Engineering Class – Designing Circuits
An our primary engineering classes, students develop projects using the Arduino microcontroller. The course is a great way to spark interest in programming and the development of electrical devices. Microcontroller programming is a valuable skill for electronic engineers who want to create embedded systems, control devices, or interface with sensors. Microcontrollers are used in many industries, including manufacturing, robotics, automotive, lighting, and smart energy. Students studied how to write programs, upload and run the programs on a microcontroller and test their circuits and code. It is a big job getting the wiring in place and ensuring all the code is written correctly but our students did a wonderful job debugging and developing their projects.
Exclusive interview with the Director of Early Years, Ms. Annie Fletcher.
In this interview, Ms. Annie shares the vision and passion behind BASIS Early Years Education, as well as an overview of the strategic planning, collaborative efforts, and milestone refinement that effectively shape our early childhood education. From nurturing to fostering independence in Kindergarten, Ms. Annie shares valuable insight on the commitment to child development, English language development, and the seamless transition and preparation for our students to be ready for Primary school. This interview offers a glimpse into the exciting environment of BASIS Early Years and the collaboration of our teaching team on their dedication to providing a safe and developmentally appropriate educational experience for our students. Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn more about the educational journey of our young learners at BASIS Early Years!
Why do BASIS Curriculum Schools use Advanced Placement (AP) Courses?
The BASIS Curriculum requires students to demonstrate mastery of basic concepts and skills across all core disciplines, so that they can apply their knowledge in new and complex contexts. While both AP and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs prepare students to demonstrate such mastery, the AP model better fits BASIS Curriculum Schools’ vision of teacher autonomy. Through AP, we can empower our educators to provide instruction and assess learning in the ways that match their expertise and fit their students’ needs. Unlike most high schools, which allow students to take only the AP classes they’re interested in, BASIS Curriculum Schools require students to take AP courses in all core subjects. While IB is similar in requiring students to take advanced classes in many subjects, the BASIS Curriculum allows students the freedom to take a variety of APs to meet our requirements: for example, students may pass their AP Lab Science requirement by taking AP Chemistry, AP Biology, or AP Physics (and many students do more than one). Students develop their interests in the subjects they love while maintaining a rigorous course of study. Many colleges and universities (even those outside the United States, but certainly within) accept AP courses and AP Exams for credit, allowing students to skip introductory courses and proceed more...
HOS New Year Talk
As a Head of School, what are your responsibilities? As Head of School I am ultimately responsible for the daily management of the school. I collaborate with the administrators, operations team, and teachers to ensure that the academic curriculum is written and planned better than any other. I am responsible for recruiting outstanding teachers to join our team and to work with the team of teachers to ensure the highest quality of the delivery of the curriculum that supported by the best possible resources. Next to this, I am responsible for keeping our school environment joyful and safe. The result of my work translates into raising the standards of our students' learning to the highest international levels. What have you completed in the first term and what is your plan for 2024? I started a project called 'A day in the life of a BISB student'. With this project I sought to better understand how our students experience our school life through the lens of a student, in order to better support the school development for our students. The concept is to shadow each grade level for an entire day – from “drop off” to “pick-up” including all classes, breaks, recess, and other daily activities. So far I have been “a student”...
ADMINISTRATION Letter from the Head of School: Dr. Willem Van Der Sluis, BASIS International School Bangkok
In my international professional career, I have been employed and educated in The Netherlands, Norway, UK, Bangladesh, UAE, Kazakhstan, China and Thailand with an all-round K-12 teaching and senior management background. This includes experiencing several CIS/NEASC and curriculum accreditation processes, being an active CIS visiting team member as well as having experience with several international curricula. I am graduated in Pedagogic (BA) and Inclusive Education (MA) with focus on leadership, communication and organizational behaviour in London (UK). I am also graduated in Education with a doctorates research degree with the University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Next to this, I hold several whole school senior leadership certificates. Being convinced that nothing is impossible I believe that everyone can reach his or her target one way or another, all by displaying a positive attitude, confidence, discipline, high organizational skills, clear communication skills and last but not least by being committed to lifelong learning and hard work. In my role as Head of School, I endeavour to inspire and support students, teachers and administrators in developing their leadership and critical thinking skills in order to fulfil their dreams. I believe that a school should be in constant development in order to improve itself in areas such as health, safety, and academics so it can be...
WHY AP?
What is “Advanced Placement® (AP)”? Administered by the College Board to promote college readiness, AP courses and exam scores are objective measures to assess a high school student and permit the student to bypass introductory college courses. Many colleges and universities use AP courses, with their demanding syllabi, as an integral part of their admissions decisions. Why do BASIS Curriculum Schools use AP courses and exams to measure student learning? BASIS Curriculum Schools uses the American AP course and exam system to ensure students are globally benchmarked for analytically demanding and information intensive 21st century careers. Standards in education are subjective and vary widely from school to school. AP exams, recognized around the world, allow comparison of students at different schools. AP exams are the answer to the matriculation examinations used in high-performing systems in Europe and Asia, whose students are competing for the same college seats. How does BASIS Curriculum Schools use AP? BASIS Curriculum Schools prepare students to demonstrate mastery in all core courses, as well as foreign language and fine arts, through AP exams. Our belief is that students should be challenged. Our advanced curriculum allows middle school students to take a diverse course load so they are prepared for AP courses and exams later. Seniors can take advantage...
Congratulations Class of 2023: Raising the Bar for College Acceptances
Congratulations to the Class of 2023! We are exceptionally proud of our 2023 Graduates as they move forward to the next phase of their exciting academic journey. As they are about to step into the world’s top colleges and universities this fall, we know they are prepared to excel, determined to stand apart, and ready to prove the success of the BASIS Curriculum. The Class of 2023 from our three US high schools including, BASIS Independent Brooklyn, McLean, and Silicon Valley have yet again set the standard in national and international college acceptances. The hard work and determination over this and prior years has shown as our graduates are now well-prepared to enter world-renowned higher education institutions and thrive. “Each year we are incredibly proud of the achievements of our graduating classes,” expressed Toby Walker, Vice President of BASIS Independent Schools. “They have all contributed so much to their school community and any college or university is fortunate to now count them among their student body. The Class of 2023 has raised the bar once again for BASIS Independent Schools. Congratulations!”Below is a complete list of all University acceptances. Allegheny College American University Amherst College Arizona State University (Downtown Phoenix) Arizona State University (Main Campus) Arizona State University (Polytechnic) Arizona State University (West)...
OUTSTANDING 2022 COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES FOR BASIS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS, CHINA
The release of offers by Ivy League schools and Stanford University earlier in April 2022 marked the end of the 2022 US college admissions cycle. As of April 8, 2022 a total of 166 graduates from four campuses (Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Park Lane Harbour, and Hangzhou) received 860 offers and over USD $3.5 million in scholarships. Our graduates did it again with 58% admitted to U.S. News and World Report Top 30 universities and 89% to Top 50 universities. Students received offers from Stanford University, Princeton University, Columbia University, University of Chicago, Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, Duke University, Cornell University, and other prestigious universities in the United States. Outside the United States, our students were accepted to Oxford University, Cambridge University, the University of Toronto and many other top global Universities. In terms of art schools, BASIS China students are honored to be favored by top art schools such as the World No. 2 University of the Arts London and the World No. 3 Rhode Island School of Art. (QS World University Rankings) With a higher number of applicants and plummeting admission rates in elite universities, the 2022 chapter is generally not a pleasant one in the story of global university application trends. Our students’ achievements prove the strength and quality of...
BASIS Bangkok, a world class school, provides excellence to kids since a very young age
1. At this time, we would like to ask you to provide the background for BASIS and expand what does it mean by World Class curriculum?BASIS commenced approximately thirty years ago when two college professors in the United States felt that the existing school systems simply were not academically rigorous enough for their own family. These professors incorporated their experiences of international curricula, laying especial emphasis on sciences, engineering, math and economics. Of course, BASIS schools offer a full range of subjects, including art, music and drama – but BASIS was in the vanguard of the move toward STEM education. Today there are approximately forty BASIS school worldwide – all undertaking the same academically-advanced curriculum. The high-stakes examinations our children take are called Advanced Placement. They are the broad equivalent of ‘A’ levels or I.B. Diploma – however, APs are college-level courses; whilst BASIS kids start doing them from grade 9 rather than Grade 12! Maybe courtesy of this high level of academic input BASIS kids enjoys unparalleled success in terms of university acceptance, with 80% of our children last year entering one of the top fifty college worldwide. With regard to the term ‘World Class’, I guess we all appreciate what this would mean, say, in the Olympics? A gold medal...
Students 5th-grade artists completed Artivism unit
Our 5th-grade artists just completed their Artivism unit, where the goal was to use art as the medium to create a positive change both within and beyond the classroom! We started the project by learning about child activists; young people like Greta Thunberg. Those who used their voices and actions to change the world. We also learned about artists who use their art and actions to bring about social change - such as Hank Willis Thomas.Our students took time to consider what really mattered to them and where they would like to make an impact for change. They then planned what creative action to take duly creating art to express their ideas!The children’s topics ranged from anti-bullying, climate change, to animal welfare. Their artistic visions took form in paintings, posters, flags, sewed animals, and even graphic design brochures! Many groups paired with local hospitals and charity organizations where we will donate our creations. These include the Soi Dog Foundation, Rescue P.A.W.S., and Bumrungrad Hospital’s Community Outreach Program.All the students stepped to the front of the class and presented both their ideas and physical work to the other children and a group of teachers. These artists did an incredible job – they completed their initial brief - and they made a difference!
Nursery Program
Our Nursery will provide the same superlative academic standards as the rest of the school. Wherein, the class will be in the capable hands of a qualified, expatriate teacher and will receive a range of specialist lessons from other experienced, internationally qualified educators. BASIS schools were initiated in the USA thirty years ago by two university professors who felt the existing academic offers simply were not advanced nor challenging enough for children. They felt children were capable of more! Thus all BASIS schools follow this credo – and are duly monitored by BASIS USA to ensure every school – including the international schools, meet their exemplary standards.A robust academic nursery curriculum addresses social development alongside literacy and numeracy skills – and in our unique case, must also incorporate Thai language and culture. Hence, the curriculum has been written to offer academic and social success built upon our understanding of early years’ development. Ultimately, it will ensure seamless continuity as the Nursery children enter our PreK1 class – and so build a formidable foundation for longer term academic success! We have opted for a ratio of one full-time member of staff to five children, with class sizes of no larger than fifteen children in each class. We felt it beneficial to offer this...
OUTSTANDING 2021 COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES FOR BASIS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS, CHINA
BASIS International Schools in China have been celebrating an outstanding set of university acceptances. The Class of 2021 from our BASIS International Schools in Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Park Lane Harbour have already received offers from a range of outstanding universities from around the world, including many of the most highly selective universities and programs. The overall record of 64 students is truly remarkable - 88% of the graduates were accepted to at least 1 of the top 30 universities worldwide. In total, this year’s applicants have already received 413 offers with scholarships of $1.78 million in total from those universities ranked within the top-10 globally (QS World Rankings 2021). Two outstanding Grade 11 students at Park Lane Harbor were admitted to two top STEM institutions: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Imperial College London, a full year early. BASIS graduates continue to excel in every field — from the traditional academic programs on offer at top Universities, including Ivy League, to programs at selective specialist institutions devoted to the performing arts, visual arts and design. Some US acceptances include Cornell University, Vanderbilt University, University of Chicago, Johns Hopkins University, Northwestern University, Duke University, Dartmouth University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Washington University St. Louis, University of California Los Angeles, Emory University, Rice...