FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
CURRICULUM
When does the school year start?
Oakbury’s school year starts in mid-August and ends in mid-June the following year for a total school days of 180 days or more. It is divided into 2 terms.
Do you have a playgroup programme for children younger than 2 years old?
Yes, we have a weekly Parent-Toddler Playgroup for children 18 -30 months old. Please get in touch with our school office for details and to reserve your spots.
What are your teachers’ qualifications?
Our teachers are trained and experienced in early childhood education to deliver the UK curriculum in a play-based approach. Each classroom is taught by a team of educators, one of whom is a native English speaker.
How big are your classes?
To ensure individual attention, we have set maximum limits of 16 students for Nursery, 18 for EY1/EY2, and 20 students for EY3.
What is the ratio of teachers to students?
For Nursery, we have one teacher for every four students. For EY1 and EY2, there is one teacher for every six students. And for EY3, we have one teacher for every ten students.
Does my child have to attend school every day?
Yes, we only offer 5-day programmes that follow a 180-day school year calendar.
What languages will my child learn?
The English language is used as the medium of communication throughout the school, with the exception of the Thai language being the primary language of communication during Thai lessons.
Do you teach the Chinese language?
Chinese language instruction is not part of our main curriculum; however, it is offered as an extra-curricular activity to students in EY1-EY3 programmes.
What extra-curricular activities do you offer?
Students may choose from activities such as Chinese Language, Math & Logic games, Dance Club, Mini Athletics, Storytelling & Drama, and Thai language enrichment. Our extra-curricular activities offerings may change term by term depending on students’ interests.
Where can my child continue to study after completing the early childhood programme at Oakbury?
Although we follow the UK curriculum, our students are open to more than UK curriculum in the next stage of their education. They can go to primary/elementary schools offering any international curriculum, including the Thai curriculum.
——————————–
FACILITIES
Does Oakbury have a swimming pool?
No, we don’t have a swimming pool; however, our students engage in a variety of fun physical play and exercises to promote an active healthy lifestyle, including water play.
What do the classrooms look like?
Every classroom is designed to be a child-friendly and safe learning space that fosters independence, creativity, and social interaction. The classrooms are generally organized into various learning areas (centres) dedicated to specific types of learning and play, such as sensory centre, art station, reading corner, and dramatic play area.
What outdoor activities can the students enjoy?
Oakbury has several outdoor areas where students enjoy playing and learning. In the backyard outdoor learning space, children can engage in messy play, messy arts and crafts, water and splash play, or picnic-style lessons. In the PE court, students can engage in a variety of physical activities and games under the comfort of a shade. The sandpit is filled with soft beach sand and can accommodate up to 20 children for enjoyable sensory and imaginative play. The playground is a crowd favourite with its bike track, multiple slides, swings, and climbing setups.
Do you have indoor space for children to play during bad weather?
Oakbury is equipped with an indoor gym where children can continue with their PE classes or other large-space activities during bad weather.
How often do you clean the school?
Our staff performs daily cleaning and sanitation routines both indoors and outdoors, focusing on high-traffic areas and frequently used/touched surfaces. We perform weekly deep cleaning on toys and regular cleaning procedures on our sandpit. In addition, each room is fitted with an air purifier.
——————————–
SCHOOL & STUDENT LIFE
What time does school start?
School starts at 8.20 am for all students.
How early can I drop off my child at school?
We recommend students arrive between 8.00 and 8.20 am; however, you may make special arrangements to drop off your child as early as 7.30 am.
What does a day in school look like?
Each day the students will have time for big group activities, circle/carpet time, small group activities, as well as some individual task time. Please see the timetables for more details.
Do the children take naps at school?
There are no naps for the children within the main programme. However, the Nursery students have the option to nap at school after the normal class dismissal time at 13.00. There is an additional fee for the nap programme. For more information, please see our Tuition & Fees Schedule.
Is it okay if my child still wears diapers?
If your child is in the Nursery programme, potty training is part of the life skills curriculum goals. Teachers will guide and train your child to gain independence in toileting through an encouraging, gentle approach. For all other grade levels, we require the students to be potty trained and able to manage their toileting needs with minimal assistance.
What time does school end?
School end times vary depending on the grade levels and whether the students join the nap programme or extracurricular activities. Extra-curricular activities run during most of the school weeks at 14:30 – 15:30. For more information, please see the class timetables.
Can parents stay at school with the child on the first day of school?
No. Children will adjust and adapt more quickly to their new school environment without the presence of their parents. They can focus on building relationships with teachers and classmates and learning new routines. While separation anxiety is natural, parents staying at school can prolong it. A short, clear goodbye and consistent on-time pick-up at the end of the school day will help children learn the confidence of being independent and knowing that the separation is temporary.
Will my child get sick from school?
Young children have immature immune systems that are not yet effective at fighting off infections. When they come to school, they are in close contact with other people and are encouraged to explore, which may get them exposed to new bacteria or viruses that cause sickness. As the germs challenge the immune system, it learns to fight for future infections. Please remember that good nutrition, adequate rest/sleep, and vaccinations are important to help your child become stronger and more resistant to illnesses.
Can my child go to school if he/she feels unwell?
Your child should not attend school if he/she is not well enough to join the normal school activities. For the wellbeing of your child and others at school, we will send home children who exhibit illness symptoms such as fever >38C, unclear nasal secretion, productive coughs, eye infection, or diarrhoea.
Do you have a school bus service?
Unfortunately, no. While we understand that school bus service is a great convenience to many families, we believe it is not suitable for young children who require more individualized care, attention, and safety precautions.
Is there any parking space at school?
Yes, we have parking space available for parents during drop-off and pick-up times. It takes less than 1 minute to walk from your car to the school door.
Can someone other than the parents pick up my child from school?
For the safety and well-being of our students, we can release the student to a registered parent or guardian with a school ID only. On the rare occasion that an unregistered guardian is picking up your child, please contact the school office (via LINE) in advance and provide the person’s ID.
—————————————-
SNACKS & LUNCHES
Does my child need to bring milk to school?
The school provides all-you-can-drink fresh low-fat milk during snacks and lunch times. Unless your child needs a special milk formula recommended by a doctor, we recommend every student drink the milk provided by the school. No sweetened milk is allowed.
What should I do if my child has allergies?
Please inform the school of any allergies that your child experiences. For food allergies, we will try our best to provide safe and nutritious alternatives. Please note that we are unable to provide food substitutions for religious or lifestyle dietary restrictions.
Can my child bring snacks or a lunchbox to school?
We ask that parents do not let children bring food to school unless you have received pre-approval from the school. Not only is this crucial to prevent incidents of accidental allergens exposure to other students, but it is essential in our effort to train children to develop healthy eating habits and an appreciation for diverse cuisines of the world through the foods provided by the school. Strictly no candies, sweetened drinks, and unhealthy snacks are allowed.
——————————————
ADMISSION & TUITION
When would be the best time to apply to the school?
Come visit us as early as 12-15 months before your intended day of enrolment, or as late as 2 weeks prior to the school’s start date. The application and admission process takes approximately 5 business days given that all required documents/information are ready. Keep in mind that some grade levels fill up fast, and we give priority to the sibling(s) of our current students.
Can my child join the school in the middle of the school term?
Oakbury accepts rolling enrollment as long as the child meets admission criteria and we have space available. The tuition fees are pro-rated according to the actual number of weeks enrolled.
How do I know which grade level to apply for my child?
We use age as the main guideline to determine grade level placement; however, the exact grade level placement will be determined during the admission assessment process. Please see the age placement table for more information.
Other than the tuition fees, is there any other fees?
Each new student is subject to one-time registration & application fees, termly meal fees, and mandatory accident insurance fee. There is a separate cost for the optional Nursery nap programme and extracurricular activities. Other costs are related to uniforms.
Will you keep the tuition fees the same every year?
Oakbury works hard to manage our school operations to run efficiently and keep our tuition affordable to our families. The cost of the school’s operation, and hence the tuition fees, will be affected by the country’s economy and inflation rates.
What payment methods do you accept?
We take payment by bank transfer and cheques. We currently do not accept payment by credit card.
Do you have an instalment payment plan?
We do not offer instalment payment plans. Tuition fees are billable termly.
Do you have a sibling discount?
Yes, to support our growing families, we offer a 5% tuition discount for the second or more siblings who are enrolled at the same time.
