KIS International School Bangkok (KIS)

Established in 1998 as one of the world's first Primary Years Programme schools, KIS has grown into a full IB continuum institution serving students from Early Years through Grade 12. The original Huai Kwang campus maintains a central Bangkok location with modern facilities, while the newer Reignwood Park campus opened in 2024 as Bangkok's first IB boarding school, though its remote location 50 kilometers from the city center has proven challenging for staff and families. The school offers all four IB programmes (PYP, MYP, DP, and CP) with English as the primary language of instruction and support for home languages including Thai and Mandarin.

Teacher discussions reveal a school in transition, with many describing KIS as formerly 'the best under the radar school in Bangkok' that has experienced significant changes following ownership transitions and leadership turnover. Long-serving staff departures in recent years, mid-year firings, and controversial decisions including terminating a teacher's health insurance while battling cancer have damaged staff morale and the school's reputation for being 'family-first.' The Reignwood Park campus, while offering modern boarding facilities, has struggled with low enrollment (around 200 students after 2.5 years) and staff retention issues, with multiple senior management team resignations. Despite these challenges, parents consistently praise the caring teaching staff, small class sizes, and strong university counseling support, with IB results reportedly above the global average of 30 points.

Strengths

• Full IB continuum offering all four programmes from Early Years to Grade 12
• Strong university counseling team with experienced counselors and good university placement support
• Small class sizes and individualized attention from caring, qualified teachers
• Diverse, international community with students from various cultural backgrounds
• IB Diploma results reportedly above global average (30+ points)
• Modern facilities on both campuses including boarding options at Reignwood Park
• Active extracurricular programme including Duke of Edinburgh Award and various sports
• Central Bangkok location for main campus with good accessibility

Considerations

• Significant staff turnover and management controversies affecting school culture and reputation
• Recent transition to more profit-driven approach with benefit cuts and mid-year dismissals
• Reignwood Park campus extremely isolated location creates transportation and social challenges
• Low enrollment at new campus (200 students after 2.5 years) raising sustainability concerns
• Multiple senior leadership departures and management instability
• Higher fees compared to some competitors without proportional facility or outcome advantages
• School community concerns about ethical leadership decisions and staff treatment

Academics

2024: Average IB Diploma score of 35 (successful candidates), 98% pass rate, 83% scored above 30 points, high score of 44. Previous years: 34 (2023), 33 (2022, 90% pass rate), 37 (2021, 100% pass rate, 34% scoring 40+). University destinations include McGill University, University College London (UCL), National University of Singapore, The University of Hong Kong, University of Toronto, UC San Diego, King's College London, UC Berkeley, Imperial College London, University of Melbourne, and University of Sydney.

School life

Sports: Swimming, football (soccer), volleyball, basketball, badminton, golf. Competitive teams participate in AISAA (local) and MRISA (international, Grades 6-8). Arts: Visual arts, drama/theatre (black box), music (instrumental, choir, band), dance, digital drawing, animation, pottery.

Purpose-built campus with two dedicated buildings for Secondary School. Arts and Design Centre (opened 2018) featuring three visual arts studios, black box performing arts facility, and Design and Technology Suite. Sporting facilities include a 25-meter swimming pool, sports field (outdoor), and an air-conditioned indoor gymnasium.

Student body

Total enrollment: Over 800 students. Nationalities: Nearly 50 (approx. 49% Thai, 17% Indian, 8% American, 8% Chinese).

• An IB-continuum school that draws strong, consistent parent praise on academics and community. IBDP results have averaged about 34.5 over five years against a world average of 30.
• Teachers are the most-cited strength. Parents repeatedly describe staff as caring, responsive and willing to communicate online or in person at short notice.
• Community is the second pillar. Parents talk about security guards who know students by name, an active parents' association with its own on-campus office, and a student council that drives events.
• One parent recounted moving their son from another Bangkok international school to KIS and watching him go "from failing basically every subject" to thriving.
• Fees sit at the upper end of the Bangkok market, with annual tuition for senior years reaching the high THB 800,000s. Cost is rarely raised as a complaint in parent feedback, but pricing is what differentiates KIS from mid-tier peers.