Frequently Asked Questions
Learn more about Australian International School Bangkok. Find answers to common questions about our curriculum, approach, campuses, culture and school community.
Key Topics:
About AISB
The Australian International School Bangkok (AISB) is a boutique international school in central Sukhumvit, Bangkok, for students from Nursery to Year 12. AISB follows the Australian Early Years Learning Framework in Early Years, the Australian Curriculum in Primary, a hybrid Australian–Cambridge curriculum in Years 7–8, then Cambridge IGCSE in Years 9–10 and Cambridge AS and A Levels in Years 11–12. Our purpose is to empower compassionate young leaders for life by combining academic ambition, personal attention and balanced development.
Why do families choose AISB?
Families choose AISB because every child is genuinely known. Smaller classes let teachers understand each student's personality, strengths and needs, and notice early when extra support or challenge is needed. Families also value the clear Australian-to-Cambridge academic pathway, the warm and safe community, strong English development in an international environment, and the central Sukhumvit location. AISB is small enough to know every family while offering the specialist teaching, facilities and opportunities of a larger international school.
What does "boutique international school" mean at AISB?
At AISB, boutique means a deliberately smaller school where students are known by name, teachers know each child's story, and families are partners in learning. Smaller scale also means more opportunities per student: more students make a team, take a lead role in a performance or hold a leadership position, rather than these opportunities going to a select few. The school's values are Wellbeing, Respect, Integrity, Community, Personal Best and Global Outlook.
Where are AISB's campuses?
AISB has two campuses in central Sukhumvit, Bangkok. The Soi 20 campus is designed for Nursery to Year 1, with age-appropriate classrooms, playgrounds, green outdoor areas, swimming and water-play facilities. The Soi 31 campus serves Primary and Secondary. Foundation and Year 1 students at Soi 31 campus learn at Amaroo, a purposefully renovated campus for younger Primary students, located next to the Soi 31 Primary campus. Primary students use the AISB Innovation Centre for STEAM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics).
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What makes AISB distinctly Australian?
AISB follows the Australian Early Years Learning Framework and the Australian Curriculum, giving students breadth and balance before they specialise. Australian values such as mateship, egalitarianism, resilience, diversity and multiculturalism run through school life, creating a culture that values fairness, participation and having a go. Students celebrate Australian occasions such as Australia Day and ANZAC Day together. These celebrations give Australian families a connection to home, and invite international families to discover and share in Australian culture and traditions as part of the AISB community.​
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How big are classes at AISB?
AISB keeps classes deliberately small so teachers can personalise learning. Classes typically have 15–18 students, and Secondary classes are often smaller. Every Early Years and Primary class has a Teaching Assistant working alongside the teacher, giving students more adult support.
How international is the AISB community?
AISB students come from 58 nationalities. Lessons are taught in English, and Australian values such as mateship, egalitarianism, resilience, diversity and multiculturalism sit alongside a strong global outlook. Students regularly develop English confidence quickly through daily immersion in this international environment.
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Which families is AISB a good fit for?
AISB suits families who want their child to be known, challenged and supported in a close, caring community. It is a particularly good fit for:
• International families: AISB welcomes families from 58 nationalities, including from Europe, the USA, Asia, Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific. Children learn in English alongside classmates from around the world, families quickly find a welcoming community, and children joining from other school systems are supported to settle in and continue their learning.
• Families who want academic rigour and quality: a clear pathway from the Australian Curriculum to Cambridge IGCSE and A Levels, evidence-informed teaching through the AISB High Quality Teaching and Learning Framework, and regular progress tracking. In 2026, AISB students achieved a 99.6% overall IGCSE pass rate, with 40% of grades at A*–A.
• Families who value breadth and balance: strong academics alongside wellbeing, creativity, sport and the arts, with time to explore many subjects before specialising.
• Families looking for a close community: smaller classes and a boutique school mean children are known by name, and parents get to develop close relationships with teachers and other families.
• Thai families: daily English immersion with classmates from 58 nationalities builds confident English and friendships around the world, alongside an internationally recognised pathway.
• Australian families: the Australian curriculum, values and celebrations such as Australia Day and ANZAC Day offer a connection to home, and continuity if the family returns to Australia.
• Families living in Sukhumvit: AISB's central campuses on Sukhumvit Soi 20 and Soi 31 mean a shorter journey for families living and working nearby.
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• Families aiming for universities in Thailand or overseas: Cambridge IGCSE and A Levels are recognised worldwide, and recent graduates have progressed to universities in the UK as well as Thammasat University and Mahidol University.
AISB Curriculum Overview
What curriculum does AISB follow?
AISB offers one connected pathway from ages 18 months to 18 years:
• Nursery to Pre-K2: the Australian Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF): Belonging, Being and Becoming.
• Foundation to Year 6: the Australian Curriculum Version 9.0, with Foundation acting as a bridge from the EYLF.
• Years 7–8: a purposefully designed hybrid of the Australian Curriculum and selected Cambridge components.
• Years 9–10: Cambridge IGCSE.
• Years 11–12: Cambridge International AS and A Levels.
Why does AISB combine the Australian and Cambridge curricula?
AISB combines the breadth and holistic development of an Australian education in the formative years with the academic rigour and specialisation of Cambridge in the senior years. Students explore a wide range of subjects and develop critical thinking, creativity and independence before specialising. They then move into internationally recognised qualifications with the knowledge and study skills needed for university.
How is the Australian curriculum different from the American or British systems?
The main differences are in year levels and in approach:
• Year levels: Australian schools start with Foundation, followed by Years 1 to 12. British schools start with Reception and run to Year 13, and American schools run from Kindergarten to Grade 12. AISB year levels are one number behind the British system: AISB Year 7 is equivalent to British Year 8, American Grade 7 and Thai Mor 1.
• Graduation: AISB students graduate at the end of Year 12, at the same age as students finishing British Year 13 or American Grade 12. They complete Cambridge A Levels in Year 12, so they finish school at the same age, and with the same internationally recognised qualifications, as students at British-curriculum schools.
• Approach: the Australian Curriculum gives students breadth across many subjects for longer before they specialise. Alongside subject knowledge, it develops general capabilities such as critical and creative thinking, personal and social skills, and intercultural understanding.
Many children join AISB from British, American, Thai and other education systems. During admissions, AISB works with each family to find the right year level, so their child can seamlessly transition to the appropriate year level when they join our school.
Early Years (Nursery to Pre-K2)
What is the Early Years approach at AISB?
AISB's Early Years programme is guided by the Australian Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF): Belonging, Being and Becoming. Children learn through a balance of child-initiated play, guided experiences and intentional teaching. Teachers observe each child, then question, model language, introduce vocabulary and pose problems to extend their thinking. Play, wellbeing and academic learning are treated as partners, not competing priorities.
Is play-based learning academic enough to prepare my child for school?
Yes. At AISB, play is purposeful and teacher-led learning is built into it. Children develop early literacy through stories, songs, phonological awareness and mark-making, and early mathematics through counting, sorting, patterns, shapes and measurement. Teaching becomes progressively more explicit and structured towards Foundation, so children move into formal learning gradually rather than abruptly.
How does AISB build early literacy?
AISB follows a clear literacy pathway. In Pre-K2, the PreLit programme develops oral language and phonological awareness through structured activities. From Foundation to Year 2, InitiaLit provides systematic, explicit teaching of phonics, decoding, spelling, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension and writing. Students who need extra help in Years 1–2 receive small-group support through MiniLit SAGE, aligned with the same pathway.
How does AISB support social and emotional development in young children?
AISB uses the Kimochis social-emotional learning programme in Early Years. It gives young children practical language and strategies for understanding emotions, communicating, building friendships and solving problems. This continues through the BounceBack wellbeing and resilience programme as children move into Primary.
How does AISB help young children settle in?
Belonging comes first. Before starting, younger children attend orientation play sessions to meet their teachers and explore their classroom in a relaxed way. In the first weeks, teachers focus on connection, predictable routines and getting to know each child, recognising that every child settles at a different pace. Families stay connected through regular communication and the Seesaw learning portfolio.
What specialist classes do Early Years children have?
As children move through Early Years into Foundation and Year 1, specialist learning includes Physical Education, Swimming, Music, Thai Language, Media Arts, Digital Technology and Chess. After-school activities, performances and school events add further opportunities for our youngest learners.
Primary (Foundation to Year 6)
How is teaching in AISB Primary structured?
AISB Primary teaches the Australian Curriculum through the AISB High Quality Teaching and Learning Framework. The framework is built on four evidence-informed pillars: Explicit Instruction, Differentiated Instruction, Collaborative Learning and Assessment for Learning. This gives consistent, high-quality teaching across every classroom while letting teachers respond to individual learners.
How does AISB teach reading and writing in Primary?
AISB uses structured, evidence-informed literacy teaching aligned with the science of reading. From Foundation to Year 2, InitiaLit (by MultiLit) teaches phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, spelling, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension and writing. This is supported by the Heggerty phonemic awareness programme and decodable readers matched to each child's progress. Guided Reading continues across Primary, and whole-school writing tasks are moderated by teachers four times a year to track progress consistently.
How does AISB teach mathematics?
AISB uses the Maths Trek programme for a consistent approach across Primary. Children build number sense, fluency, reasoning and problem-solving daily, using concrete materials and real-world problems to develop understanding rather than memorising procedures. Students who need extra help receive targeted intervention, and those ready for more challenge take part in enrichment and competitions such as Kangaroo Maths and SEAMO.
How does AISB track student progress in Primary?
AISB uses ongoing assessment rather than relying on a single test. PAT Reading and PAT Mathematics provide standardised data alongside classroom tasks, observations and work samples. Teachers meet regularly in Professional and Collaboration Time (PACT) and Data Talks to answer three questions for each student: where are they now, where do they need to go next, and what teaching will get them there?
What is inquiry-based learning at AISB?
AISB combines explicit teaching with interdisciplinary Units of Learning. Students learn essential skills directly, then apply them through hands-on, collaborative investigations that connect subjects. A Humanities concept, for example, might be explored through Art, Mathematics, STEAM or Digital Technologies. Visible thinking routines build critical and evaluative thinking.
What languages do AISB Primary students learn?
All lessons are taught in English. From Year 2, students also have the opportunity to learn an additional foreign language.
Secondary and University Preparation
(Year 7 to Year 12)
What do students study in Years 7 and 8?
Years 7 and 8 combine the Australian Curriculum with selected Cambridge components. This keeps the breadth of an Australian education while progressively introducing the depth, challenge and academic skills students need for IGCSE in Year 9. The curriculum includes STEAM, robotics, digital fluency and inquiry. The move into Cambridge is gradual, not an abrupt switch between systems.
When do AISB students sit IGCSE and A Level exams?
AISB students study Cambridge IGCSE in Years 9 and 10 and sit their IGCSE exams at the end of Year 10. They then study Cambridge AS and A Levels in Years 11 and 12. Cambridge Global Perspectives is taught from Year 9 to Year 11.
What are AISB's IGCSE results?
In 2026, AISB students achieved a 99.6% overall IGCSE pass rate, with 40% of grades at A*–A and 86% at A*–C. Because AISB's cohorts are small, every result represents an individual student whose teachers know them well and support them throughout the Cambridge pathway.
Where do AISB graduates go to university?
Recent AISB graduates have progressed to universities including the University of Glasgow, University of Brighton, UWE Bristol, Thammasat University and Mahidol University. AISB focuses on helping each student gain a place at their own first-choice university and course, rather than measuring success by a single league table.
How does AISB prepare students for university and careers?
Guidance starts well before applications. Teachers and university counsellors help each student connect their strengths, interests and goals to subject choices, courses and careers. Students receive individual support with subject selection, researching universities in different countries and preparing applications. Career fairs and personalised counselling help students explore options early.
What is it like to be in a smaller Secondary school?
In AISB's smaller Secondary, every student is known individually by teachers, leaders and pastoral staff. Students have a realistic chance to make a team, take a lead role, perform or hold a leadership position. Teachers notice early when a student needs extra support or challenge, and communicate closely with families.
What leadership opportunities do Secondary students have?
Secondary students can lead through the Student Council, the House System and the Eco School programme. They also develop practical life skills such as peer mentoring, negotiation, presenting and professional communication. Entrepreneurship and design-thinking projects, performances and showcases give students further experience to draw on in university applications.
How does AISB support students moving from Year 6 into Year 7, and from Year 8 into IGCSE?
AISB plans each transition carefully: Primary to Secondary, Year 8 into IGCSE, and IGCSE into A Levels. Support includes orientation and experience days, mentoring, information sessions and a detailed handover of each student's learning data, writing samples and support needs. Students already know the school's values and many of its staff, so they can focus on their learning rather than adjusting to a new school culture.
Why should my child stay at AISB from Primary into Secondary?
Staying at AISB gives continuity without standing still. Students enter a new Secondary experience while remaining in a community that already knows them and close friendships they have developed through their primary years. Teachers receive a full handover of each student's learning and support needs, existing friendships provide stability during adolescence, and the Australian-to-Cambridge pathway continues seamlessly into IGCSE and A Levels.
Learning Support and Enrichment Programs
Does AISB support students with learning needs?
Yes. AISB uses a tiered model of support. Every student first receives high-quality, differentiated classroom teaching. Where assessment shows a student needs more, they receive targeted small-group intervention, such as MiniLit SAGE for literacy in Years 1–2 or small-group mathematics intervention. Students who need more intensive help can receive individual plans and specialist support. Classroom teachers, Learning Support and EAL staff work together, and support is reviewed regularly so support evolves as the student's needs change.
How does AISB identify students who need extra help?
AISB identifies needs early through regular assessment, teacher observation and collaborative Data Talks, rather than waiting for a problem to grow. In Secondary, teachers combine baseline data, assessments, attendance and pastoral information to build a full picture of each student. Families are involved in planning any additional support.
Does AISB support children who are still learning English?
Yes. English is developed throughout the school day, not only in EAL lessons. Students' English levels are assessed at enrolment, and progress is monitored using the internationally recognised WIDA assessment. Students needing significant support start in Intensive EAL, move to General EAL as they grow in confidence, and then participate fully in mainstream classes. The aim is full access to the mainstream curriculum, not permanent separation from it.
How does AISB challenge high-achieving students?
AISB extends able students through greater depth, complexity and higher-order thinking, not simply more work. Students are identified through several sources of evidence, not a single test. Grouping is flexible and based on current learning needs rather than fixed labels. Enrichment includes mathematics competitions such as Kangaroo Maths and SEAMO, robotics and eSports competitions, chess, the performing arts and leadership roles.
Student Wellbeing
How does AISB support student wellbeing?Wellbeing is built into school life at every stage: Kimochis in Early Years, BounceBack in Primary, and proactive wellbeing education in Secondary covering mindfulness, optimism and positive education. In Years 7–8, the Komodo wellbeing platform helps staff notice changes early. Because AISB is small, teachers and pastoral staff know students well, notice changes quickly and work closely with families.
What is AISB's approach to behaviour?
AISB uses a proactive, restorative approach. Three shared questions guide behaviour across the school: Is it safe? Is it fair? Does it show that we care? Teachers explicitly teach strategies for managing emotions, conflict and relationships, and positively reinforce the school's values. When things go wrong, students are helped to understand the impact of their actions, take responsibility and repair relationships.
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How does AISB prevent and respond to bullying?
AISB focuses first on prevention. Students are explicitly taught what respectful behaviour looks like, how to manage friendships and disagreements, and how to ask for help, supported by the Kimochis programme in Early Years and BounceBack in Primary. Because AISB is a small school, staff know students well and notice early when something is not right. If a concern is raised, staff listen to everyone involved, work closely with families and respond in a calm, restorative way, helping students understand the impact of their actions, repair relationships and feel safe at school.
Beyond The Classroom
What is the AISB Innovation Centre?
The AISB Innovation Centre is a dedicated STEAM facility used by AISB Primary students. Specialist teachers lead hands-on learning in robotics, coding, digital technologies, design and media. STEAM is linked to classroom Units of Learning, so students apply Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics to real problems rather than learning technology in isolation.
How does AISB teach students about AI and technology?
AISB develops digital skills progressively from Primary to Secondary. Students learn coding and computational thinking, often through robotics, and create digital content rather than only consuming it. They study how AI works, including its benefits and limitations, and learn to question the accuracy of AI-generated information. Digital citizenship, online safety, privacy and ethical use are taught throughout, keeping human creativity and judgement central.
What sports, arts and activities are available at AISB?
AISB students take part in competitive and recreational sport, swimming, PE, music, drama, productions, visual arts, chess, robotics and eSports competitions, mathematics challenges and a varied After-School Activities programme. Primary students attend residentials and curriculum-linked excursions. Secondary students take part in performances, showcases, competitions and field trips.
Why are performances important at AISB?
Performances build confidence, communication and presentation skills, teamwork and persistence. Every Early Years and Primary student performs, at a level suited to their age, so children with different strengths have a chance to shine. Performances also bring families together as a community.
AISB Community & Culture
What is the culture like at AISB?
AISB is a warm, close-knit school where students are known by name and greeted each morning. Students say they feel safe, happy and welcomed, with strong friendships and a real sense of belonging. Everyday behaviour is guided by three simple questions: Is it safe? Is it fair? Does it show that we care? Relationships matter at AISB, between students, teachers and families alike.
What are AISB's values?
AISB's six values are Wellbeing, Respect, Integrity, Community, Personal Best and Global Outlook. They shape daily school life rather than sitting on a wall: they guide how students treat one another, how behaviour is managed, and the high expectations every student is encouraged to meet through their Personal Best.
How do students have a voice at AISB?
Students are encouraged to lead and contribute from a young age. Primary students can join the Student Council, become sports captains and speak at assemblies. Secondary students lead through the Student Council, the House System and the Eco School programme. At every stage, Student-Led Conferences give students ownership of their learning by presenting their progress and goals to their families.
Family Engagement and Parent Involvement
How does AISB communicate with parents?
From Nursery to Year 3, families see their child's learning through Seesaw, which also builds a portfolio of their progress over time. Families also receive newsletters, attend parent information sessions, welcome coffees and curriculum workshops, and take part in Student-Led Conferences, where students present their own learning and goals.
How does AISB help new families settle in?
Before starting, families receive information about their child's programme and routines and meet teachers. Younger children attend orientation play sessions. In the first weeks, teachers focus on belonging, monitor each child's academic, social and emotional transition, and keep in close contact with families. EAL support is available where needed.
How does AISB support expat families moving to Bangkok?
AISB's central Sukhumvit location makes daily life easier for families living and working in the city. New families join an international community of 58 nationalities, and are welcomed through orientation sessions, welcome coffees and parent information evenings. AISB helps families understand how their child's previous schooling maps onto Australian year levels, and EAL support helps children who are still developing their English settle quickly. Teachers stay in close contact during the first weeks so families feel informed while everyone adjusts to a new country and a new school.
Is AISB a good fit for Thai and local families?
Many local families choose AISB for its genuinely international environment. With students from 58 nationalities, classes bring together children from many different countries, so English becomes the shared language of the school day: in lessons with teachers, and in the playground with friends. This daily immersion builds strong English skills and the confidence to use them naturally, alongside friendships with children from around the world.
Families also value AISB's internationally recognised Cambridge qualifications, which open doors to universities in Thailand and overseas: recent AISB graduates have progressed to Thammasat University and Mahidol University as well as universities in Japan and the UK. Smaller classes mean teachers know each child well and keep families closely involved in their learning.
How can parents get involved in the AISB community?
Families are a big part of school life at AISB, and there are many ways to be involved:
• Community events: Events such as Donuts for Dads bring parents into school to spend time with their children and meet other families.
• Performances: Families are invited to watch every Early Years and Primary student perform, along with Secondary showcases and school events.
• Student-Led Conferences: Students present their learning and goals to their parents, so families hear about progress directly from their child.
• Volunteering: parents can contribute their time and talents, for example through the Costume Committee, which helps bring school performances to life.
• Learning together: Curriculum workshops, welcome coffees and parent information sessions help families understand how their child learns.