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International schools in KL

Last activity 25 September 2015 by goldencik

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Nena0801

I will have to enroll my daughter to year 12 (secondary school). Can anyone recommend a good school with reasonable fees?

venkatr

There are quite a few depending on the curriculum that you require - Indian/British/American/Australian etc.  The fees are also variant depending on the fees.

Venkat

Nena0801

Thank you but I need more information...recommendations

Gravitas

What curriculum i.e. what examinations are impending....? Schools prepare pupils for different ones so you need to say what curriculum your child has been following, e.g. Bacc, UK, Australian, Canadian, American
http://schooladvisor.my/schools/

If its Australian then there is only one school - Australian International school down in Seri Kembangan. http://www.aism.edu.my/

Nena0801

She was in Australian school but I would like if I can to enroll her into British or US

venkatr

If you are looking at a British curriculum, then you could probably consider Sayfol International school in Ampang.  If you are looking at US curriculum, the best would be the International School of Kuala Lumpur (ISKL) which is also I guess probably the most expensive.  If you are looking at an Australian curriculum, then the Alice Smith International school maybe the one for you.  If you are looking at an Indian curriculum, then the Global Indian International School would be the right one. In fact they also have an IGCSE compliant curriculum.  Price wise I think they are probably the easiest on the pocket.

I hope this is sufficient.  If you need more details pls feel free to call me at 012-3291577 or email me at venki_ram_mal@yahoo.com

venkatr

IF British, then I would recommend Sayfol in Ampang.

Gravitas

Horribly expensive for UK and US senior schools i.e. British International School, International School of KL, Garden School, Mont Kiara International School, or Alice Smith.

Check out the links from the school adviser provided above and their websites.

Lots of local international schools, but would not recommend, because of the complete change in curriculum and approach which these schools would probably not be able to handle successfully through lack of comparative knowledge.

Gravitas

Sayfol and GIIS not suitable for a number of reasons.

Nena0801

Thank you!

Gravitas

Definitely look at Alice Smith (Seri Kembangan) as they have flexibility to coach pupils throughout the year plus a lot of course selection. At least visit them and compare fees.

Gravitas

Nena - this discussion may be interesting for you to read - especially the last two postings which are from a consumer and a service provider.

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=347670

goldencik

You also have to consider location as traffic jams around the Klang Valley can be difficult in terms of time taken in the morning.
Many of the international schools are very expensive and you are getting an education you would get in the UK in a normal secondary school. There are lower paying schools but many have localised too much. A good school to consider is Tenby International Setia Eco Park. They follow the UK syllabus and have a good mix of foreign and local teachers. All key positions held by British. Fees are available from website.

ClanC

Hi Nena,
Have you decided on schools?
Any reason why you are considering British and U.S. schooling?

How have you found the Australian curriculum? We are in Scotland and considering a move to Malaysia. I have been looking into schools and really like the Australian school. Any advice about the Australian curriculum?

Nena0801

Australia curriculum is quite flexible at least in Victoria where I live, lots on line self oriented learning.

ClanC

Thanks, Nena. Did you look into AISM? Which school did you decide on?

goldencik

How old are the children. If they are older you have to consider the pre university programmes such as AUSMAT. You also need to think about where they will go to university and what pre u programme is most useful .

goldencik

Year 12 British would be commencing A levels. These can be done either at international schools, some private schools or colleges such as Taylor's, HELP  and Sunway. Why is she switching education systems? year 12 A levels is not easy. Would be better if she continued Australian programme doing AUSMAT or SWM, direct to uni then. You need to be very clear on the direction she's taking in future

Nemodot

goldencik wrote:

Year 12 British would be commencing A levels. These can be done either at international schools, some private schools or colleges such as Taylor's, HELP  and Sunway. Why is she switching education systems? year 12 A levels is not easy. Would be better if she continued Australian programme doing AUSMAT or SWM, direct to uni then. You need to be very clear on the direction she's taking in future


These are not British A levels but Asian International syllabus CIE "A levels" that are very different - and taught very differently usually by rote i large classes. A student in the UK studying A levels will get a very different experience and a much better education for University.

goldencik

In fact you are incorrect, some schools do a much better job of A levels than some schools in the UK, I know as I am from the UK! My kids went to a private school in the UK too. I agree that colleges may have large classes and learn by rote. But to advise her to go to UK is a mute point considering she is asking about year 12 in Malaysian educational establishments!

goldencik

Further schools such as Alice Smith use Edexel, not CIE, therefore you cannot use a sweeping statement to say they are lower than British A levels. In fact with the current state of education in the UK and the pressure to have good results, students are encouraged to take A levels many times. The current government are trying to stamp out this practice.

Happyaslarry

Good luck with that one!!  No such thing as a good secondary school in KL with reasonable fees. I can tell you this much pleeeeeeese stay away from any Taylors Organisation, including Garden International. Its a total rip off joint with a worse than sub standard education.

Nemodot

Goldencik define better job? the bulk of "A levels" in Malaysia are cie taken at colleges In terms of numbers. Maybe Alice use edexcel for a reason!!! a good one probably like better quality of exam.

Better often is taken for % of A/A* s but considering the quality of students in Malaysia and at the picker schools I think 90% A/A* is just doing a reasonable job.

A levels and IGCSE  are not tests of intelligence just of commitment and hard work. students with serious learning needs are excluded from that as they are excluded from Malaysian schools (!) UK comprehensives are inclusive and take on a wider range of students. Indeed many public schools should be ashamed of their results in comparison. actually many teach by rote and some ban teachers from doing group work (really they do) or any kind of modern teaching. it does get results from academic kids. The non academic part is taught via sports CCA type work. old school model works with motivated kids without special needs. And in many ways there is no evidence that modern teaching theories work. unless they are responsible for the massive increase in As in the UK of course that that telegraph readers assume is due to easier exams!

goldencik

In the grand scheme of things colleges and universities do not look at the exam board so whether it is CIE or Edxedel (Pearson company, many problems with quality of exams too)  is irrelevant, (I know as I have worked with admissions staff in one of the Russell Group universities in England, admitting students to a premier degree program). However, it is well known that in terms of the syllabus and the assessment CIE is much tougher.
It would appear to me that you Nemodot have decided that all education in Malaysia is terrible and not up to your standard (whatever that is).
Intelligence is only one aspect of education, committment and hard work are other elements. Research from Stanford professors such as Prof Carol Dweck shows that commitment and hard work are essential elements to success, intelligence is only a contributing factor. So your point here is what exactly?
I agree about children with learning needs in Malaysia, but you cannot expect a country which has only 50+ years since formation to have the same standards in this regard as say England, that is ridiculous.
And no, you do not only read about the exam standards in the UK, the manipulation of results for social engineering purposes, etc in the right wing Telegraph, you also may read on BBC or Guardian, neither of which are right wing.

So I will not waste any more time on this topic because it is obvious you choose to throw the baby out with the bath water, which is of little use to people who have no choice but to educate their kids in Malaysia and do not have the money to send them overseas of do homeschooling. Seeing as you have seem to know so much, why don't you make a list of recommendations for these parents so we can be clear as to what you would deem a good school. Incidentally both my kids went to a middle level Int school, both are well rounded kids, my daughter did A level and is now in one of the top Global 100 unis overseas and my son has just got a scholarship to a well know international IB college. So to my mind the education is what you make of it. AND they had no additional  tuition either, so go figure.

samsam123

Well said goldencik!

Someone I know is a qualified maths subject teacher in an average state secondary schools (comprehensive) in South East England. She showed me the test papers for her lower set year 8 students. To my surprise many failed to answer simple year2 questions like 7x1=? and 6x11=?. She said low attainers and poor attitude is common in state comprehensive here. I don't think the teaching method is the problem though as the top performing independent/state schools also hire the same type of teachers trained by the same state system. The teachers in british intl schools in Msia are no exception either. But rather I believe it has more to do with the students parents and their upbringing. Ok, my point is msia schools may not be rubbish and uk schools may not necessary be good.

Nemodot

goldencik wrote:

In the grand scheme of things colleges and universities do not look at the exam board so whether it is CIE or Edxedel (Pearson company, many problems with quality of exams too)  is irrelevant, (I know as I have worked with admissions staff in one of the Russell Group universities in England, admitting students to a premier degree program). However, it is well known that in terms of the syllabus and the assessment CIE is much tougher.
It would appear to me that you Nemodot have decided that all education in Malaysia is terrible and not up to your standard (whatever that is).
Intelligence is only one aspect of education, committment and hard work are other elements. Research from Stanford professors such as Prof Carol Dweck shows that commitment and hard work are essential elements to success, intelligence is only a contributing factor. So your point here is what exactly?
I agree about children with learning needs in Malaysia, but you cannot expect a country which has only 50+ years since formation to have the same standards in this regard as say England, that is ridiculous.
And no, you do not only read about the exam standards in the UK, the manipulation of results for social engineering purposes, etc in the right wing Telegraph, you also may read on BBC or Guardian, neither of which are right wing.

So I will not waste any more time on this topic because it is obvious you choose to throw the baby out with the bath water, which is of little use to people who have no choice but to educate their kids in Malaysia and do not have the money to send them overseas of do homeschooling. Seeing as you have seem to know so much, why don't you make a list of recommendations for these parents so we can be clear as to what you would deem a good school. Incidentally both my kids went to a middle level Int school, both are well rounded kids, my daughter did A level and is now in one of the top Global 100 unis overseas and my son has just got a scholarship to a well know international IB college. So to my mind the education is what you make of it. AND they had no additional  tuition either, so go figure.


The interesting fact though is that cie a level holders have 75% less chance of getting into oxford or Cambridge than British A level holders. I looked at the entrances stats and had a shock as that's massive difference.

So it makes a big difference. Btw Malaysians have a 60% less chance than overseas students in general. Wonder why......

samsam123

Hi Nemodot, I think you should factor in the cost and location into the context. For example,  Chemical Engineering undergraduate in Cambridge costs £22923/yr, Oxford £22515 and Monash University Malaysia is RM42400 (£7709 if based on old £1=5.5 conversion rate). Flight tickets and living expenses are on top. Just do the maths, it is not hard to explain the low Oxbridge application rate for msian students, if they can't afford it why bother to apply?

Let's also not forget Oxbridge are in England, it is normal that British A-level holders take up most places in these prestige institutions, just like Harvard has more American, Singapore NTU has more Singaporean (80% according to wiki).

Below is the 2012 Cambridge Uni entrance rate stats, it show msia has 11.5% success rate, it seems to reflect the spending power of the country (except EU nationals, they are on gov loan for their studies).

http://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.u … _cycle.pdf

Nemodot

You explanation is very odd the success rate for Malaysians is lower than most countries. If they are put off by costs then should be higher success rate as only those who can get a scholarship or are well.off will apply. Internationally maybe many apply thinking they have a chance with 4 A*s but with poor teaching by rote they can't get past the interview or as I note they do law accounting business studies etc all the "worthless" subjects at A level that Russell group academics ignore. They want math English physics biology chemistry history etc.

Colleges (most) in Malaysia misguide students by getting them to do the easy subject combinations so they can publish high "success"  rates but it damages the students chances. Also with the cheap rote learning used by what are often underpaid and underqualified lecturers who teach huge classes you get the result that Malaysians are less successful at getting into the best universities.

Educationalists here know this I once thought that the Asian A levels sold here were same as UK. Until I was better informed by old time expats here in education. Then I looked at the stats published by universities and oh the facts speak for themselves.

CarlsonL

Hi Nena,

I have one recommended International School which is called - Nexus International School which located at Putrajaya. They are authorised by the International Primary Curriculum (IPC), the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP).
Nexus International School also the member of the Council of International Schools (CIS).

You could access to http://nexus.edu.my/Learning/Secondary/ … rview.aspx for their Secondary curriculum

Nemodot

She said reasonable fee!

When looking at fees parents need valium at most schools  :sosad:

After a 2 million RM school plus uni is it worth it? Invest that money wisely and they will  have 10k a month for life and never work. ROI in educatin is bad!!!!

goldencik

Absolutely agree. Malaysians unfortunately have little choice looking at the local government schools as the alternative.

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