Secondary School

Parent Handbookwww.standrews-schools.com

Green Valley

WELCOME 2

From the Head of Secondary

St. Andrews Mission Statement

PROGRAMME OVERVIEW 5

Years 7-13

Professional Development of Staff

Library

Form Groups, Tutor time and assemblies

ASSESSMENT AND REPORTING 9

Reporting Procedures and Parent/Teacher

Conferences

DEVELOPING INDEPENDENCE 10

At Break Times

Home-School Communication

Looking After Belongings

Lockers

Personal Items at School

Mobile Phones at school

Lost Property

Homework

Parents Absent from home

SCHOOL SUPPORT SERVICES 13

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

STUDENT SERVICES 14

The Canteen

Transportation

Health

SUPPORTIVE SCHOOL 16

ENVIRONMENT

Student Council

Behaviour Management

Class Placements

Emergency Evacuation

Security

Cleaning and Cleaning Staff

EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES 18

The Activities Programme

Lunchtime and Interschool Sports

Programmes

Cultural Celebrations

SCHOOL LIFE 19

The School Calendar

Timings of the School Day

Playgrounds and break Duty

Dress Code

Makeup and jewellery

Laptops and similar devices

Arrival at School

Absence from School or Late Arrival

Early Departure

Extended Absence

Field Trips

School Photographs

Student Visitors

Using the Campus After School

REFERENCE 22

New to the Country?

- 1 -

Contents

- 2 -

The Secondary School runs from Year 7 (11 year olds) to Year 13 (18 year olds) and we

have approximately 160 students of 30 nationalities. As with the school as a whole,

the Secondary section has seen a growth in numbers over the last few years and this

continues as we expand into 2 form entry up to Year 11 this year.

Although the school continues to expand, it is our philosophy that the best schools

are not necessarily the biggest. We love the welcoming family atmosphere we have at

present and we don’t want to lose it. As a result we strive to keep class sizes small and

we limit ourselves to 2 form entry. Class sizes in the Secondary School are capped at 20

students, although we will theoretically allow classes to increase to 22 students due to

sibling places.

There are 29 full time and 3 part time teachers working in the Secondary School, all

of whom are highly experienced in Secondary education. Each holds a degree and an

appropriate teacher training qualifi cation. They have wide experience of international

education and all except those that teach modern foreign languages have taught in the

UK. We have deliberately recruited staff who share the same philosophy of education

and they work hard to make St. Andrews what it is.

As with most international schools we see students come and go throughout the year,

but our most active times are the start and end of our academic year (August/July).

Former students are studying around the world at the present time in a diverse range

of schools and universities within a number of diff erent educational systems. We work

closely with transferring students and their families to ensure a smooth progression to

their new school. Former graduates of our IB Diploma Programme are currently studying

at Universities in Europe, Asia and Australia, each following their chosen academic path.

Welcome to St Andrews, we hope that your time with us will be a happy and memorable

one.

Best regards

Neil Wrightson

Head of Secondary

St. Andrews is an IB World School fully accredited by the Centre for British Teaching

Welcome

- 3 -

INQUIRERS

They develop their natural curiosity.

They acquire the skills necessary to

conduct inquiry and research and show

independence in learning. They actively

enjoy learning and this love of learning

will be sustained throughout their lives.

KNOWLEDGE

They explore concepts, ideas and issues

that have local and global signifi cance.

In so doing, they acquire in-depth

knowledge and develop understanding

across a broad and balanced range of

disciplines.

THINKERS

They exercise initiative in applying

thinking skills critically and creatively

to recognize and approach complex

problems, and make reasoned, ethical

decisions.

COMMUNICATORS

They understand and express ideas and

information confi dently and creatively in

more than one language and in a variety

of modes of communication. They work

eff ectively and willingly in collaboration

with others.

PRINCIPLED

They act with integrity and honesty, with

a strong sense of fairness, justice and

respect for the dignity of the individual,

groups and communities. They take

responsibility for their own actions and

the consequences that accompany

them.

OPEN-MINDED

They understand and appreciate their

own cultures and personal histories,

and are open to the perspectives, values

and traditions of other individuals and

communities. They are accustomed to

seeking and evaluating a range of points

of view, and are willing to grow from the

experience.

CARING

They show empathy, compassion

and respect towards the needs and

feelings of others. They have a personal

commitment to service, and act to make

a positive diff erence to the lives of others

and to the environment.

RISK-TAKERS

They approach unfamiliar situations

and uncertainty with courage and

forethought, and have the independence

of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and

Mission Statement

To develop independent, confi dent lifelong learners.

To this end the school supports the Learner Profi le from the International

Baccalaureate. These outcomes are the driving force behind each and every

classroom interaction.

The aim is to develop internationally minded people who recognise their place

in the world and their need to make it a better place.

- 4 -

strategies. They are brave and articulate

in defending their beliefs.

BALANCED

They understand the importance of

intellectual, physical and emotional

balance to achieve personal well being

for themselves and others.

REFLECTIVE

They give thoughtful consideration

to their own learning and experience.

They are able to assess and understand

their strengths and limitations in order

to support their learning and personal

development.

CREATIVE

They develop their natural need to ‘try

out’ and ‘be what they can’. They are not

afraid to experiment with media and to

place themselves in diff ering situations

that drive their abilities to express and

perform.

- 5 -

Programme

Overview

We are an English medium school

that broadly uses the English National

Curriculum as its basis in Years 7, 8 and

9. This is modifi ed to refl ect the diverse

international community at St Andrews.

All students use English to unlock this

curriculum. Students are supported

in their English development with the

key purpose of interacting with the

curriculum.

In Years 10 and 11 our students

study a range of subjects leading to

external examinations off ered by either

Cambridge University or the EDEXCEL

organization, based in the UK. These (I)

GCSE (International General Certifi cate of

Secondary Education) Examinations are

widely accepted throughout the world as

a reliable indicator of a student’s ability.

Our students usually study between 7

and 10 subjects at this level, depending

on ability and interest.

In years 12 and 13 our students study for

the International Baccalaureate Diploma

Programme off ered by the International

Baccalaureate Organisation based in

Switzerland. Success at I.B. level allows

our students access to high quality

universities throughout the world.

Summary of Subjects taught within

the Secondary school:

ENGLISH

English is the common medium in which

our students operate. It permeates

the entire school day. Students learn

English, learn through English and learn

about English. Our curriculum includes

both verbal and written communication.

All students of Secondary age must

understand English to a high enough

level to allow them to access all subjects.

Intermediate Level and Advanced

Level support are off ered to students

in Years 7-9 by our EAL department at

additional cost. Levels of English are

assessed before a student is accepted

into the school and additional English

support may be a condition upon

entry. The majority of our students take

IGCSE English as a Second language 2

years early in Year 9. Their success has

enabled the vast majority of our students

to be studying First Language English

and Literature during Years 10 and 11.

At IB level students either study English

A1 ( First Languge) or English B ( Second

Language.)

MATHEMATICS

Mathematics is viewed as a way

of thinking and a language for

understanding and constructing

meaning. It gives students another way

to think and another language to use.

There are six strands in our Mathematics

curriculum which have equal importance

and are necessary for the development

of the whole child. These strands are

data handling, measurement, number,

pattern and function, space and shape

and working mathematically.

SCIENCE

Students study a range of units which

encompass all three of the sciences;

biology, chemistry and physics. In Y7-9

Each unit lasts approximately 2-3 weeks

and we cover about eleven units a year.

Students also engage in scientifi c

- 6 -

investigations by making accurate

observations, handling instruments,

recording and comparing data, and

formulating explanations using their

own scientifi c experiences and those

of others. Students will gain experience

in testing their own hypotheses and

think critically about the perspectives of

others in order to further develop their

own ideas.

GEOGRAPHY

Geography at St. Andrews looks at

many contemporary issues that face the

world and how we can deal with them.

It teaches students that we are part of a

global community and that we can play

a vital role in molding the future. We look

at environmental, human and economic

changes in in the planet and understand

why this is happening and how it will

eff ect communities in the future

HISTORY

In order for students to understand

about the world and their life today it is

important for students to know how the

world developed and where they came

from. History gives students the skills

in order to do this. Our History course

deals with not only historical content,

but perhaps more importantly the

transferable skills necessary for piecing

together and analysing what happened

in the past.

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH

EDUCATION (PSHE)

An essential element in the development

of a young person – where students

understand their own physical

development as well as making sense of

the social and emotional issues facing

them as they grow into young adults.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Through PE students are able to build their

self-esteem, confi dence, cooperation

and fi tness. They are all included in

activities that build skills, knowledge and

understanding that can be transferred to

their own physical interests outside of

the school programme.

VISUAL ART

Visual Art aims to encourage a personal

response by stimulating imagination,

sensitivity, conceptual thinking, powers

of observation and analytical ability.

It is hoped that students will gain

confi dence and enthusiasm as they

develop technical skills in two and three

dimensional form and learn to identify

and solve visual design problems.

The creative process aims to show

students how to develop ideas from

initial attempts to fi nal solutions. This

subject is obviously concerned with the

development of visual perception and is

an essential form of communication and

a means of expressing one’s ideas and

feelings.

DRAMA

Students have the opportunity to develop

self awareness and self confi dence

through action in Drama. The subject

helps students to think logically and

develop ways in which to communicate

their ideas to others.

MUSIC

Music is studied through practical-based

performance, composition and listening

activities and plays a vital role in the

personal development of the student. It

encourages self-discipline and develops

- 7 -

self-esteem, creativity and teamwork.

It also promotes problem-solving and

analytical skills and aids gross and fi ne

motor development. As an integral part

of cultures, past and present, Music

helps pupils to understand the world

around them.

ADDITIONAL LANGUAGES

Apart from English, there are four

languages taught at St Andrews. Your

language choice will depend on your

nationality and background.

THAI

Thai is off ered at three diff erent levels; for

those new to Thai, those with some Thai

and those who are native Thai speakers.

Thai is taught following Thai government

guidelines.

Under current Thai Law, Thai is

compulsory for Thai students. Thai for

foreigners is mainly off ered to Asian

students and other students will normally

study French.

FRENCH

French is off ered to non-Thai students

as a foreign language. This language

choice is strongly recommended if you

are non-Asian.

Non-Asian students willing to learn

Thai instead of French must justify their

reason for doing so. They should also

note that they will have fewer IGCSE

choices in year 11.

For French native speakers, a private

tutor may be available to teach during or

after school time (at extra cost).

DUTCH

These lessons are available for Dutch or

Belgium students for whom Dutch is their

fi rst language. The lessons are off ered

to students from Reception through to

Secondary School.

The Dutch lessons are structured

according to the benchmarks for Dutch

language set by the Dutch Government

and Inspector of Education. Our aim is

to provide lessons that will enable your

child to read, write and comprehend the

Dutch language.

To enable the Dutch Department to

achieve these standards, a Dutch

specifi c classroom is located in block 1.

The Dutch Department is fi nancially

supported by the Dutch government.

This enables us to keep the Dutch

curriculum up to date and supports our

library and other resources regarding

Dutch lessons.

For more information you can contact

the Dutch Department, by sending an

e-mail to:

dutchstream@standrews-schools.com

or, by calling:

(038 893 716 – 8, 038 893 719) and ask

for ext: 202

MANDARIN

This class includes the handling of

Mandarin phonetics and the system

of hanyu pin-yin. This class allows

students to obtain fundamental skills in

listening, speaking, reading and writing,

as well as introducing everyday useful

phrases that would be conducive for

basic communications in Mandarin.

Lastly, it serves to inspire, motivate

- 8 -

and encourage students to study

Mandarin further, whilst consolidating

the foundation of their study in Mandarin

to adequately prepare them for future

pursuits of the language

INFORMATION COMMUNICATION

TECHNOLOGY

ICT is a tool which facilitates and

enhances learning so it is incorporated

into all curriculum areas by the teachers.

In addition to this, students also receive

specifi c ICT lessons from specialist

teachers to further develop their skills. In

years 7-9 students have a double lesson

per week with the ICT specialists and in

year 10-11 they have the option to study

for the IGCSE ICT course. The school

has 3 ICT labs and additional computers

in subject areas which are all networked

and connected to the internet. The IB

students are currently issued with their

own netbooks.

Professional

Development of

staff

St. Andrews is committed to the

professional development of their staff

be they teachers or support staff .

To this end, Teachers attend workshops

locally and internationally. Some of this

development happens on non-contact

days, some when students are on

holidays and some whilst school is in

session.

Library

The library supports the information and

recreational reading needs of the school

community. The library is based in the

CORE building.

The six guiding principles of the

library are:

• Information Literac y : to develop

students’ skills in fi nding and using

information independently

• Reading: to develop confi dence and

enjoyment of literature

• Access: to access information within

and beyond the school

• Service: to ensure that library users

are supported and welcome

• Information Resources: to provide a

wide variety of information resources

including extensive use of ICT

• Place: to offer a stimulating and

comfor table environment for the

school community to share

A main goal of the library is to build upon

its small collection. We continue to add

stock to the library on a regular basis,

especially in relation to research material

required for older students. It is a slow

but continuous process.

Parents are asked to help their children to

be responsible borrowers by encouraging

them to keep books in a set place and

return them on time. Any book that is

not returned to the library within seven

days becomes overdue. Notices are sent

out regularly from the library to remind

borrowers to return the item before new

books may be borrowed. Users will be

charged for the replacement cost of any

lost book/s.

- 9 -

BOOK CLUBS

Helping students learn to read and love

reading is a team eff ort. In order to do

this we use Baker Books. They provide

good quality books to families through a

mail-order system. Baker Books orders

are distributed through the library staff .

BOOK FAIRS

A book fair is regularly organised during

our book week.

Form groups,

Tutor time and

Assemblies

FORM GROUPS

Each Secondary school student is placed

in a form group. Students in Years 7, 8, 9,

10 and 11 have one 40 minute period per

week where their form meets together

specifi cally for the purpose of pastoral

care and assemblies.

FORM TUTORS

Each group has a teacher who acts

as their form tutor. Every morning the

tutor meets with the class to undertake

administrative tasks such as marking the

register, as well as pastoral duties such

as checking student planners etc.

The form tutor is the fi rst person that both

students and parents should contact

when there are issues that aff ect a child.

ASSEMBLIES

At specifi c times assemblies are

held where all Secondary students

or groups of students meet together

to share experiences and celebrate

achievements.

WHOLE SCHOOL ASSEMBLIES

These involve everyone from Nursery

through to Year 13. These assemblies

happen at Loy Krathong and Songkran,

Christmas and at the end of the school

year.

SPECIAL EVENTS

These will be called to feature guest

artists from the community and beyond,

to share school-wide initiatives or

celebrate school-wide success.

Assessment and

Reporting

REPORTING PROCEDURES AND

PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES

We believe that all students, parents and

teachers are partners in education. We all

work together to make sure our students

attain their benchmark expectations.

Reporting on student progress takes

place continually as part of the teaching

and learning process and teachers work,

as an integrated part of their teaching,

with students to evaluate successes and

plan new goals.

In addition to providing regular, valuable

feedback to students, a schedule of

regular reports ensures that parents

remain informed about their child’s

progress. Teachers also contact parents

to report on achievement or to inform

parents of concerns or changes in their

child’s progress.

We encourage discussions about

learning to occur with the teacher, child

and parent together as this encourages

responsibility and continued learning.

- 10 -

However parents are welcome to

arrange an appointment with their child’s

teacher at any time should they wish to

talk about their child’s learning alone. We

ask that parents do not ask for a meeting

without prior arrangement in order to

allow teachers to focus on teaching and

learning during the school day.

In addition to meetings requested by

parents and teachers the following are

scheduled reporting times:

•

•

•

•

Settling-in Reports – After

approximately one month at school

each new child to St Andrews

receives a settling in report. This

report tells you how your child

has adapted to the new schooling

situation. No academic grades are

shown on this report as it is usually

far too early for us to be able to show

academic achievement accurately

within such a short period.

At the end of term one and term

two teachers complete a ‘bullet

point’ assessment of each child’s

progress indicating eff ort and

achievement. This is followed up

by a conference with each child’s

parents. A non-contact day is used

to complete this task. This gives both

teachers and parents the opportunity

to interact freely.

In term three a narrative report is

completed by teachers. This report

refl ects on the child’s development

throughout the year and is invaluable

when transferring schools.

Leaving Reports – are completed

upon request for a child who leaves

mid-term. This report gives an up-to-

date picture of the child’s

development. Leaving reports can

only be completed if the school

receives written notifi cation that a

child is leaving well in advance of the

departure date.

Developing

Independence

AT BREAK TIMES

The playground is a learning environment

as important as the structured activities

we provide for students in the classroom.

We promote opportunities for students

to experiment with things they have

learned and to problem solve. This can

occur using sports equipment, through

the creation of imaginative games or

through social interactions during break

and lunch times.

When students engage in these activities

they might end up grubby, they might

also end up with bumps or bruises. This

often comes as a result of exploring the

limits of their own experience. Through

a strong commitment to the Learner

Profi le, we support students as they

explore, learn and negotiate their way

through experiences on the playground

and with their peers.

Teachers are outside on duty but they

will only interfere in a game if they are

requested or if the game is deemed

dangerous to the student’s health.

- 11 -

Home-School

Communication

PARENT ADVICE/PERMISSION

Letters from parents are required

regarding:

• A child’s absence from school

• A child’s not taking part in school

activities

• Students going on fi eld trips.

Students cannot par ticipate in a

fi eld trip without parental permission.

• Parents requesting the nurse give

medication to their child

• Informing school of any temporary

issues relating to uniform

CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN

TEACHERS AND PARENTS

STUDENT PLANNERS

These books move from class to class

and between home and school on a

daily basis. Both Teachers and Parents

communicate using this book. Students

also use this book to record their

homework. Please check these books at

least weekly and sign them to show this.

Form tutors will do the same.

CURRICULUM LETTERS

These letters go out near the start of a

new term and give you an idea of what

your child will study over the next few

months. A copy of the curriculum letter

will also go to the Receptionist, who will

translate any information if required.

THAI BYTES – THE SCHOOL

NEWSLETTER

This usually comes out every month.

All teachers and students are able to

contribute and articles keep you up to

date with what is happening in school.

SPOTLIGHT ON SECONDARY- THE

SECONDARY SCHOOL NEWS SHEET

This usually goes out bi-weekly and

informs parents of activities that are

specifi cally related to Secondary

students.

WEBSITE

The school website:

www.standrewsgreenvalley.com is now

updated on a weekly basis and a lot of

information can be found there. Please

have a look on a regular basis.

Looking after

Belongings

From as early as nursery students are

encouraged to take responsibility for

their belongings. Nevertheless items

often end up in lost property and we

don’t know who they belong to. All items

that come from home are required to be

labeled clearly with the child’s name.

Remember, all white socks look the

same when they are off a foot!

Lockers

All students of secondary age are

allocated a locker. This is for them to

store their books etc and to help them

become more organized. Lockers are

also the only place where valuable items

such as cell phones etc should be kept.

- 12 -

Each student must provide their own

padlock with 3 keys. (one for the student,

one as a spare at home and one given to

their form tutor, which can be used in the

event of the fi rst key being lost). If a key is

lost, the student must get a replacement

made at the earliest possible opportunity.

Personal items at

School

Students get excited when a new craze

starts and they may wish to bring items

to school to share with their friends.

When these items come to school they

are sometimes lost, broken or swapped

unwisely. Teachers then have to spend

time trying to resolve these issues

instead of teaching your child. Often

there is no resolution to these problems

and it causes undue stress both at

school and at home.

We would therefore prefer that these

items stay at home.

If you allow your child to bring these items

to school, we will not take responsibility

for them. Your child will be responsible

for any loss or damage.

Mobile phones at

school

We recognise that students of Secondary

age and some of their parents may wish

that they carry a mobile phone with them.

All Secondary students MUST switch off

their mobile phones whilst in school and

keep them locked in their locker until the

end of the school day. Cell phones are

valuable items and we do not wish to

have them getting lost or damaged.

If a child needs to call home during the

school day they may do so from the

school offi ce. This has the advantage

that we are aware of any issues and we

can therefore help should a parent need

to call back. Parents too may call the

school offi ce to pass on vital messages

to their children. Please do not contact

your child by mobile phone during the

school day as inevitably we end up

with lockers ringing when a student has

forgotten to turn their phone off . A sure

way to interrupt learning!

Students who are found carrying a

mobile phone during the school day will

have them taken and stored safely in

the offi ce safe. These may be collected

at the end of the day for a fi rst ‘off ence’

or the end of the week for subsequent

‘off ences’.

Please support us and encourage your

child to leave his/her cell-phone at home

if at all possible as they are not needed

during the school day.

Lost Property

Lost property will be sent to the front

offi ce or the Head of Secondary’s offi ce.

Please contact the offi ce regarding

anything your child has lost. Periodically

lost items will be laid out in the foyer to

encourage students to ‘fi nd’ their losses.

By labeling everything your child brings

from home you are assuring it is returned

much sooner.

- 13 -

Homework

Homework is an integral part of the

learning process. Students develop

successful independent learning

behaviours by participating in relevant

homework. As lessons in class are

diff erentiated so is the homework your

child completes. They should fi nd

success within the structure provided

and if they are struggling we have

allowed time for students to ask for help.

We hope that all homework tasks build

connections between home and school.

All homework given out has a deadline

set. This deadline allows your child

enough time to ask for help from their

teacher. Homework must usually be

attempted the night it is set to allow your

child this opportunity.

We do not operate a strict homework

timetable as it is not educationally sound

to set a piece of homework just because

it happens to be a particular day of

the week. To be eff ective, homework

must be valued by the students as

helping their learning and not just

some pointless chore to be endured.

Students are therefore given homework

where it is appropriate to their learning

and they record it in their planners.

Students are increasingly expected to

plan their studies at home to avoid being

overloaded on one night and then having

nothing to do on another. This requires

your help and support, hence we ask you

to check their planners regularly. If a child

has not been set a specifi c homework

task, we expect them to be reviewing

their work done in class and reading as

much as possible. All students should be

doing this every night.

Parents Absent

from Home

On rare occasions you may have to leave

home. During this time we would advise

that you appoint a temporary guardian

who is responsible for your child during

this absence. This guardian will act in

loco-parentis and they may have to

work with the school regarding your

child’s social, emotional or intellectual

development, support the school in

dealing with issues that arise or take

responsibility in case of accident or

injury.

Please write a letter to the school in

advance, addressed to Mr. Wrightson,

informing us of this and giving the

guardians contact details. He will let

teachers know that you are away from

home and another responsible adult is

temporarily in guardianship.

School Support

Services

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

We currently have up to one third of

our students on the EAL register. These

students are classifi ed using the Neale

Scale into Beginners, Intermediate

and Advanced users. Five teachers

are employed to meet the needs of the

school population. Ruth Mullan is the

EAL coordinator and she works along-

side teachers supporting these students.

She can be contacted at rmullan@

standrews-schools.com if you wish to

discuss any issue in regard to EAL.

- 14 -

Special Educational

Needs (SEN)

Special Educational Needs caters for

students who are:

• Educational ly able – Gif ted and

Talented

• Students who need support to

achieve benchmark expectations.

The numbers of students registered

continually changes as does their need

for support.

Lidia Hewitt is the SEN coordinator

(lhewitt@standrews-schools.com) and

works along-side teachers supporting

these students.

There is a specifi c process that teachers

are required to follow in regard to SEN

and parents are involved once several

intervention strategies have been tried

with little success.

Student Services

THE CANTEEN

Khun Penny (pennyb@standrews-

schools.com) operates the canteen. She

provides morning snacks and lunches

to all students and adults who wish to

purchase meals from her.

At morning break students may purchase

their snacks from near the hard court.

At lunch time the students walk to the

canteen to eat lunch. The canteen is a 2

minute walk from Block 2. The students

line up and select their food, then sit

quietly and eat. There is always a teacher

on duty in the canteen to supervise the

students whilst they eat.

Billing is between each family and Khun

Penny. The school does not participate

in this structure. Khun Penny is available

in the school offi ce each morning so that

canteen bills can be paid. Parents are

encouraged to pay these bills in person

as sending money with students can

sometimes be problematic.

Vegetarianism and allergies can be

catered for. Please make sure that Khun

Penny is aware of your preferences as

soon as possible.

Using the canteen is not compulsory.

You may choose to send food to school

with your child if you wish. Your child will

still eat with their classmates.

Transportation

The school provides transportation if this

is required. We manage the bus service

and maintain a high quality of provision.

In an attempt to make this accessible to

all students the school does not charge

for the management of the bus service.

The cost of the transportation depends

upon the area covered by each bus and

the use of expressways.

The current list of transportation charges

is available from the school offi ce. These

and any other enquiries regarding buses

should be directed to Khun Nadda.

naddac@standrews-schools.com

All students are permitted to travel on the

school buses.

We aim to provide a school bus service

that is safe, reliable and effi cient.

- 15 -

Each bus has a Driver and a Bus Monitor.

The bus should not leave without both

members of the team. Bus Monitors are

in mobile phone contact with the school

at all times. Students are expected to

show respect to both members of the

bus team.

All buses are air-conditioned, have seat

belts and television/video/DVD players.

We are happy for students to take it

in turns to bring their own videos for

viewing. Only U Certifi cate movies are

permitted.

Students are expected to wear a seat

belt whenever they are on a bus. Bus

Monitors are required to make sure they

are fastened safely when leaving home/

leaving on a school trip/leaving school.

Students are not permitted to unbuckle

during the journey.

LEAVING HOME IN THE MORNING

You will be given a pick-up schedule.

Please make sure your child is ready

and waiting for the bus. If you are late

then everyone on that route is late. Bus

Monitors will log the time your child gets

on the bus. If your family is continually

late for the bus we will call you and ask

for an explanation. Continued lateness

may mean that we are no longer able to

provide a service for your family.

ARRIVAL AT SCHOOL

Buses arrive at the front of the school

and over near the hard court. They will

start arriving from about 8.00am.

Health

A clinic staff ed by registered nurses

is located on the ground fl oor of the

administration building. A log is kept of

all treatment and parents are notifi ed of

every visit a child makes. If an accident

or injury occurs, the nurse will call you as

soon as possible.

ILLNESS

We are concerned about your child’s

health and safety at all times. We try

very hard to make sure they have a safe

environment in which to work and play.

We would also like St. Andrews to be a

healthy place to work and we ask you to

keep your child at home if they are ill or

have a fever. Any infectious diseases or

any change in your child’s health status

should be communicated to the school.

Please make sure that all absences from

school are communicated in written form

– both notes and email are acceptable.

INJURIES

The School Nurse will call parents in

the event that a child needs to go home

due to illness or injury. In the event of

a serious injury or illness, the nurse

will contact you so that your child can

be transported to hospital for further

attention. (Bangkok Pattaya or Bangkok

Rayong) If necessary, the nurse or

designated person will accompany your

child to the hospital and meet you there.

MEDICATION AT SCHOOL

The School Nurse must administer all

medication during school hours. Please

make sure this advice comes in a written

note with your name clearly stated at

- 16 -

the bottom including your signature.

All medicines must be in their original

container, clearly labeled in English/

Thai with your child’s name and dosage

to be given. A few over-the-counter

medications (i.e. Panadol, Ibuprofen) are

available and can be given if parental

permission is on fi le.

MEDICAL RECORDS

It is very important that the School Nurse

has complete, updated medical records

for all students. Please complete and

submit the medical forms with your

enrolment forms and keep us updated

of any new conditions or immunisations.

Also, be sure to keep the school updated

with work, home and mobile numbers

of parents/guardians and emergency

contact information.

ILLNESSES AND EXCLUSION FROM

SCHOOL

St. Andrews exclusion for the following

illnesses are:

• Measles 7 days from the

appearance of rash

• German Measles 5 days from the

appearance of rash

• Chicken Pox 5 days from the

appearance of rash

• Mumps 1 0 d a y s f r o m

onset of symptoms

• School Sores M u s t b e f u l l y

covered and

approved by nurse

• Ring Worm M u s t b e f u l l y

covered and

approved by nurse

• Head Lice Until treated

• Virus Above 37.5

degrees Celsius

SUN SENSE

A small amount of sun can be healthy but

too much can lead to painful burns and

sun-stroke. We are continually planting

trees to help overcome the lack of shade

on the campus and providing artifi cial

shade for your child to play in.

All students are encouraged to have a

hat to wear outside and to carry a water

bottle from lesson to lesson and at break

times. Your child may drink at anytime

and there are times when we will ask

them to drink to prevent dehydration.

These two items are considered to be

the major preventors of sun-stroke.

Supportive School

Environment

STUDENT LEADERSHIP

Student Council

The Student Councils have

representatives from Year 1 through

to Year 13. These students make

decisions on behalf of the students in

the school. Their decisions are fed to the

Management Team for notifi cation and

ratifi cation before they are acted upon.

They also run assemblies and drive their

collective initiatives.

Behaviour

Management

There are four ‘rules’ that we follow in the

school. These are depicted in four words:

• Honest

• Responsible

• Respectful

• Safe

- 17 -

Class Placements

Teachers’ professional judgment is

sought in placing students in classes

for the new academic year. As many

perspectives as possible are considered

when placing students.

Elements that are taken into account

include:

EAL needs

SEN needs

Behaviour of each child

Ethnicity

Sex

Friendship groups

Emergency

Evacuation

Established procedures exist for staff

and students to follow in the event of a

need to evacuate the school buildings.

In such circumstances, the safety of all

community members on campus is of

paramount importance.

Emergency evacuation procedures

are laminated posters found in each

classroom. All members of the

community are expected to follow them

once the alarm bell has been rung. Please

proceed to the designated assembly

points and wait for instructions.

Students and Teachers regularly practice

these procedures in case of an unlikely

event occurring.

Security

The school has four security staff . Two

work at night and the other two during the

day. The Head of Security is Khun Udom.

He can be found on the security desk

as you walk on the campus. He speaks

basic English and will do anything he can

to help you.

A sticker system operates for vehicles.

All vehicles with a school sticker have

free access to the campus. Other

vehicles may be required to sign in and

out as they arrive and leave the Green

Valley entrance.

Cleaning and

Cleaning Staff

The Head Cleaner is Khun Noi. She also

runs the Uniform Shop. Any concerns

and issues regarding cleanliness should

be sent to her directly. Cleaners start

work at 7.30am and fi nish at 5.00pm.

Teachers are responsible for getting

students to clean obvious debris from

the fl oors and surfaces at the end of

the school day. Students are expected

to tidy up after themselves at all times.

This includes washing paint brushes and

cleaning up general spills.

Cleaners are available all day. They have

breakfast at 9.30am for 30 minutes. They

have lunch after classes resume at lunch

time. This is for 1 hour. There is always a

cleaner available. Most cleaning happens

after school once students have left for

home.

- 18 -

Extra Curricular

Activities

THE ACTIVITIE PROGRAMME

A variety of activities are off ered by

school staff and the community. They

include a wide-range of sporting, cultural

and social options for students at on

Thursday afternoons, lunchtime, after

school and on the weekend.

Most teaching staff are expected to run

an activity and parents are encouraged to

off er their skills to enrich the programme

further.

Activities change termly, please ask

for details of our current activities

programme. Jeff LaMantia is the teacher

responsible for organizing the activities

programme and he can be contacted at

jlamantia@standrews-schools.com

Lunchtime and

Interschool Sport

Programmes

Sport plays an important part in

our students’ lives. Many teams are

organised for internal and external

competition. These competitions happen

at lunch time and after school. The PE

Department will notify Parents of up-

coming competitions, so that they are

fully informed.

Cultural

Celebrations

St. Andrews has a diverse community

and a wide range of languages and

cultures are represented within our staff ,

students and parents. We value this

mosaic of diversity. We believe that it is

important to educate our community so

that we all understand the uniqueness

of our own culture and our relationships

with the culture of others. Additionally

we value the culture of Thailand as our

host country. We do not however favour

one culture over another in an eff ort to

respect all and celebrate our cultural

diversity.

- 19 -

THE SCHOOL CALENDAR

This is distributed in term three every school year. This will be sent via email and posted

on the school website.

Timings of the school day

MONDAY-WEDNESDAY

8.00 am Morning Meeting for staff , student busses begin to arrive

8.15 am Students go to lockers

8.20 am Students to form rooms for registration and tutor activities

8.40 am Lessons Begin

10.40-11.00 am Morning Break

12.20 -1.20 pm Lunch

3.20 pm Home time for students (2.40pm on Fridays)

THURSDAY

8.00 am Morning Meeting for staff , student busses begin to arrive

8.15 am Students go to lockers

8.20 am Students to form rooms

8.40 am Lessons Begin

10.40-11.00 am Morning Break

12.20 -1.00 pm Lunch

3.20 pm Home time for students

FRIDAY

8.00 am Morning Meeting for staff , student busses begin to arrive

8.15 am Students go to lockers

8.20 am Students to form rooms

8.40 am Lessons Begin

10.40-11.00 am Morning Break

12.20 -1.00 pm Lunch

3.00 pm Home time for students

School Life

- 20 -

MAKEUP AND JEWELLERY

School is not the place for makeup or

jewellery and we expect students to

present themselves in a manner that is

both smart and appropriate to a place of

education. Students should not come to

school wearing obvious makeup and if

they do so, they will be asked to remove

it immediately (makeup includes eye-

shadow, lipstick, coloured nail varnish

etc).

Students are actively discouraged from

wearing jewellery due to the fact that it

can pose a danger to both the wearer

and others. In addition jewellery is often

of great sentimental or fi nancial value and

its loss or damage can be very upsetting.

At the same time we accept that some

students may wish to wear items that are

of religious or sentimental importance.

This is acceptable so long as it follows

the following conditions. The rules are

the same for girls as for boys.

Acceptable Jewellery:

• One small simple ring (that is not

sharp) may be worn on each hand

• One small stud/sleeper earring can

be worn in each ear

(No hoops whatsoever)

• One simple bracelet (that is not

sharp) can be worn on each wrist

• One simple chain may be worn

around the neck

• An inexpensive wristwatch

During classes the activities undertaken

may require jewellery to be removed

for health and safety reasons. In such

circumstances students are totally

responsible for their own property. If in

the slightest doubt, students should not

wear such items to school.

LAPTOPS AND SIMILAR DEVICES

In years 7-11 we do not recommend

students to bring laptops or similar

devices to school. They are fragile,

valuable pieces of equipment that are

easy to get damaged or lost. Where a

student insists on bringing their laptop

or similar device to school, they do so

entirely at their own risk. They are asked

to keep it securely stored in their locker

at all times, except the specifi c lesson

for which they have brought it. Laptops

should always be securely locked away

during break or lunch times. School

cannot accept responsibility for lost

or damaged laptops and we sincerely

ask that parents carefully consider this

before allowing their child to bring in

such equipment.

Obviously students need to have a way

of transferring data between school

and home however and we ask that all

students have their own USB memory

stick. This should be physically labeled

with their name and electronically

renamed, so that it can be returned to

the student, should it be found. This

should avoid the need for any student to

have to bring in a laptop.

ARRIVAL AT SCHOOL

Students should begin arriving at school

after 8.00am. Secondary students are

permitted into school buildings after

8.15am when teachers are inside the

building and on duty at this time. All

staff have a duty of care at this time and

teachers will be rostered on playground

duty from 8.00am.

- 21 -

ABSENCE FROM SCHOOL OR LATE

ARRIVAL

Parents are asked to telephone or send

a note of explanation to the Form Tutor if

a child is absent through sickness or any

other reason.

Late arrival at school – students are to

report to the school receptionist at the

front offi ce to sign in, if arriving after

8:30am and she will adjust the offi cial

school record accordingly.

EARLY DEPARTURE

Occasionally, a child may need to leave

school before the end of the school

day. Students can leave when prior

communication has been received

from a parent. Prior to departure the

parent and child are asked to see the

receptionist and sign-out. This is in case

of an emergency evacuation. Students

are NOT permitted to leave the campus

without a parent or nominated adult

during the school day.

EXTENDED ABSENCE

Parents are kindly requested to advise

Form Tutors if your child will be absent

from school for an extended period of

time. Whilst it is not easy to replicate

the school-learning environment when

you are away, teachers may be able to

provide some guidance for the student’s

continued learning whilst they are absent

from school.

FIELD TRIPS

Real learning can take place when real

connections are made and fi eld trips are

therefore an integral part of learning.

St. Andrews uses recommended

standard adult/child ratios when going

on fi eld trips. Teachers may organise

parental help with fi eld trips, depending

on circumstances.

Students may from time to time do local

walks close to school – parent permission

is not sought for these local walks.

SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHS

Each year photographers come to

school to take photos of all the students.

These photos are then made available to

parents who are interested. Thai Bytes

will keep you informed of dates and

times for this event.

STUDENT VISITORS

A request can be made for a family’s

guest or relative to visit our school and in

particular the classroom for one day. The

following procedures should be followed:

• The family should make the request,

through the Head of Secondary

who has the right to decline if it will

adversely aff ect teaching for that day;

• The guest or relative should be

approximately the same age as the

child they are visiting

USING THE SCHOOL CAMPUS AFTER

SCHOOL

Students are permitted to use school

facilities outside the normal school

day so long as a supervising adult is in

charge and that adult has permission

from the Head of Secondary. The school

will not take any responsibility for injury

via accident during such times.

- 22 -

New to the country?

Moving from one country to another to

live can be chaotic and a life changing

experience. This transition, whether

it be your fi rst or one of many, is likely

to create many confl icting feelings;

exhilaration at the new and diff erent,

sadness from feeling lonely, frustration

with new ways of doing and being. These

feelings are completely normal. Almost all

expatriates (no matter how experienced)

feel some level of transition stress when

moving to a new country. Some people

move through transition quickly, others

can take up to a year or longer to feel

comfortable in their new country.

For yourself:

• Try to understand that people in your

family maybe transitioning at diff erent

rates

• Be kind to yourself and to those

around you

• Try to look after yourself; keep an eye

on your diet (and alcohol intake) and

make sure you get enough sleep

• Exercise - you may not feel like it,

but it is one of the best solutions to

feeling stressed

• Try to keep a sense of humor and look

for the positives in every situation

• When someone invites you to an

event or suggests you give them a

ring – try it

Children need special time with you

during the early days in a new place:

• Try and identify your child’s special

space where they feel most

comfortable (it is often their bed). Set

it up according to their desires (even if it

doesn’t make sense to you at the time)

• Make a space in every day where

you do nothing but listen to your

child. When they talk about their

feelings, acknowledge them – don’t

try to get them to feel diff erently. If

they are identifying problems don’t

step in and solve them but support

them to come up with their own

solutions. Children need to feel

a sense of control over their new

environment too.

For your family:

• Routine. Try to re-establish the

positive family routines from home as

soon as possible.

• Rituals. Does your family have

special celebrations, ways of

doing things together or special

meals together? Keep them going.

• Relationships. Be kind to each other

and recognize that the ups and

downs you are all experiencing

are a normal part of transition and

that they will pass.

- 23 -

Notes

- 24 -

Notes

Pla

yg

rou

nd

Pla

yin

g F

ield

Pla

y

Are

aC

ar

Pa

rk

Po

nd

Ha

rd C

ou

rt

Art

/Dra

ma

& P

E

Ea

rly

Ye

ars

Ce

ntr

e

Blo

ck

2

Ma

in S

eco

nd

ary

Blo

ck

Blo

ck

1S

eco

nd

ary

Sc

ho

ol

Tea

ch

ing

Are

as

C.O

.R.E

.

Sc

ien

ce

Th

ai

Cla

sse

s

& A

dm

in

Sp

ort

s F

ield

St

An

dre

ws

Inte

rna

tio

na

l S

ch

oo

l

Green Valley Campus

Moo 7, Banchang-Makham Koo

Road, Banchang, Rayong 21130

Tel: +66 (0) 3803 0701

Email: greenvalley@standrews-schools.com

www.standrews-schools.com