Garden International School

Origins and Early Development

Garden International School Rayong (GIS) was established in 1994 to serve the growing community of expatriate families relocating to Thailand's Eastern Seaboard — a coastal industrial region dominated by petrochemical, automotive, and manufacturing businesses. The founders recognised a gap: children of international professionals needed a rigorous, English-medium education that would be portable and university-focused, yet welcoming and inclusive.

Within just two years of opening, GIS had earned both Thai Ministry of Education recognition and UK accreditation, signalling its credibility to both local authorities and international families. This rapid legitimisation set the tone for decades of institutional growth.

Founding Milestone: FOBISIA and the IB

In 1997 — only three years after its founding — GIS became one of the founding members of the Federation of British International Schools in Asia (FOBISIA), a network that now encompasses more than 50 schools across the region. In the same year, GIS was authorised as an IB World School, gaining the right to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. This dual achievement in 1997 placed GIS on the map as a serious academic institution, not merely a local convenience school for expatriate children.

CIS Accreditation: Regional Benchmark

The most significant institutional milestone came in 2013, when GIS achieved full accreditation from the Council of International Schools (CIS) — a rigorous, peer-reviewed process examining every aspect of school quality from governance to student outcomes. GIS became, and has remained, the only fully CIS-accredited school in the Rayong/Eastern Seaboard region, a distinction that matters greatly to internationally mobile families who rely on accreditation as a quality guarantee when choosing a school mid-career.

Three Decades of Continuity

Over thirty years, GIS has grown from a small school serving a niche expat community to a thriving institution of nearly 500 students from over 40 nationalities. The school has maintained its original ethos of inclusion and personal development while steadily raising its academic profile, consistently producing IGCSE and IB Diploma results above global averages. It remains part of the Taylor's Education Group, a Malaysian-based education conglomerate, which provides operational stability and access to wider professional networks.

Today, GIS stands as the institutional anchor of international education on Thailand's Eastern Seaboard, a position it has held for three decades through a combination of accreditation rigour, curriculum quality, and genuine community-building.

A Coherent British-to-IB Pathway

Garden International School Rayong offers a coherent, British-rooted academic pathway from Early Years through to Year 13. From Nursery through Key Stage 3, the school follows the English National Curriculum, adapted for its diverse international student body. In Years 10 and 11, students sit Cambridge IGCSE examinations across a broad range of subjects — from English Literature and Sciences through Drama, Computer Science, and Design Technology. In Years 12 and 13, students enter the IB Diploma Programme (DP), selecting six subjects across the IB groups plus the compulsory Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay, and CAS components.

This structure means students experience the subject-depth and disciplinary rigour of a British secondary education before encountering the IB's characteristic breadth and philosophical inquiry in Sixth Form. Many students, faculty, and parents report this as excellent preparation for the demands of the IB.

Examination Results Above Global Averages

GIS publishes its examination results openly and positions them as evidence of genuine academic quality:

IB Diploma Results:

• 2021: 100% pass rate, average score 35/45, highest 44
• 2022: 89% pass rate, average score 31/45, highest 44
• 2023: 100% pass rate, average score 31/45, highest 41

The global IB average hovers around 29–30/45 with a pass rate of approximately 79–83%, making GIS's results — particularly the pass rates — consistently above the world norm.

IGCSE Results:

• 2021: 89% achieving A*–C (pass grades), 41% at A*–A; 90% of students achieving 5+ A*–C
• 2022: 75% achieving A*–C, 44% at A*–A; 75% of students achieving 5+ A*–C

University Destinations

GIS IB alumni have gone on to study at institutions including UCLA, UC Berkeley, Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, NUS, HKU, Chulalongkorn, and Mahidol, demonstrating that the school's results translate into genuine competitive university placement across multiple continents. The school reports that effectively 100% of graduates proceed to university.

Small Classes, High Support

With an average class size of 20 and a student-to-teacher ratio of approximately 7:1, GIS offers a level of personal attention unusual for a school of its size. Subject specialists at Secondary level are supported by dedicated Learning Support teachers and EAL coordinators, ensuring that the broad student body — with 40+ nationalities and a 50/50 local-international split — can access the full curriculum.

The House System

At the heart of GIS's pastoral culture is a four-house system: Gecko, Eagle, Cobra, and Tiger. Houses compete across the full breadth of school life — sports days, music competitions, drama festivals, academic quizzes, and service projects. The house structure deliberately mixes year groups and nationalities, creating cross-age friendships and a sense of belonging that transcends individual classroom cohorts.

House leadership roles are awarded to older students, providing genuine leadership experience linked to the IB's CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) requirements and the school's broader commitment to developing responsible, community-minded individuals.

Learning Support and Inclusion

GIS's pastoral philosophy is inseparable from its inclusive admissions approach. The school explicitly states that it admits students "with or without additional support needs", and it has built the infrastructure to make this more than a slogan. A dedicated Learning Support team works within classrooms and in small withdrawal groups to provide individualised plans for students with identified learning needs. Where necessary, the school collaborates with external specialists and counselors.

For students who are not yet fluent in English, EAL (English as an Additional Language) classes are provided, gradually integrating students into the mainstream curriculum. This is particularly important given that half the student body may be local Thai students or students from non-English-speaking backgrounds.

Boarding: Small, Supportive, Supervised

GIS offers a rare boarding option for a school of its size: a small, on-campus boarding house with capacity for approximately 12 students, available from Year 5 (approximately age 10) through Year 13. Located in a secure terrace setting, the boarding house is staffed 24/7 by resident houseparents.

Boarders can choose between full boarding (7 days per week) and weekly boarding (5 days, returning home at weekends). Fees are charged per term and vary by year group:

• Years 5–10 full boarding: THB 115,000/term; weekly: THB 99,000/term
• Years 11–13 full boarding: THB 172,500/term; weekly: THB 148,500/term

A refundable boarding deposit of THB 20,000 is also required. The boarding provision is deliberately small, which means each boarder receives significant personal attention — a stark contrast to the large dormitory-style boarding common at UK independent schools.

Daily Life and Mealtimes

All students, boarding and day, benefit from a daily buffet lunch offering salad bar, fruit, and a combination of Western, Asian, and Thai dishes. A morning break snack is also provided. The school day includes a structured lunch period from 12:30 to 1:20 pm, with a morning break from 9:40 to 10:00 am, giving students regular social time between lessons.

Location and Setting

Garden International School Rayong is located at 188/24 Moo 4, Pala-Banchang Road, Tambon Pala, Amphoe Ban Chang, Rayong 21130 — approximately 100 km southeast of Bangkok, between Pattaya and Rayong city. The area is characterised by light industrial development and residential neighbourhoods serving the nearby Map Ta Phut industrial estate, making it a natural home for the school's predominantly expatriate student population.

The nearest airport is U-Tapao International Airport, approximately 7 km away, making international arrivals and departures convenient for boarding students and travelling families.

Sports Facilities

GIS's sports infrastructure is notably comprehensive for a school of under 500 students:

• Two swimming pools (covered, available for year-round use)
• Two covered indoor courts (for basketball, badminton, volleyball etc.)
• An all-weather synthetic pitch for football and other field sports
• A large grass field for athletics and team sports
• An adventure playground for younger primary students

This level of provision supports GIS's active physical education programme and its competitive sports teams, which participate in FOBISIA and other inter-school tournaments.

Academic and Science Facilities

At Secondary level, GIS has invested in dedicated science laboratories for Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, supporting both IGCSE and IB experimental work. A Design and Technology workshop provides hands-on making and engineering experience. Two computer suites — including a Mac-equipped lab for music technology and creative digital work — support ICT, Computer Science, and the arts.

The school library serves all age groups and is described as well-resourced.

Arts Facilities

The arts are well supported physically. GIS has dedicated art studios, a music studio, and a drama space at Secondary level. The primary hall and foundation hall are used for assemblies and smaller performances. Music, drama, and visual art are all examinable subjects at IGCSE and IB level, and the facilities reflect this commitment.

Primary and Early Years Wings

The campus is physically divided by phase. The Early Years (Foundation Stage) has its own suite of age-appropriate rooms, a secure outdoor play area, and a small hall. The Primary wing features its own ICT room, Music room, and EAL classroom, as well as a hall and a covered sports court for older junior students — keeping the youngest learners in an environment scaled and paced for them, separate from the hustle of secondary corridors.

Transport

For day students, GIS operates a school bus service on four routes: Ban Chang (local), Sattahip/Map Ta Phut, Rayong/Pattaya, and Ban Khai/Rong Po — termly fees ranging from THB 18,000 to THB 32,100 per route (with a one-way option at 80% of the return price).

Philosophy of Inclusion

Garden International School Rayong's admissions philosophy is explicitly and genuinely non-selective. The school states that it admits any student of the appropriate age who can access and benefit from its curriculum — "with or without additional support". This is not a marketing phrase: GIS has built a Learning Support team and EAL provision specifically to make this inclusion sustainable across a student body spanning 40+ nationalities.

There are no entrance examinations based on academic ability. The admissions process is designed to assess placement — where a student would best fit within the curriculum — rather than to filter out candidates below an academic threshold.

Process Overview

Step 1: Inquiry. Families contact the admissions office ([email protected] / +66-38-030-808) to discuss their child's individual needs and check place availability.

Step 2: Application. Families submit an application form accompanied by the THB 5,000 application fee (which covers any placement testing).

Step 3: Assessment.

• Younger children (Early Years/Primary): Assessed through observation, play, and informal interaction with staff.
• Older students (Secondary): Complete an informal interview and an English-language placement test to determine the appropriate level of support or subject grouping.

Step 4: Offer. Places are offered subject to availability. Given the open intake policy, waitlists are uncommon, though they do occur at capacity-constrained year groups.

Step 5: Enrolment. On accepting a place, families pay a non-refundable Enrolment Fee (THB 60,000 for Foundation Stage; THB 120,000 for Primary and Secondary) and a refundable deposit of THB 40,000 (plus THB 20,000 for boarding students).

English Proficiency

While all instruction is conducted in English, non-native speakers are not turned away. Instead, they are supported through dedicated EAL classes until they reach the level of fluency required to access the full curriculum independently. This approach means the school can genuinely serve the diverse expatriate and local communities it is embedded in.

Scholarships as Part of Admissions

For students entering the IGCSE or IB Diploma phases, GIS offers four merit-based scholarship streams (Academic, Arts, Global Citizenship, Sports), each worth up to 25% of tuition fees. These are reviewed annually, cannot be combined with corporate discounts, and cover tuition only — not additional fees or trips. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis for the following academic year.