Welcome to Panyathip International School


	The School Panyathip International School (PIS) is a private educational institution offering classes from Kindergarten through Grade 12. It has been approved by the Lao Ministry of Education. Students in Kindergarten and primary have their lessons in English language in the morning and Lao language in the afternoon. The secondary students have all of their lessons taught in English. The University of Cambridge International Examinations centre has recognized the primary and secondary curriculum of PIS as meeting their standards for the international school system. The Kindergarten School is located very close to Naxay Temple, just off Sisangvong Road, in a beautiful part of Vientiane The school for primary and secondary students is in Saphanthong Neua Village and has large, clean classrooms, a covered outdoor eating area with a kitchen which serves a healthy lunch every day. There is also a covered basketball court, a small football pitch and a shop which sells water, soft-drinks, and sweets for the students should they get hungry during the day.
	As our success and reputation has grown, so has our need for a new school. It was with great pride that we completed construction of, and moved into, our brand new secondary school building in January 2011. It includes a modern science laboratory, a new ICT room with over 20 computers, a new library, an AV room, a designated art room and an ESL room. The new secondary building also includes proper examination rooms so that students may prepare to enter universities abroad after completing their IGCSE exams.
	The Faculty The faculty comprises both international teachers and experienced Lao staff members, teaching a multi-lingual curriculum of English, topic studies, science, mathematics, music and dance, business studies, information and computer technology, and social and environmental science through the medium of English; Lao language and literature, social science, science, and mathematics in the primary school and Lao studies in the secondary school through the medium of Lao, in accordance witn the MOE; and Chinese language through the medium of Mandarin Chinese. Art (art and craft in the kindergarten), physical education, and are also parts of the curriculum.
	The Students The Students at PIS come from Laos and foreign countries. The goal of our school is to ensure that the students who graduate from PIS have the correct education, the CIE curriculum is taught completely in English starting in secondary school, to enroll in universities in foreign countries abroad. Our goal is also to help develop the personal and life skills of our students. This will help them grow in their education and lives abroad, so they may return to Laos better equipped and more able to help Laos grow as a world respected country.
	Admission to Classes Children usually may enter the kindergarten as follows: Kindergarten (Ban Naxay Campus) K1: ages 2 – 3 years K2: ages 3 – 4 years K3: ages 4 – 5 years Students who have successfully completed Kindergarten either in English or bilingual (Lao/English) will continue to primary school: Primary School (Ban Saphanthong Kang Campus) • Grade 1: 5 – 6 years • Grade 2: 6 – 7 years • Grade 3: 7 – 8 years • Grade 4: 8 – 9 years • Grade 5: 9 – 10 years • Grade 6: 10 – 11 years (international program only)
	The Lao Ministry of Education tests Grade 5 students in their Lao language subjects. Students who pass these exams will be given a Primary School Graduation Certificate. The International Secondary School Program, which is taught in English, starts with Primary 6 and ends with Secondary 6. Secondary School (Ban Saphanthong Kang Campus) These are the average age of students in each grade. Ages may be different due to the student’s ability or previous school achievements
	One of the most important things we use to decide which grade a student is placed in is whether they are able to understand and complete the work at that particular grade. If a student has been studying at a Lao only school they may need to be placed in different levels for their Lao studies and their English studies. The level of each student’s ability in English is judged by an initial placement test, this gives PIS an accurate idea of how well a student can speak, read and write English. After a student has been placed in his or her appropriate level in English, their teachers constantly assess their abilities to know when they are ready to move up to a higher level in their English classes. The students are also formally assessed by PIS twice per semester regarding their English ability. English levels may also be assessed by giving them University of Cambridge International Examinations. These exams are an excellent source of information because they allow PIS to compare the abilities of its students with students from foreign countries.