for use at home and school.
We focus on practical and dynamic learning experiences that foster social communication skills and are crucial to curricular tasks.
Learning Support
The school is known for its excellent reputation for Learning Support programmes and its fully differentiated curriculum. Across the school, Learning Support is used in various ways depending on an individual student’s particular needs. This may be through in-class support or withdrawal for small groups or individual work with a Learning Support Assistant or Learning Support Teacher. When needed, children on the Learning Support register have an Individual Education and Health Plan, which class teachers, support teachers and assistants work together to create, implement and track.
Children who require Learning Support are grouped according to their level of need into a three-tiered approach, with Tier 1 children’s needs mainly being met within the universal mainstream provision, Tier 2 children receiving an elevated, targeted approach, and Tier 3 being our most complex students within mainstream and high needs provisions. Children identified as Tier 2 and 3 have a one-page ‘Communication Passport’ and/ or Student Support Plan.
Our school also offers the Orton-Gillingham dyslexia and dyscalculia programme. Trained staff deliver individual and small group programmes to children who are dyslexic and/ or dyscalculic. This has grown over time, with a number of Learning Support staff now trained to deliver this intervention.
We offer a variety of British ASDAN Short Courses, and Functional Skills in English and Maths. The school is also an authorised centre for BTEC programmes for our children who find the more academic IGCSE and IB courses too challenging and need a different style of education. These programmes are part of our alternative pathway to graduation. We also offer the full IBDP and IBCP Senior Studies programmes.
To learn more about our SEN programmes, click here.
For more information, please email us at [email protected] or contact us at +662 381 2387 to arrange a personalised meeting. And to learn more, please visit our website www.standrews.ac.th
