Cities / Bali / Pelangi School
Pelangi School
A small not for profit primary in Mas, ten minutes south of central Ubud, founded by parents in 2006 on the International Primary Curriculum and the Indonesian national curriculum together. Around 200 students from close to thirty nationalities, ages two to fourteen, set among rice fields.
In brief
A small not-for-profit primary in Mas, ten minutes south of central Ubud, founded by parents in 2006 on the International Primary Curriculum and the Indonesian national curriculum together.
Around 200 students from close to thirty nationalities, ages two to fourteen, set among rice fields. The model is deliberately community-first: a parents and community association runs regular events and fundraising, and many families stay five-plus years, which is unusual for the transient Bali expat scene. Fees in the IDR 45 million to 117 million range sit firmly in the affordable tier.
Long-tenured staff and continuity of friendships come up repeatedly in parent voice, alongside warm reports of teaching that engages without pressuring. The natural catchment is families committed to Ubud life rather than the Canggu beach crowd, and the curriculum is more progressive and creative than test-driven. Pelangi runs to age fourteen, so secondary planning is part of the conversation. Common next steps are Green School, Canggu Community or boarding overseas.
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Tiny Tots half-day (age 2-3) | 2 | IDR 45,080,000 |
| Tiny Tots full-day (age 2-3) | 2 | IDR 69,345,000 |
| Playgroup (age 3-4) | 3 | IDR 72,220,000 |
| Kindergarten / TKA (age 4-5) | 4 | IDR 94,070,000 |
| Prep / TKB (age 5-6) | 5 | IDR 94,415,000 |
| Primary SD1-4 (ages 6-10) | 6 | IDR 109,480,000 |
| Primary SD5-6 (ages 10-12) | 10 | IDR 111,550,000 |
| Middle SD7 (age 12-13) | 12 | IDR 115,345,000 |
| Middle SD8 (age 13-14) | 13 | IDR 116,725,000 |
One-time fees
| Item | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Registration Fee | IDR 500,000 | |
| Refundable Deposit (one-time) | IDR 10,000,000 | |
| Enrolment Fee (one-time) | IDR 15,000,000 |
Reviews
A small parent-founded school just south of Ubud, set up in 2006 as an alternative to the bigger international options. Around 200 students across roughly thirty nationalities, taught in English with Bahasa Indonesia alongside, on a curriculum that blends IPC and Pearson Edexcel with the Indonesian national strand. Families talk warmly about continuity, friendly staff, and engaged teaching; the trade in return is a primary-weighted school that runs only to lower secondary, so onward planning sits with the parents.
Positives
- Continuity and community. Long-stay families are the norm rather than the exception. Parents describe friend groups holding together for five years and more, which is unusually steady for an expat-heavy town.
- Teaching and atmosphere. Teachers come up as warm and engaging. The mix of indoor work, outdoor activities, and food on site reads well with younger families and the early-years crowd.
- Bilingual and Indonesian-rooted. Lessons run in English with Bahasa Indonesia woven in from the start. The Indonesian national curriculum sits alongside the international strands, which suits mixed-nationality families and anyone planning to stay in country.
Considerations
- Age range stops at lower secondary. The school runs from toddlers through to roughly age 14. Families staying longer have to plan a move on to an IGCSE, Cambridge or IB school elsewhere on the island, and that transition is on the parent, not the school.
- Fee policy. Registration, enrolment, facilities and tuition fees are non-refundable, including prepayments to hold a place for the following year. Indonesian-passport families can apply for a 15 percent tuition discount, and there is a 5 percent discount for paying the year up front.
Leadership
Melanie Hammond
Melanie Hammond is the Director of Pelangi School. She has led the school's transition to modern student information systems, such as Zunia, to improve data management and operational efficiency. Under her leadership, the school maintains a holistic and community-focused educational environment, integrating the International Primary Curriculum with the Indonesian National Curriculum for its multicultural student body in Ubud.
Accreditations
- ID_KEMENDIKBUD 01
Academic results
- Curriculum IPC / IEYC (used in 2,000+ schools worldwide)
- Status Not-for-profit (Yayasan Cahaya Pelangi)