The Way of Life at Panyaden International School

Rather than an education system which is geared to testing and to competition and to preparing people for a particular livelihood, the emphasis of Buddhist education is on teaching children how to learn, how to enjoy learning, and to love wisdom for its own sake. It teaches them the emotional maturity enabling them to make use of their knowledge to create a happy life for themselves and their family, and to contribute positively to the society in which they live. It in no way compromises on the work of preparing children to make a good livelihood, but it lets them see that life is deeper and richer than working in order to consume. 

 Phra Dharma Bajranyanamuni (Phra Ajahn Jayasaro)
Panyaden International School Spiritual Advisor

Welcome to Panyaden International School, where our values based educational approach is deeply rooted in Buddhist principles. We believe that education should develop the knowledge, skills, and disposition necessary for students to become lifelong learners who understand the habits for happiness and well-being within a local and global context. Drawing inspiration from Buddhist culture and values, our school emphasises both the acquisition of knowledge and the cultivation of a way of life. We believe that by incorporating Buddhist principles into our daily practices, we can create an environment that fosters personal growth and a deep love for learning.

At Panyaden, we recognize that the journey of education is not limited to the classroom. It extends to the way we live and interact with others. We aim to develop within our students the understanding and application of practices that promote harmony, compassion, and mindfulness in their relationships and actions. By nurturing these qualities, we strive to equip our students with the tools they need to navigate the complexities of the world with wisdom and empathy.

We firmly believe that the partnership between parents, teachers, and students is crucial in achieving our educational goals. It is through a harmonious collaboration that we can create an environment conducive to learning, growth, and self-development. As a community, we share the common aspiration of being lifelong learners and becoming positive role models for one another.

We are committed to providing a holistic education that encompasses both academic excellence as well as the development of character and a deep understanding of the practices for happiness and well-being. Thank you for joining us on this transformative journey as we cultivate knowledge, skills, and a way of life that will empower our students to thrive in an ever-changing world.

With warm regards, 

Erin M. Threlfall 

Primary School Principal 

Panyaden Guidelines 

The following section outlines our guidelines and practices. Organised in an “A to Z'' fashion according to English, we have done our best to consider how parents and students may seek information. We recognise that, in an international setting, we may not all look for information in the same areas. Therefore, some items are listed under multiple headings with reference to the heading where you will find the comprehensive information. For example, some families will look under “Illness” for how to report their child being unwell, and others may look under “Sickness.” We have chosen “Illness and Infectious Diseases” with a note under “Sickness” to guide the reader towards the appropriate heading.

Academic Honesty

Academic honesty is highly valued in our school. We emphasise the importance of honesty, integrity, and ethical conduct in all aspects of learning. Students are encouraged to take responsibility for their own work and carefully cite the work of others, acknowledging the value of originality, authenticity, and respectful engagement with academic material. Through nurturing a culture of integrity, we aim to cultivate not only academic excellence as well as a sense of personal growth and moral development. For details of expectations and guidance about how to ensure authenticity of work please see the Panyaden Academic Honesty Policy.

Accidents at School 

The safety of the students in our care is our paramount concern, and we constantly endeavour to ensure that we anticipate, observe, and act upon all reasonable measures necessary to protect them. However, accidents and injuries do occur from time to time, often without anyone being at fault. We are unable to offer compensation for any accident or injury which is not attributable to our fault.

Minor Accidents: When students have an accident at school that requires the attention of the school nurse, parents will be notified of the event and details of the care provided and any recommended follow up care. All such incidents are recorded on the school incident log. 

Major Accidents: Should students have a serious accident at school, they will be taken for treatment at the nearest hospital. As soon as possible after initiating care for the student the school will make direct contact with the parent/guardian and confirm arrangements for follow up care.

Accident Insurance

Insurance for accidents cards are provided by the school. Should students have a serious accident at school, they will be taken for treatment at the nearest hospital. Parents will be invited to collect the insurance card at the school office early in the new academic year. 

The Student Group Accident insurance policy provides 10,000 Baht of accident coverage per student, per incident. 

If you would like to get medical treatment from medical providers within AXA Thailand hospital network, simply show your ID card or passport, together with the AXA insurance for accidents card, and your child will receive treatment with no advance payment required. Click here to find the list of hospitals under AXA Thailand hospital network. 

If you would like for your child  to receive  medical treatment from a medical provider outside of the AXA Thailand hospital network, advance payment to the medical providers for the treatment will be required, and then you may submit these expenses (with you receipts and hospital documents) by following the steps to claim reimbursement from AXA found here.  

The student group accident insurance is not health insurance and excludes accidents occurring from dangerous sports such as martial arts, water sports, motor sports, and sport competitions. In the event that the school should organise a school programme which falls under the exclusions of the accident insurance, parents will be informed and will need to decide whether or not they would like their child to participate.

Due to the limited coverage of the student group accident insurance, it is imperative that parents should purchase additional health and accident insurance for their child or children in case of emergencies.

The safety of the students in our care is our paramount concern, and we always endeavour to ensure that we anticipate, observe and act upon all reasonable measures necessary to protect them. However, accidents and injuries do occur from time to time, often without anyone being at fault. We are unable to offer compensation for any accident or injury which is not attributable to our fault.

After School Clubs & Athletics

To help students explore their strengths and talents while also providing further opportunities to develop within the Panyaden Profile, we offer a wide array of after school clubs and sports. Clubs can range from cooking class, theatre, music, arts, chess, maths club, etc. Starting in year two, students have the opportunity to participate in the Chiang Mai Athletic Conference (CMAC). What is offered changes from season to season and is determined by student interest and teacher, parent, or external provider talents. 

Club Timings: Clubs begin at 16:00 Monday through Thursday. To align with CMAC, the regional athletics group, clubs run on a seasonal basis. Dates for sign-ups are provided in advance. 

Club Fees: Clubs have a fee of 2,000 baht for the season, and sports with competition are 2,500 baht. Fees cover club related expenses including compensating the club providers for their expertise and valuable time. 

Club Placement: Each club has a limited space; priority for placement is given to those who confirm first by completing all payments. Further elaboration on the club assignment procedure is provided during the sign-up process. 

Leaving or Changing Clubs: Learning to follow through on commitments is an important life skill. In order to encourage commitment to clubs, students cannot switch from one club to another after the first week of running. 

Club Refunds: Refunds are not available for parents who wish to withdraw their child from a club however, if unforeseen circumstances mean club sessions are cancelled, refunds will be organised by the accounting team.

Offering Clubs: Any parent or outside specialists wishing to offer an after-school club will be given the opportunity to do so before students sign up. Depending on the circumstances of the prospective club-leader, there may be subsidiary information which they will need to provide to the HR department. 

Arrival, Departure, and School Hours 

Nursery to Year 1: 

Monday - Thursday: 08:15 - 15:20 

Friday: 08:15 - 14:05

Year 2 to Year 6: 

Monday - Thursday: 08:15 - 15:50 

Friday: 08:15 - 14:25

Arrival: To align with the supervision schedule, students may enter the campus beginning at 07:45; they should arrive at school no later than 08:05 to allow time for settling in and connecting with their peers. Parents and guardians drop off their children via the following gates: 

• Nursery to Year 1 students should be dropped off near the Parent Sala gate (Gate 2). 

• Year 2 to Year 6 students can enter through the Assembly Hall gate (Gate 1). 

• Parents with students in both age groups can choose either gate to enter. 

In the morning, we encourage children to demonstrate confidence and independence to make their own way to the classroom once we are past the “settling in period.” 

Late Arrival: Punctuality is an important habit for children to develop. Children who arrive late in the morning are required to sign in at the relevant school office. The child will be marked “late” within the attendance record. After signing in, students in Year One and below will be escorted to class; older students may walk to class on their own. 

Lateness is considered in the student’s overall attendance record. Late arrivals are monitored by the school office. If lateness exceeds 3 occurrences within a term, the family will be contacted by the school office. 

Departure: Please note, we do not offer a late pickup supervision service. We ask that you help us to keep your children safe by arriving within ten minutes of the end of the school day. (See times above). 

Parents may wait outside of the designated school gates to pick up their child. The Parent Sala is available for those who arrive early. 

• Nursery to Year 1 students should be collected from their classrooms. Caregivers enter via Gate 3 and both adults and children exit via Gate 2. 

• Year 2 to Year 3 students exit through Gate 3

• Year 4 to Year 6 students exit at the Assembly Hall (Gate 1) 

Authorised Pick-up Adults: At the beginning of the academic year, parents are asked to designate their authorised pick-up adults. These adults should wear their school badges when dropping off and collecting a child. 

Parents must inform the homeroom teacher and the Primary School Receptionist if you wish to delegate picking up duties to a third party, such as a family friend or for a playdate with a classmate. Parents are expected to give the full name and details of the person authorised to pick up a student to the Primary School Office and the homeroom teachers. If the change in plans involves after school activities, the Athletics and Activities Director must also be informed. 

Once students have been signed out of school at the end of the day, they become the full responsibility of their parents and may not re-enter the school grounds unless permission has been granted by the staff on supervision duty. 

Assemblies

Assemblies are an important part of our school routines, as they support students in coming together as a community for a shared experience. During our assemblies, we celebrate certain events, build understanding of school expectations, and deliver Buddhist education experiences connected to the 12 Wise Habits and Panyaden Profile. Led by year level and class teachers, the assemblies also offer the opportunity to develop presentation and speaking/listening skills. Students also practise certain cultural and Buddhist elements such as bowing, chanting, and meditation. To learn alongside us, parents are welcome to attend assemblies. If you do attend, please wear your school ID and follow along with the “visitors on campus guidelines.” 

Attendance 

Attendance is a crucial aspect of a student's academic journey and plays a significant role in their overall educational success. Regular attendance is a key factor in students' achievement in areas of social and emotional development, habit formation, academic engagement, and overall responsibility. As parents and educators, we have a shared responsibility to emphasise the importance of consistent attendance. 

Attendance Expectations: We expect that students will aim towards 100% attendance. We understand that “life happens,” and so we will work with families as needed. Attendance that falls below the 90% mark may result in a meeting with the Principal. If a student misses more than 20% of the school year, their promotion to the next year group will be reviewed, and the Principal may determine that a child should be retained in the current year level. 

Punctuality is an important part of attendance, and will be counted in with the overall attendance record. Late arrivals are monitored by the school office. If lateness exceeds 3 occurrences within a term, the family will be contacted by the school office. 

Excused Absences: Illness, death in the family, medical appointments with a doctor’s note, or visa related issues are counted as an excused absence. If your child is unwell for 3 days or more, a medical note will be required. Excessive incidents of illness may require a meeting with the Principal to develop a wellness support plan for the child. 

Some children engage in high level competition outside of school, and these opportunities enrich and extend their life while contributing to the achievement of the Panyaden Profile. In the case of high level competition that requires absence from school, Panyaden can authorise up to 3 days as excused absence, if given prior notice. Students are still expected to meet their learning goals within school. If the absence is more than 3 days, the remaining days may count as “unexcused.” 

Unexcused Absences: Anything that falls outside of the school “excused absences” will count as “unexcused.” Excessive unexcused absences may impact the offering of promotion for the following year.

Reporting an Absence: Please email the classroom teacher and the Primary School Receptionist by 08:15 on the day of the absence. If your child has a communicable illness, please also include the Nurse in your communication. 

Extended Absence: If it is necessary for parents to take their children out of school during term time for any reason other than family emergency or illness, parents are asked to inform the school in writing as soon as possible, no later than 14 days in advance. 

Temporary Withdrawal: If a student temporarily withdraws from the school, or misses an extended period of school, placement into the next year level will be reviewed by the principal to determine if year level promotion is offered. Please also note that extended withdrawal from school may impact the school’s ability to sponsor visas under Panyaden.

Remote Learning for Extended Absences: Learning happens best when students are in the classroom. Our hands-on approach to learning is not easily replicated through remote learning experiences, and we do not want to divert the teachers’ focus away from providing quality teaching and learning in the classroom. Therefore, outside of the school’s calendared option for remote learning, we do not regularly provide learning for extended absences unless approved by the principal.

In situations such as a family emergency, we may agree to provide learning packets. We will not provide learning for extended vacations. 

If you would like the school to consider providing learning for extended absences, please submit your request via email to the homeroom teacher and principal with as much advance notice as possible. 

Behaviour Expectations

As a values based school, how we behave and treat one another holds great weight towards helping us to achieve the school’s mission and vision. Following Buddhist principles for skilful communication, skilful conflict resolution, and respect for our school guidelines are important aspects to help us achieve our aims. 

We expect staff, students, and parents to follow our Code of Conduct and to behave in a way that is respectful of our school community in all interactions- online, face to face, in email communication, and when away from school. 

Staff and students are expected to use manners reflective of Thai culture and to show respect towards norms within our international community. They are also expected to demonstrate behaviour that is conducive to learning, both for themselves and their peers. 

Parents are also expected to demonstrate respectful behaviour when on campus and when interacting with members of the Panyaden community, whether in writing or in person. Course language, encroachment on personal space, yelling/raised voice, and threats to others' safety are not acceptable behaviours. 

We know that what happens after school hours can also impact the school community. We ask that members of our community reflect the Buddhist principles within the school, and show respect towards themselves and others when outside of the physical school environment. 

If student behaviour steps outside of our school norms, we will follow the processes outlined within the Code of Conduct and Approach to Discipline. Holistic approaches towards supporting a child may include a Behaviour Intervention Contract and Plan.

If a parent or caregiver's behaviour is seen as disrespectful or challenges the school’s ability to maintain a safe community for all, we will initiate a conversation with the family to discuss the concerns. If the behaviour continues, the school reserves the right to inform parents of expected behaviours in a written notification, which will be kept on record. Following the written notification, if concerns continue, the parent/caregiver may receive a second notification letter which may result in limited access to the school campus. In extreme cases, the consequence could be a review of the family status within the school.

If a parent has a concern about another parent’s behaviour, they should speak with the relevant Principal. 

If concerns arise about the behaviour of a staff member, the issue should be raised with the school Principal. If there is a concern about the behaviour of a Principal, please approach the Principal first. If you have not reached a satisfactory conclusion, the concern may be raised with the School Director. Please note that the School Director is not usually the first point of contact about individual issues as this tends to delay matters while the Director seeks background information. 

Bikes and Scooters

Bikes and Scooters are great means of cutting down on environmental pollution; if at all possible to do so safely, families are encouraged to use these as a means of transportation to school. Children should wear helmets for safety, and should leave the bike/scooter outside of the school gates during the school day. Please park your bike or scooter in the school bike rack.

During the school day, students in our Early Years and Year 1 have access to balance bikes, scooters and bicycles in order to work on their physical development, a core focus of our curriculum. They are supported in learning safe use of the equipment. Shoes and helmets must be worn while riding the equipment. 

Birthday Celebrations

Birthdays are very special and exciting days for all of us. It is a time to celebrate “us” with friends and family. As a school, we want to recognize our students’ special day while being sensitive to the Panyaden food policy and approach towards learning about wellness, student allergies and diet restrictions, different family’s financial realities, and our commitment towards sustainability.

With that said, Panyaden does not allow edible treats for birthdays, and instead, will honour birthdays with non-food celebrations. We also ask parents to refrain from bringing in gift bags. Students, teachers and parents will collaborate to choose an appropriate celebration option for each child. 

If your child’s birthday falls over a school break or the weekend, please work with the homeroom teacher to identify a date for celebrating the birthday. If your child will be holding a birthday party outside of school and wishes to invite classmates, to help avoid children feeling left out, we ask that invitations are only distributed at school if the entire class will be invited. 

Other holiday and curriculum-based food experiences will continue to be managed by the classroom teachers.

Go back to the Table of Contents

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging 

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) are foundational principles within our school community. In alignment with our Buddhist values, we believe that every individual has inherent worth and deserves respect, understanding, and equal opportunities. 

Diversity is celebrated and cherished as a source of strength and enrichment within our school. We value the unique identities, perspectives, and experiences of all students, families, and staff members. By embracing diversity, we foster an inclusive environment that encourages open-mindedness, acceptance, and appreciation for different cultures, languages, abilities, sexual identities, and socio-economic backgrounds. For students, parents, and staff, we will honour chosen identities to the fullest extent possible within Thailand, and will not tolerate discriminatory behaviour. 

Equity is at the core of our educational philosophy. We strive to create a fair and just learning environment where students have access to the necessary resources, support, and opportunities to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. We recognize and address systemic barriers that may impede a student's progress, offer scholarships to students who demonstrate promise, and do our best to ensure that students from a variety of backgrounds have access to Panyaden’s programme. 

Inclusion is a fundamental principle that guides our interactions and practices. We actively promote a sense of belonging for all members of our community, cultivating an atmosphere of acceptance, empathy, and support. We encourage collaboration, dialogue, and the sharing of diverse perspectives, fostering a spirit of unity that allows individuals to feel valued, heard, and included.

Belonging is an essential aspect of our school's culture. We strive to create a warm and nurturing environment where students and families feel safe, connected, and supported. Through mindfulness practices and the cultivation of compassion, we help students develop a deep sense of belonging to themselves, to others, and to the wider world. By nurturing a sense of belonging, we foster a community where everyone can flourish and contribute positively.

We believe that by embracing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, we uphold the principles of Buddhism and provide a transformative educational experience that prepares our students to navigate a diverse and interconnected world with wisdom, compassion, and understanding.

Dress Code and Uniforms

The school uniform is compulsory from the first day of term, and is available for purchase at the school shop. The uniform is designed to be comfortable and suitable for the climate. 

Well-kept Presentation is expected of students. Students are expected to be presentable, with clean uniforms (as clean as can be with playing in trees!) and well-kept hygiene practices during the school day. Torn, ill-sized, or excessively dirty uniforms do not meet the expected standard of selfcare. 

Hair and Nails should be clean and tidy and not cover the eyes. Nails should be short, clean and well-kept. While we support students in their self expression with hair styles, if a chosen style becomes distracting to the learning, the school may request a more “subdued” choice. 

Shoes and Socks: Students and teachers often walk barefoot around the campus and in the classrooms. Students should wear either plain coloured trainers (sports shoes) with short socks or any neat, comfortable shoes or sandals to school each day. Raised heels are not permitted. Students must bring sports shoes to school on PE days. These can be left at school.

Basic Uniform: Students should wear the designated school shorts/skirt and top. On cold weather days, students may wear the Panyaden hoodie and zipped sweater or plain black/dark blue sweater with no logo. Dark leggings may also be worn underneath the uniform. Students should refrain from wearing jewellery or embellishments. Subtle earrings are permitted, though they should have protective backings to avoid injury whilst playing at school. 

The PE Uniform should be worn from home on PE days only. PE days will be shared with the class schedule at the start of the term.

Traditional Clothing on Fridays is practised in Chiang Mai amongst Thai students who wear traditional northern Thai-style dress. To honour this local cultural practice at Panyaden, students are expected to wear Lanna style clothes, traditional clothing from their “heart countries,” or their school uniform. Casual clothes, or just street clothes, such as a T-shirt and shorts, jeans, sports jerseys, or sleeveless dresses may not be worn in place of traditional clothes, even though these may have become ‘traditional’ in some countries. Modest dress in accordance with Thai culture is expected at all times. Shoulders, upper chest, upper back and upper legs should be covered. 

Nursery to Year 1:

Year 2 to Year 6

Early Release Days

Early Release Days are provided to allow time for staff professional development and in-service time. These occur every Friday, and may occur in support of the school’s accreditation process. 

Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC) 

Field Trips: To support the learning happening within the classroom, about twice a term students will go on outings to places around Chiang Mai. These trips are designed to help students to make real world connections to their classroom learning.

Journeys: In support of building the Panyaden Profile, students within the Primary School will experience developmentally appropriate outdoor education adventure trips designed to build resilience, knowledge about life skills within the outdoors, and to reinforce their connection to the natural world. These trips increase in their challenge as students move up in their academic years, and begin to include an overnight component that helps children to build independence. 

Safety Measures: For all trips, the school carries out a very thorough risk assessment protocol that enables us to provide enriching and safe learning experiences for our children. Parents will be informed in advance of all EOTC events. By signing the school’s Terms and Conditions, parents give their consent for the school to take their children on such outings. If they wish to opt out, parents must inform classroom teachers at least one day in advance and make alternative arrangements for the care of their child. The cost of field trips is included in the term fee. Because transportation and other field trip logistics have to be planned and paid in advance, the school is unable to refund fees once they have been paid.

Emergency School Closure

Emergency School Closure: If the school is required to close in an unscheduled way, parents will be informed as soon as possible through the school’s whole school Line application and via email. We encourage parents to subscribe to the application, and to ensure that your email is up to date within the school records. 

In the event of an unscheduled closure, we ask that parents refrain from phoning the school unless it is extremely urgent, as telephone lines are likely to be engaged.

While we always do our best to stay open, some reasons that we may need to close include: 

• Flooding: On occasions during the rainy season, areas of Chiang Mai are flooded. Often only a few areas of town are affected. School might close to ensure the safety of our families en route to the school.

• Maintenance problems such as interruption of water or electricity supply to school

• Order by the government due to poor air quality, unprecedented national events or other factors.

Emergency Contact Information

Emergency Contact Information of parents should always be kept up to date within the school database system. It is vital that we have accurate and up-to-date emergency contact information for your child’s safety. In case of any medical emergencies or unforeseen circumstances, we must be able to reach you or an authorised representative promptly.

Please be sure to notify the Primary Receptionist and admissions team if your contact details change. 

Enrolment and Withdrawal

The Enrolment Process begins with the application to the school. When a family submits an application to Panyaden, parents or guardians are required to agree to and sign the School Terms and Conditions. This document is a legal agreement between the school and the parent or guardian, and it should be read carefully before signing. 

Placement of students is decided by the school principals based on a number of factors. These factors include age, previous school records, pre-entrance assessment results and the students’ abilities and needs, including English/Thai language proficiency. Special cases regarding placement will be discussed with parents and considered on an individual basis, however, the final decision remains with the school principals. Panyaden reserves the right to reassign a student at any time if it is felt that the initial placement was inappropriate. Parents will be informed and their perspective will be taken into consideration.

Re-enrolment: In order to secure a student’s continued place at Panyaden for the following academic year, a re-enrolment form must be completed with a paid deposit of school fees by the end of March each academic year. This deposit is non-refundable should a student not take up the confirmed place in August, and is fully adjustable against the first term fees. If returning parents decline to pay this deposit and their child’s class reaches maximum size, their place will be offered to the parents of a student on the waiting list. 

If you require any further details regarding re-enrolment or have questions regarding the process, please contact our Admissions Team. 

Temporary Withdrawal Policy: Parents/Guardians of students who wish to temporarily withdraw from Panyaden are required to submit the temporary withdrawal form available at the admissions office. Returning after more than one full academic year, or two terms, will be treated as a new application. The new fee structure will be applied with full initial fees: admission fee, application fee, and refundable deposit. 

Withdrawal Policy: Parents/Guardians of students who will be leaving Panyaden International School must complete the withdrawal form. Completion of this form is an essential part of the process of withdrawing a student and refunding policy. To receive your deposit, the admissions department must be informed at least 60 days before their last day of school in writing. The form is available at the school admissions office. The 60 day notice gives time for students to return all school resources, and for parents to clear any outstanding charges. Once the form is completed, the accounting department will refund the deposit by cheque within 15 work days after the last day of the child attending school.

Environmental Mindedness

Environmental Mindedness encourages us to take action to mitigate our impacts on the natural environment, while also interacting with resources in a sustainable way. Panyaden International School is committed to reducing the unnecessary exploitation of natural resources, to recycling waste, and to reducing our carbon footprint. As evidence of our commitments towards caring for the natural environment, the school itself is constructed from renewable natural resources and re-used wood and glass. We also manage waste in sustainable ways to include recycling materials such as plastic, paper and glass; composting food scraps; and sending non recyclable and hazardous waste to the municipal disposal. We also weave aspects of sustainable living and care for the environment within our school curriculum. 

Panyaden encourages environmental mindfulness amongst all staff, students, parents and the local community. 

Go back to the Table of Contents

Family Legal Matters

Family Legal Matters: We understand that family legal matters can sometimes arise unexpectedly and have a significant impact on our lives. As a school community, we want to support families during these challenging times. While we are not legal professionals, we want to provide some general guidance and resources to help community members navigate family legal matters with care and sensitivity.

• Confidentiality: We respect your privacy and understand that legal matters can be sensitive. If you are involved in a family legal issue, we encourage you to inform the Principal in confidence. This will allow us to better understand your situation and provide any necessary support to your child while maintaining confidentiality.

• Communication: Open and honest communication is key during these circumstances. Please keep us informed about any changes in custody agreements, court orders, or any other relevant legal documents that may affect your child's well-being or our ability to provide appropriate care and support. Please take special note that we cannot deny child access to a legal guardian without a court order or evidence of the termination of parental rights in legal documentation. 

• Emergency Contacts: It is vital that we have accurate and up-to-date emergency contact information for your child. In case of any legal emergencies or unforeseen circumstances, we must be able to reach you or an authorised representative promptly. Emergency contact information can be updated by contacting the Primary School Receptionist.

• Child's Welfare: Our primary concern is always the well-being and safety of your child. If you believe that a family legal matter may have an impact on your child's emotional or physical welfare, we encourage you to inform us, so we can work together to ensure their needs are met appropriately.

• Legal Resources: We strongly recommend seeking professional legal advice from a qualified attorney who specialises in family law. They can provide personalised guidance and support tailored to your specific situation. Additionally, community organisations and support groups may be available to provide resources and assistance.

We are here to support Panyaden families and their children during difficult times. Our goal is to foster a safe and nurturing environment for the children's growth and development, and we will do our best to accommodate a family's needs to the best of our abilities.

Feedback and Concerns

Parent constructive feedback and hearing about concerns is important to us, and we believe in fostering open lines of communication between home and school. We understand that at times, concerns or complaints may arise, and we want to assure you that we are here to listen, address your concerns, and work towards a solution. We encourage you to reach out to us with any feedback or concerns you may have. 

The school formally seeks parental feedback through the annual survey. If there is a timely concern that you would like to bring to our attention, please follow the process below.

We believe in resolving issues collaboratively and aim to find mutually beneficial solutions. We encourage you to first communicate your concern to the appropriate staff member or teacher involved. They will listen attentively, offer support, and work with you to address the matter in the best interest of your child.

If, after following the initial steps, you feel that your concern requires further attention, please follow these steps: 

• If a parent has a concern about another parent’s behaviour, they should speak with the relevant Principal. 

• If your concern is a safeguarding matter, please contact the relevant Principal or the school’s designated Safeguarding leads.

• If concerns arise about the behaviour of a staff member, the issue should be raised with the relevant Principal. 

• If your concern is related to curriculum or student services, please contact the relevant Vice Principal. 

• If there is a concern about the Principal, please approach the Principal first. 

• If you followed the above and have not reached a satisfactory conclusion, the concern may be raised with the School Director. 

Please note that the School Director is not usually the first point of contact about individual issues as this tends to delay matters while the Director seeks background information.

Feedback and complaints are valuable to us. They provide us with an opportunity to reflect on our practices, make necessary improvements, and ensure that our school remains a safe and nurturing environment for all our students.

Receiving feedback about your child can be difficult, however, open communication between home and school is essential in order for the school to meet the needs of your child as an individual. Many times, you will hear of your child’s successes and progress. At other times, it may be necessary for your child’s teaching team to communicate more difficult news with you, whether it be about your child’s academics or social behaviours. Our team strives to share this news in a sensitive manner; their intention is to create a positive home-school relationship where all parties are working towards your child’s next steps in an aligned, supportive manner. 

Food and Snacks

Food and Snacks: Panyaden International School provides healthy and nutritious snacks and lunches to ensure students have a balanced diet each day. All school lunches are prepared on-site with fresh, often organic, ingredients. Our lunch menu offers both Thai and international options and morning and afternoon snacks include fruit, sandwiches, and more. There is always a vegetarian option available. 

Lunch is provided in the canteen while snacks are brought to the classroom. The school will provide lunch and snacks on outings and field trips.

All students are expected to at least try everything on offer, even if only a tiny amount, unless they have a food allergy or a special dietary need. A vegetarian option is available for students who prefer this option - we ask that families contact primaryreceptionist@panyaden.ac.th to make this request. Students may return for second helpings. Students may not take food from the teachers’ table. If you have concerns about your child’s eating habits or the food the school provides, please contact your child’s homeroom teacher or the Primary School Office. 

To help keep our community safe and to help us achieve our goal of teaching about healthy eating, students are not permitted to bring food from outside onto the school campus. 

Snacks brought to the Parent Sala should be healthy such as fresh fruit, veggies, popcorn, etc. Please do not bring candies or processed foods onto the school grounds whether for a child enrolled in the school or a sibling. We ask that parents never give someone else’s child food without their parent’s direct permission. 

Fundraising

Fundraising: In support of special school based initiatives or service learning projects, philanthropic fundraising events may occur. Raising money for school initiatives enriches students’ lives by allowing the purchase of items that are outside the school budget, while supporting charity organisations serves the specific purpose of educating students about meaningful issues while supporting the organisations who address these issues. In each instance, we will ask that students go beyond just raising money, with an aim to develop skills in service learning, maths, communication, collaboration, needs assessments, and critical thinking. 

Fundraising projects should be run through the divisional school leadership teams prior to commencing. The school will evaluate causes and the recipients to ensure they are legitimate. Fundraising should never be for personal gain, and the methods for fundraising should comply with the school’s values. Money gained from fundraising should be turned into the Primary School Office for safe holding until the money is sent to the recipient. Individuals who wish to promote their own business during school events or on school grounds should first seek permission from school leadership. 

Health and Hygiene

Health of the children and teachers matters a great deal to us. Whether it is physical or mental health, a child cannot learn and a teacher cannot teach if they are not well. Within our school curriculum and practices, we aim to promote the knowledge and skills needed to live healthy lives. We ask that families follow our guidelines laid out in the handbook to help keep the community healthy. 

Good hygiene practices are an important aspect of remaining healthy. We ask that children keep their teeth, hair, skin, and nails clean and follow uniform guidelines for a well-kept appearance. 

Please see the sections on: Child Protection and Safeguarding, Dress Code, and Illness and Infectious Diseases for further information that pertains to Health and Hygiene. 

Home Language/ Mother Tongue Support 

Home Language brings cultural understanding and is an important aspect of one’s identity. To help children develop a strong family foundation, we encourage parents to speak their mother tongue to their children, even where this is not one of the two school languages. Having a strong foundation in one’s mother tongue helps a child build the confidence needed to tackle a second or third language. In multilingual families, we recommend that parents choose a dominant language for each parent to help the child anchor the home languages of the parents. For example, in cases where the languages at home are English and Thai, we recommend that the Thai-speaking parent speak only Thai to the child, and the English-speaking parent keeps to English. Research shows that this is the most effective way to help young children reach fluency in both languages. Supporting home language development may include speaking, reading, watching movies,and experiencing events outside of the home in the home languages. 

To support the learning of Thai and English outside of school, parents are encouraged to create opportunities for their children to use these languages in a social context. This could mean, for example, finding a swimming coach who will only speak Thai to the child or an English-speaking coach for their children’s after-school activities.

Holidays: Cultural, Religious, and International

Holidays are an important part of building school spirit and a sense of community. At Panyaden, we honour major Thai and Buddhist festivals and events, whether that is a day released from school or recognized within school. As a reflection of our international community, we also honour other cultural celebrations and special UN Days that help us to build memories as a community, reflect on our values, and take action towards achieving our school mission. As a busy school, we are not able to honour all major holidays that are important to different members of our community; if you would like the school to consider honouring a holiday that is special within your family’s cultural context, please do not hesitate to reach out to the classroom teacher and school leadership. 

Home- Learning

Home-learning: All students are expected to have a nightly reading routine, either by being read to or by reading on their own for 10-20 minutes. Reading routines help to build crucial language skills, while also reinforcing a love of reading. 

Home-learning should be a useful and positive experience that complements what is being learned in school. Home-learning should also help students become more independent and disciplined in their study, while creating an opportunity for parents to share in the students’ learning. 

Tasks: Students in Year 1 will receive readers and materials to support their phonics development towards the end of the first term. Students in Year 2 to Year 6 will occasionally be given tasks to complete at home to support their mathematical skills, deepen their understanding within their integrated units, complete unfinished work, or to support their language skills.

Time Limits: Home-learning should never exceed a child’s year level times 10; for example, a year 2 child should not have more than 20 minutes of work two to three times a week with an additional daily expectation of 10 to 20 minutes for reading.

Parents are asked to support the child in their home-learning by:

• Establishing routines that support effective habits for completing home-learning

• Arranging a quiet, suitable place for completing the work

• Reinforcing the idea that home-learning is an important aspect of the child’s responsibility 

• Checking that deadlines are met

• Ensuring that your child reads for 10-20 minutes each evening

Our aim is for students to have a well-balanced life that includes time for rest, play, family connection and an opportunity to explore personal interests. If home-learning becomes a source of tension or stress at home, please let the teacher assigning the work know as soon as possible. 

Go back to the Table of Contents

Illness & Infectious Diseases

Illness and Infectious Diseases: To help keep our community healthy, we ask that parents keep their child home from school if they have cold-like symptoms, an excessive cough, runny nose, fever, vomiting, or diarrhoea. They should return 24 hours after the last symptom has cleared. If a child has been unwell during the school day, they may not participate in after school activities or sports on the same day of the illness. 

• If a student is sick, parents are to inform the school by emailing the school office and the class email group on the first day of illness before 8.15 am. 

• If a child has a communicable disease that could impact other children, parents should also email the school Nurse.

• On returning to school after sickness, if there are follow up precautions, parents should email the classroom teachers and the school nurse. 

• If a student is sick for more than 3 days, parents should provide the school with a doctor’s note on the student’s return to school. 

• If a student visits the Nurse’s Office during the school day, parents will be informed of minor treatment through an automated message. They will be contacted if the illness requires medicine or if the child appears to have contagious symptoms. 

• If a student is unfit to study due to illness, injury, or if there is a non-emergency accident, parents will be asked to collect their child from school. 

Fever: Parents are asked not to send their children to school if they have an above normal temperature (over 37.5 degrees Celsius). Should school staff identify the onset of a raised temperature during the school day, parents will immediately be called to collect their child. This is for the benefit of the child, but also to prevent infection to other children. 

Head Lice: Young children are prone to head lice. If parents notice head lice on their child, they are asked to inform the school immediately to help prevent it spreading to other children. If cases are found at school, a note will be sent to parents to check their children and take necessary measures at home. 

Illness Outbreaks: Should there be a significant number of cases of a particular illness at school, the school will take special precautions, such as taking the temperature of every child on arrival at school, disinfecting the classrooms or asking infected children to stay at home for a stipulated number of days. Parents are requested to inform the Primary School Office and school nurse immediately if their child has been diagnosed with a specific contagious illness. The school will follow guidelines from the Ministry of Health regarding procedures for managing disease outbreaks; in some instances, this could result in the closure of a specific class. For Covid-19 outbreak, the school provides special instructions and preventions specifically for this, please see the link for detailed information. 

Serious Accidents: Should students have a serious accident at school, the school will provide immediate first aid treatment and then the child will be taken for treatment at the nearest hospital. 

Wellness Protocols: Classroom teachers have all received first aid training and are equipped to handle minor bumps and bruises. All classrooms are equipped with a first aid kid. While we do our best to inform parents in the event of injuries, minor bumps, scrapes, and bruises are a regular part of a busy child’s life, and a teacher may not mention every small incident. If an injury is more serious, or if a child shows symptoms of illness such as lethargy, vomiting, diarrhoea, excessive/disruptive cough, etc. the teacher will refer the child to the school nurse. The nurse will review the symptoms and determine if it can be treated at school and then monitor. If it appears to be in the best interest of the child, we may determine that a child should be sent home. 

If a child is sent home unwell, they must be signed out from the Primary School Office. If the child is too ill to walk to the office, parents may collect the child from the Nurse’s Office. 

Immunisation

Immunisation requirements, schedules, and vaccine types vary widely throughout the world. If families are moving to Thailand from another country, they are encouraged to check with their family doctor for vaccines recommended for Thailand. 

Frequently recommended childhood vaccines can be found within your home countries’ health administration. Commonly references schedules for Panyaden families include: 

• The World Health Organization Immunization Schedule

• Thailand Recommended Immunization Schedule

• UK Vaccination Schedule

• CDC Immunization Schedule

We understand that parents have different viewpoints on immunisations. The school will follow legal requirements. We thank parents for their support and compliance in advance. 

Interpreting and Translation Services

Interpreting and Translation Services: As a multilingual school environment, we aim to create an inclusive educational setting by accommodating students and families from diverse linguistic backgrounds. Panyaden takes proactive measures to ensure effective communication by providing Thai translations for key documents and offering interpreters for special events whenever possible. 

To cater to the needs of families requiring interpretation in languages other than Thai, the school requests parents to arrange for their own interpreters to facilitate communication and maintain a collaborative atmosphere. Many parents at Panyaden are willing to help with interpreting during meetings if this service is requested, however, the school cannot guarantee that the interpretations provided are fully accurate. 

Language Approach

Dual Language Approach: As a reflection of our commitment to our place in Thailand and our international perspective, all Panyaden Primary School students are working towards proficiency in both English and Thai. 

In support of this aim, Primary school students are taught in both English and Thai from Nursery to Year 6. Each Early Years classroom has a certified English teacher and a certified Thai teacher who take turns in leading the learning. In Primary years, maths and English are taught by certified foreign teachers; PE, life skills, art and Thai by certified Thai teachers; and science, social studies, and performing arts are taught in both languages. In Year 6, to prepare students for the secondary programme, the language of instruction begins to shift in science and social studies to be in English, with the concepts being visited within the Thai language classes. 

For every applicant, language proficiency will be assessed during the admissions process. For every applicant whose first language is neither English or Thai, the school may choose to administer a TAL or WIDA assessment to determine the best possible placement for the child during language learning time. After a child is enrolled, ongoing assessment occurs once per term to determine the child’s support needs and placement in language classes. 

We expect students who are with us from kindergarten through to the end of Primary to become fully functional in both languages by the end of Year 6. 

Intensive language Support is available for students who are not proficient in Thai and/or English. EAL and TAL services are provided for a fee, payable one term at a time. EAL fees are applied for up to six terms, and TAL services are charged for up to two terms. The fee enables students to participate in the small group co-teaching instructional approaches that accelerate learning. If the school determines that intensive language support is needed for a child to access the learning, the programme will be required. 

• English as an Additional Language (EAL): If it is determined by the school that a child will need supplementary intensive language support to participate independently within their classes due to their proficiency in English, the child will be required to join the EAL intensive language support programme. Intensive language support is flexible in approach to best meet the needs of the students, and may include small group co-teaching within the classroom, or pull-out support. 

• Thai as an Additional Language (TAL): Students not proficient in Thai language are required to participate in the TAL (Thai as an Additional Language) programme, which follows the Thai Language, History, and Culture national core curriculum tailored for international students. These programmes aim to develop Thai language skills, cultural understanding, and create a harmonious community. International students focus on speaking and listening skills for effective communication in daily life. Students are grouped based on a variety of factors which may include nationality (for Thai students) and language ability, and a placement test determines the proficiency level in the TAL programme. Thai students with dual citizenship may choose their language learning group based on proficiency and goals.

• Supporting Language Development: Parents whose child enrols in the intensive language programme are encouraged to support the acquisition of language through activities outside of school.

While each child learns at their own pace, with targeted and intentional support, children typically reach proficiency in academically required language within two to three years. Depending on their profile as a learner, home language experience, and exposure to language outside of school, some children may take longer.

Library Services

The library has a collection of Thai, English and international language books for children of all levels. Students visit the library with their teacher every week to borrow books which they may take home. Parents may also borrow books under their child’s name between 15:15 and 16:00 on Monday-Thursday. Parents may also consult our online library catalogue via the Follet portal and reserve books before coming to pick them up.

Parents are financially responsible if a book under a child’s name is lost or damaged. 

Lost Property

Lost Property is a common occurrence in a Primary school setting. Families can help to reduce the accumulation of lost property by ensuring that the child’s belongings are labelled with their name. Any belongings found will be kept at the “Lost and Found” near the nurse’s office. At the end of each term, any belongings which have not been claimed will be either made available for use at school or donated to charity.

Lunches

See Food and Snacks.

Mascot

The Panyaden mascot is the Phoenix. The Phoenix has been selected as our school mascot due to its powerful symbolism and the values it represents. Just like the legendary bird rising from the ashes, the Phoenix embodies the spirit of renewal, growth, and overcoming challenges. It inspires us to embrace change, face adversity head-on, and emerge stronger than ever before.

With the adoption of the Phoenix as our mascot, we aim to foster a sense of unity, pride, and school spirit within our community. We believe that the Phoenix perfectly embodies our school's commitment to providing a nurturing and transformative educational experience for all our students. It symbolises our belief in their unlimited potential, their ability to rise above obstacles, and their capacity for personal and academic growth. In the upcoming months, you will see the Phoenix making appearances at school events, athletic competitions, and other special occasions.

Media and Publication

Panyaden community members are encouraged to follow us on social media through Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook. The school shares publication guidelines within the PDPA guidelines and Media consent form. Parents are kindly asked to show care for other students and their families by carefully considering whether an image captured during a school event should be shared on social media. Many members of our community do not want their child’s image to be shared with others.

We respectfully ask that parents refrain from using social media to air their grievances, and instead, follow the school’s guidelines for providing feedback. Through careful communication, we can work together to address concerns in a productive way. 

Following academic integrity practices, student work should not be shared with others outside of the related teachers without the expressed permission of the student. In Early Years through Year 6, parent permission must also be sought.

Medication, Special Diets, and Allergies

Medication, special dietary needs, and allergy information should all be shared with the school to help keep your child healthy. If your child requires prescription medicines, has medical needs, suffers from allergies, or has special dietary needs, please inform the school by noting this on your enrolment form and updating the administration office if these needs change. 

If students need to bring prescribed medicine to school, please write the student’s name, required dosage, and frequency clearly on the bottle and bring it to the school nurse. Please make sure you inform the nurse if a new medical condition arises so that we may update your child’s records. Allergies and other health alerts will be shared with the relevant staff so we can be sure to keep your child healthy and safe.

See Illness and Infectious Diseases for further information regarding health and wellness protocols. 

Meeting with Staff

Meetings between parents and teachers are an important avenue for supporting the child. Teachers will share information occasionally at the gate during pick up time. Some topics will require further conversation so a teacher or parent may request a meeting. To help our teachers focus on the students, we ask that parents do not drop-in unannounced to meet with teachers. 

To schedule an appointment with a teacher, please email the teachers directly. When you arrive for the appointment with the teacher, parents are asked to wear their badge and sign in at the Primary Office.

To schedule an appointment with the Principal or Vice Principals, please email the Primary School Secretary. 

See Reporting to learn more about ways that we keep parents informed.

Mindfulness Practices

Mindfulness practices are a regular part of the school experience at Panyaden. Throughout the day, children are taught strategies to bring their mind to the moment, get in touch with their senses, let go of the past or worries of the future, and we practise meditation together in developmentally appropriate ways. Staff at Panyaden are required to attend a 5 day silent meditation retreat, and parents are invited for Mindfulness sessions at school. We also facilitate a Parent Meditation retreat. Our Mindfulness Director is available to discuss our approach and support families in implementing mindfulness practices at home.

Go back to the Table of Contents

Neurodivergence

Neurodivergence is a term used to recognize and embrace the natural variations in neurological functioning among individuals. It encompasses diverse conditions such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and more. While neurodivergent learners may come with unique needs, they also bring many valuable attributes to the school environment. At our school, we foster an inclusive and supportive environment to our fullest capacity, one that celebrates neurodivergent students, ensuring they have equal opportunities to learn, grow, and succeed. 

Allocation of Resources: With the resources that we have at hand, we are able to support a certain percentage of students within the class ratio. In some cases, we may require additional support from shadow teachers, a special morning programme, or external services. These will be determined in collaboration with the Student Support Services Team and school administration, and may require a supplemental fee paid by the parents.

We will do our very best to support all learners, and trust our families to partner with us in this endeavour. To this end, we ask that parents always share background information or previous evaluations during the admissions process. 

If the school refers a child for evaluations or services, whether internal or external, we expect families to show commitment to meet the school’s recommendations. 

To learn about the services provided, refer to Student Support Services.

Newsletters

Panyaden News, the school’s weekly publication, contains invitations to events, reminders and information on current activities. Sent to all families via email and LINE application at the end of the day on Friday, it is crucial that families read newsletters each week so as not to miss important information.

Teacher weekly emails and Tapestry updates, which include important information about events, reflections from past learning, and statements about what the children will learn next are sent each Monday when school is in session. If we are on holiday, the news will be shared the first day back to school. 

Outdoor Activity Restrictions: AQI Measures

Outdoor Activity Guideline: We closely and continuously monitor the AQI and PM2.5 and post it in key locations around the school to help teachers adjust outdoor activities in real time. When the AQI levels are high, we keep the children indoors within the safety of our Clean Air System. 

The “Panyaden Outdoor Activity Restrictions Guidelines” were created in line with the International Air Quality Standards and World Health Organisation guidelines to help us manage daily activities at school. The guidelines are posted in all rooms within the school, and around campus grounds, to make sure students stay safely indoors when needed. When AQI is high, we will also request that students and staff wear masks whilst on campus. If parents are visiting when these restrictions are activated, it is helpful if they also wear a mask to model healthy behaviour to the students. 

Parent Engagement

Parent Contribution is invaluable to the school’s success. We see parents as partners in the education of the students and understand that home, school, and community each plays a key role in the development of children. At the start of the academic year, parents will have the opportunity to complete a family registration form to indicate interest in volunteering or sharing personal expertise with the school. The list of potential volunteers will be reviewed against the selection criteria for each specific activity, and parents will be contacted as the need arises. 

Note that in accordance with the school safeguarding and Personal Data Protection, we might ask volunteers to provide supplemental information such as background checks. 

Parents may wish to contribute to the school as follows: 

• Guest Speaker: Parents who have a special skill that may be of interest and benefit our students may be invited to join a class for a lesson or activity. Examples may be storytelling, health care, cooking, handicrafts or clothes making. 

• Active Listener: In this programme, parents give some time each week to help with students’ reading from K2 and up. It doesn’t have to be in your own child’s classroom. 

• School Committee: At times, we will send an invitation for parents to join a school committee with teachers and staff to share ideas and discuss various matters such as the Health and Safety committee, child protection committee, school accreditation, etc. 

• Classroom Representative: We ask for one parent rep per homeroom. This person will manage a class Line group, help to remind parents of special events, and help to organise class parties. They can work with the classroom teachers to determine additional avenues for supporting the class. 

• After-School Clubs: Parents are welcome to propose running an after school club or sport. Opportunities to do so are announced prior to the start of the season, and parents are paid for their service according to the club's policy.

Parking and Vehicles on Campus

Parking space, although limited, is provided for parents and visitors. As mentioned in the School Buildings and Access section, please display your car park sticker when entering the campus. Our policy is to avoid noise, air, and other kinds of pollution as much as possible. For this and safety reasons, please observe the following: 

• Drive slowly and at no more than 20 km/hour when entering or leaving the school grounds and along the small lane to the school. Faster speeds whip up dust over the homes of our village neighbours and can lead to accidents.

• Show courtesy in allowing other drivers to pass when on the narrow lane to school.

• Turn off your car engine when parked. 

• Park in the allotted parking bays, not in front of the drop-off/pick-up point. 

• Parents are encouraged to carpool with other families to reduce emissions. Please contact Friends of Panyaden if you wish to find other parents willing to share lifts.

• Families living nearby are encouraged to walk or cycle to school if they can do so safely. Please follow safety protocols such as helmets if your child rides their bike to school. 

PEP Talks: Parent Education at Panyaden

Parent Education is one “branch” of our learning tree. We are committed to developing the hearts and minds of all community members, and when possible, we extend our offerings to the wider community. Throughout the year, parents can expect regular educational experiences to help them as individuals (mindfulness, guest speakers, nutrition, etc.) and as a family (Loving Kindness Interventions, developing a family mission statement, transitions, child protection, etc.) With this in mind, our ‘PEP Talks programme covers three domains: well-being, community, and academics. In addition, the Library offers special events for parents. Finally, parents may attend our ‘open assemblies’ to help them learn about the 12 Wise Habits and other elements of Buddhist principles. The PEP Talks calendar is shared in the PYD News where you will find regular updates on what is happening.

Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) 

PDPA: Panyaden International School is committed to meet and uphold all obligations under the Personal Data Protection Act, B.E. 2562 (2019) (the “PDPA”). This Privacy Notice will help you understand our guidelines on protecting your personal data (as defined below), to describe our grounds and means to collect, use, disclose, make cross-border transfer and/or otherwise process (collectively will be referred to as to “process”) your personal data, and to explain your rights in connection with such personal data as well as your options to protect such personal data. 

For the purpose of this Privacy Notice, “personal data” means any information relating to an identifiable living individual who can be identified from that data or from that data and other data; and “sensitive data” means any personal data revealing racial, ethnic origin, political opinions, cult, religious or philosophical beliefs, sexual behaviour, criminal records, health data, disability, trade union information, genetic data, biometric data of a person.

These Privacy Notices describe what personal information we may collect and process, the reason for processing, how we use, process and ensure protection of all data provided. 

Some highlights for Panyaden Community to consider include: 

• Please be caring and consider whether another family or child would want their image shared with others through social media or other avenues. 

• When taking pictures, please do your best to capture only your child and their work. 

• Keep another person’s “story” and data confidential and do not share their personal details without expressed permission. 

• Any questions according to the PDPA, please contact the school’s Data Protection Officer at dataprivacy@panyaden.ac.th.

Key documents related to PDPA are accessible here and on the school website: 

• Privacy Notice – Students Parents or Guardians and Related Persons

• Privacy Notice – Vendors and Suppliers

• Privacy Notice – Personnel and Related Persons

• Privacy Notice – CCTV

• Privacy Notice – Applicants

• Privacy Notice – Visitors

• PDPA- FAQ

Personal Items and Property

Personal Items should be carefully labelled with the student’s first and last name so we can easily return lost items to the owner. Our “Lost and Found” depository is located near the Nurse’s Office, and will be cleaned out at the end of each term. Any unclaimed items will be donated to a local charity. 

With permission from the teacher, students should only bring personal items to school that will support their learning and well-being. Backpacks, water bottles, and sun hats, should be brought to school on a regular basis. 

Not Permitted: Valuables, personal electronics, smart watches, computers/tablets, toys (apart from on days assigned by the teachers), and food /snacks are not permitted. Students are also not permitted to bring things that could detract from learning or that have significant financial or sentimental value. When students bring personal items to school, it can often lead to valuable teacher time being invested in looking for lost items or solving disputes between students over the item. Please help us to ensure that teachers’ and students can keep their focus on learning by not allowing your child to bring personal items to school. If a child brings something to school, Panyaden is not responsible if it is lost, stolen, or broken. 

Panyaden Pathway

The Panyaden Pathway is a reflection tool that helps to celebrate student progress in the four areas of life which are represented by our core principles. These four areas, known as the Bhavana 4 and identified within the Panyaden Profile, are as follows: 

• Physical development 

• Social development

• Emotional development

• Intellectual/Wisdom development

The Panyaden Pathway serves many purposes within the school. Evident within a child’s portfolio, it provides an opportunity to celebrate the ways in which a student excels while also helping to set goals for areas of development. The Panyaden Pathway helps to guide the school towards providing a well-balanced, life enriching education connected to the school’s core principles. It also helps to connect students’ personal interests and passions from home with school. Parents are encouraged to get involved with achieving the aims outlined in the Panyaden Pathway, reflecting with their child and setting goals to achieve at home. 

Pets

Pets are not permitted on the school campus unless approval is given by the Principal. If parents bring a pet at pick-up time, the pet should remain outside of the school gates on a leash, and the parent is asked to clean up after the pet.

Reporting on Learning

Reporting on Learning: A holistic and balanced approach to reporting on student learning is of paramount importance in fostering effective communication between educators and parents. By encompassing various components such as written reports, learning celebrations, conferences, and portfolios, this approach ensures a comprehensive understanding of a student's progress, strengths, and areas for improvement. Written reports provide a snapshot of a child’s development. Learning celebrations allow parents to witness their child's accomplishments firsthand, fostering a sense of pride and motivation. Conferences provide an opportunity for in-depth discussions, enabling parents and educators to collaboratively develop strategies for further growth. Additionally, portfolios serve as a tangible record of a student's growth, capturing their work samples, projects, and personal reflections. By integrating these diverse elements, a holistic and balanced approach to reporting enables parents to gain a comprehensive understanding of their child's learning journey, fostering a strong partnership between home and school.

Reporting to Early Years and Year 1 Parents: 

• Tapestry Learning Journal is an online learning journal with weekly observations on your child's learning which detail the activity and the learning objectives met. Nursery - Year 1 parents are able to access the journal via an app (Google Play/App Store), the Tapestry website, or QR code provided by the teachers. 

• Communication Book: Nursery and K1 classes use the communication book to supplement the information provided via Tapestry. This includes daily information about a child’s nap time and food intake, as well as an area for teachers’ and parents’ comments to be used as needed. 

• A Settling-In Meeting is held in October to update parents on their child’s progress.

• Parent-teacher conference takes place in February and reviews the child’s learning so far and their next steps.

• Budding Day is a less formal way of reporting to parents on students’ learning via an end of unit celebration during Term 1. Budding Day is a little brother of Blossom Day which is celebrated at the end of the year. The format might change from term to term, but the goal remains the same: invite parents to join them in the learning centres, sharing how they learn at school and some of their favourite activities from the unit. 

• Tea with Teachers are classroom-based meetings with homeroom teachers. The first one occurs before the start of the first term. This is where parents will have the opportunity to meet their child’s classroom teachers and exchange information on expectations, the plan for the year and daily routines. Other “Tea with Teachers” are organised each term for parents to learn about and better understand the school approach. 

• End of the year formal report card provides a snapshot of academic achievements and offers valuable insights into a child's performance in different categories of development.

• Friday “This Week in…” Tapestry is a message in which homeroom teachers share the learning goals for the following week via Tapestry. 

Reporting to Year 2-6 Parents: 

• Monday emails from the homeroom teachers include a summary of the previous week and the main learning goals for the current week. You can expect it before 12.00 noon every Monday. 

• End of Unit Progress Reports are issued at the end of each of the six units of learning studied during the year; these reports provide “point in time” feedback on how your child is performing against the taught learning expectations. 

• Reporting verbally to parents: during the students’ pick-up time, homeroom teachers have a chance to chat informally with parents. Teachers may also need to phone a parent to discuss any questions or concerns. 

• Student-involved parent-teacher conference and portfolio presentation take place at the beginning of term 2.

• Goal Sharing takes place towards the end of September and then again during student-involved parent-teacher conferences at the beginning of term 2.

• Portfolios are kept to document and celebrate a student's learning journey. These highlight work that a student is proud of and that demonstrate their growth over An important artefact of the child's learning, the portfolios are shared at the end of terms. 

• Tea with Teachers are classroom-based meetings with homeroom teachers. The first one occurs before the start of the first term. This is where parents will have the opportunity to meet their child’s classroom teachers and exchange information on expectations, the plan for the year and daily routines. Other “Tea with Teachers” are organised each term for parents to learn about the school approach and strategies for supporting your child’s developmental stages. 

• End of the year formal report card provides a comprehensive snapshot of academic achievements and offers valuable insights into a child's performance in different subjects.

• Budding Day and Blossom Day are student centred capstone moments to showcase a student's learning. These celebrations of learning provide students with the opportunity to celebrate their growth and practise their presentation skills as they showcase their learning to parents and each other.

Additional meetings may be held to report to parents on student progress.

“Just in Time” Meetings: We prefer in person dialogue between teachers and parents about student behaviour or concerns. Should the need arise, parents and teachers are encouraged to set up an appointment to meet with each other rather than wait for a student-involved parent-teacher conference. 

School-based team meetings (SBTM) bring together teachers and parents directly involved in a child’s education. This might also include specialists the student sees outside the school. The school counsellor or learning support teacher may call those meetings with the approval of the Vice Principals when classroom teachers’ interventions are not sufficient to support the child’s progress. Parents can also request an SBTM if they deem their meetings with homeroom teachers did not yield sufficient results.

Go back to the Table of Contents

School Building Access and Regulations

Access Hours: Students are permitted to access the school campus beginning at 07:45. Between 07:45-08:00, they must remain within the supervised playgrounds, and they may enter classrooms beginning at 08:00. 

The Panyaden Parent Sala is available for parents who are waiting for students. If parents need to use the restroom while waiting, they may enter with their Parent ID through Gate 4, and use the facilities near the pool.

Parent ID Badges: Each family is entitled to have up to four badges per family, to be worn by the parent, guardian, or caregiver who will regularly accompany the child. These badges should be worn at drop off, pick up, and when visiting campus. If the badge is forgotten, parents/ guardians/ caregivers are asked to sign in at the office to receive a visitor’s badge which should then be visibly worn whilst on campus. 

Face Scan: As a part of our effort to keep the community healthy and safe, every member of the school must register with the face and thermoscan system before they can enter the school campus. The system checks body temperature. If the temperature is higher than 37.5c, the door will not open. If a child has a fever, they will be checked by the school nurse for any other symptoms before they can be released to the classroom. 

Parents, students, and staff may not scan in others. If the scanner is not recognizing someone who should be authorised within the system, they should enter through the office. All visitors should follow the visitor’s protocol by entering through the office.

Access Points: There school has a total of 6 access points : 

• Gate 1: Assembly Hall, pick up and drop off for Year 4 - Year 6

• Gate 2: Early Years pick up and drop off Nursery to Year 1 

• Gate 3: Pick up and drop off for Year 2 - Year 3 - Wheelchair accessible

• Gate 4: Primary School Office 

• Gate S1: Secondary School Campus - Wheelchair accessible 

• Gate S2: Admissions Office

Panyaden Family Gate Pass Sticker is your key to the Panyaden community and is needed to enter school grounds. Each family of students currently enrolled is provided with 2 car stickers and 1 motorcycle sticker. Please update with the Primary Receptionist if you change vehicles and need a new sticker.

School Fee Payment

Tuition fees must be paid before the term starts according to the date on the invoice (normally 60 days before the start of term 2 or 90 days before the new school year). Parents will be issued invoices indicating the amount and payment deadline. Please follow the fee schedule below:

Sickness

Please see Illness and Infectious Diseases as well as Attendance for information related to sickness. 

Smoking, Alcohol, and Recreational Drugs

To help keep our students safe, smoking, alcohol and recreational drugs are not permitted on or near the school premises.  

Student Support Services

Student Support Services: As a school, we are committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for all of our students. The first point of call towards this aim is the homeroom teachers and teaching assistants. In some situations, a child will require additional support to help them thrive at school. This is where the student support services team steps in. 

The Student Support Team is led by the Vice Principal for student Life and consists of the Primary School Counselor, Language Support teachers for TAL and EAL, and Student Support teachers. 

The Counselor supports the social and emotional learning and wellbeing of our students. The Counselor is a valuable resource for proactively supporting students and parents through ongoing lessons, responding in the time of need, or small group and individual support. The Counsellor also works with students as they join or leave our school in order to help them transition well. 

The Student Support Team ensures that all students have access to rigorous content, an enriching curriculum, and meaningful learning experiences. The Student Support Team works closely with students, teachers, parents and administrators to provide ongoing support in creating equitable learning opportunities to ensure that all students can access the curriculum to their full capacity.

The EAL & TAL Teachers lead the language acquisition classes for our language learners through a variation of co-teaching. They regularly monitor and report on the language development of our multilingual learners.

Tiers of Service: We follow the internationally recognized MTSS model of support. MTSS is a research based Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS Model) for academic and emotional well-being. Tier 1 is general classroom support, Tier 2 is targeted support for a short period of time, and Tier 3 is more intensive ongoing support. If a child requires short bursts of support to help close learning gaps, the Students Support Services Team can work with the teacher to provide support.

Referral for Support: Teachers will do their best to support a child’s needs within class. If further intervention support is needed, the teacher will inform parents and then refer the child to the Student Support Services Team (SSST) will observe the child, gather student work, and determine next steps, which may include the development of an Individualised Learning Plan (ILP). 

Individualised Learning Plan (ILP) defines the key target areas for a child to work towards, with short targeted support. This could take the form of a Behaviour Intervention Contract or as an ILP with learning targets and strategies to support progression. Parents will be invited to contribute to these plans and support the implementation. In some cases, the school may request an external evaluation. 

External Evaluations can screen for health concerns or specific learning variances, and they can be very powerful tools in helping teachers determine the best steps for supporting a child’s learning. If more ongoing support is needed, or in cases where a child is not progressing, the school may require external assessments from a Paediatrician, Educational Psychiatrist or Occupational Therapist, or other specialist to help us determine a holistic plan for support. If the school requests external evaluation and support, families are asked to collaborate towards meeting the school’s requests. 

Individualised Education Plans (IEPs) are developed once a full evaluation is carried out and the report is received. This plan will entitle the student to intensive ongoing support that falls within the school’s capacity. It is possible that the family will be expected to provide additional support outside of the school. In some cases, the school may require “shadow teachers” to support the needs of a child. 

Support Agencies: Panyaden will, when possible, lean on external agencies to help us meet students' needs. At times, we may need to request that parents supplement services provided at school at their own expense. We will do our best to vet agencies and provide recommendations. The school is ultimately not responsible for, or able to direct, the work of these agencies. 

You can learn more about the learning support services by speaking with a member of our team. 

Technology Use in School

Technology use is approached thoughtfully at Panyaden to strike a balance between hands-on engagement and leveraging its power to enhance learning. While we recognize the value of technology in education, we also encourage active participation and interaction among students and their peers. As students progress into the upper primary years, teachers may introduce tools like Google Classroom to teach essential technology skills, and our Library/Ed tech coordinator will support developing skills in Digital Citizenship.

Students are monitored to use internet access safely, and should not share their passwords with other students. They are also taught how to properly log out when they are done working on a device in order to protect their privacy and security, and should not share their passwords or devices with other students. We carefully select online apps and tools that are developmentally appropriate to enhance learning. Students should not bring personal devices from home to school. If they are brought in, the device will be held for the parents to pick up by the end of the day in the Primary School Office.

We strongly encourage parents to actively monitor their child's online activities and ensure appropriate boundaries are in place for safe technology usage. By working together, we can create a responsible digital environment that supports both academic growth and the well-being of our students.

The school’s Internet and Electronic Device Policy can be found here. Parents are also encouraged to educate themselves about online safety. Some useful resources include The White hatter and Common Sense Media. 

Teacher to Student Ratio

Teacher to Student Ratio: From Early Years up to Year 4, each homeroom has one Thai teacher, one foreign teacher, and one teaching assistant. In Year 5, we have one teaching assistant for the two classes. In year 6, we have a total of two foreign teachers, one Thai teacher, and a teaching assistant (TA). The ratios are very generous, and enable us to provide special care for each student. 

Uniforms

See Dress Code and Uniforms.

Use of School Facilities

Use of School facilities by community members for reasons outside of the day to day running of the school must be approved by the school administration. While we love to have parents present at school and we know that the playgrounds are tempting, parents are requested to vacate school premises within 10 minutes of dismissal each day to allow for the smooth running of after school programmes, teacher work time, and maintenance routines. 

Visa Process

Visa Process: Getting a visa in Thailand, like in any other country, can be a time-consuming process. Our team is happy to offer support and advice every step of the way. 

Panyaden will assist in providing the paperwork necessary to obtain a student visa for a child once enrolled at Panyaden International School. Please note that the authorities often change visa requirements without notice. Parents are encouraged to stay up to date with requirements. More information about the process can be found here. 

Visiting Campus

Visiting Campus: During school hours, parents or other visitors who wish to access the school are expected to report to the School Office with a Parent ID. Guests will be asked to sign in and will be asked to hand in a form of ID. They will be issued a “visitor’s pass” that should be displayed when walking around the school, and they must be accompanied by an authorised member of the Panyaden community.

Visitor policy Guests will be asked to sign in and will be asked to hand in a form of ID. They will be issued a “visitor’s pass” that should be displayed when walking around the school, and they must be accompanied by an authorised member of the Panyaden community.

To help us safeguard our students, visitors: 

• must wear the visitor’s badge all the time while on school premises

• may use only the bathroom designated for adults

• are not permitted to socialise with students unless they are entering the school in a capacity where this is expected. In this case, the expectations around safeguarding apply to the visitors in the same way as a member of staff.

• may not take photos of students unless given explicit prior permission by a school leader

• should leave the campus premises after they have completed the purpose for their visit

• must return the badge upon departure. 

Volunteers at School

Volunteers can play an important role in helping us to achieve our mission. Volunteers should be invited by the teachers or school administration, and are asked to follow our visitor’s policy. 

Well-being and Happiness

Well-being and Happiness: At Panyaden International School, we are committed to supporting well-being and happiness in all aspects of our students' lives, guided by Buddhist Principles and the UN Happiness Indicators expressed in the 9 Domains for Gross National Happiness (GNH).

We understand that the way we use time, both in academics and extracurricular activities, can significantly impact students' overall well-being. We prioritise relationship building, fostering strong connections between students, teachers, and staff, creating a supportive and nurturing environment. Opportunities for service are integrated into our curriculum, allowing students to develop empathy, compassion, and a sense of social responsibility. 

We recognize the importance of health and nutrition in promoting well-being, providing nutritious meals and encouraging healthy habits. Connecting students with nature is another aspect we value, as it promotes relaxation, mindfulness, and environmental stewardship.

We empower students by fostering their agency and involvement in decision-making processes, allowing them to take ownership of their learning and contribute to the school community. Cultural expression is celebrated and embraced, acknowledging the diversity of our student body and promoting inclusivity.

Good governance ensures transparency, accountability, and fairness, creating an environment where all voices are heard and respected. Lastly, we prioritise creating a safe and secure campus, implementing policies and procedures that prioritise student safety and well-being.

By considering these elements and integrating them into our school culture, we aim to create an environment that supports the well-being and happiness of all our staff and students, providing them with a strong foundation for personal growth and success. 

We include parents in this endeavour through our Parent Education Series, sharing information and resources, and partnering closely with them in their child’s development. We know that happier parents will make happier children, so we are here to support parents to our fullest capacity. 

Go back to the Table of Contents