Today, our children took part in Makha Bucha Day activities. We had organized for them to make merit together and they did so well.
MS. VARAPORN KANCHANAWAT
Varaporn holds a Bachelor’s degree with First Class honors in economics (International Program) from Thammasat University, and Master’s degree in Economics from University College London, University of London. She also gained a Master Degree in Finance from the Imperial College London, University of London. She worked as an investment banker at SCB Securities Co., Ltd. Afterwards she joined the Ministry of Finance as a senior economist and subsequently appointed as head of financial institution division.
“Kensington International Kindergarten represents the fulfillment of a long held dream. My goal is to establish the highest standard of early year education in Bangkok. I believe that our priority is to put child’s development and well being as our goals. We aim to provide the best facilities, environments and teaching team so that our children at Kensington can attain their full potential.”
MS. CASSIE ANDREWS
Cassie holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Media Studies from Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK. In 2014 she gained Early Years Teacher Status and a Postgraduate Certificate in Early Years from University of St. Mark & St. John, Plymouth, UK. She is currently studying towards a Master of Arts in Education at The University of Plymouth, UK.
Following university, Cassie worked as a Kindergarten Teacher in Dubai, then returned to the UK where she worked in a Montessori school and later became Deputy Manager of an Early Learning Center. In 2017 Cassie travelled to Australia, where she worked as a Pre-Kindergarten Teacher supporting children to learn empathy, care for the environment and to love and explore the world around them.
MS. LORNA SIMMONDS
Ms. Lorna Simmonds studied at the University of Nottingham from 2005 – 2009 where she gained a BA (hons) degree in Archaeology In 2011 she gained a Postgraduate Certificate in Primary Education also from the University of Nottingham, UK.
Since then Ms Simmonds has worked in schools across London and has experience of teaching the full primary age range from Nursery to Year 6 (3 to 12 years). She has experience of teaching at Qatar International School. During her time at QIS, she took on extra responsibilities of the EYFS curriculum Leader.
Ms. Lorna joined us as a Toddler and Nursery lead teacher at Kensington over 3 years. She is very excited to make the move to Year1 to teach this year!
MS. JOANNE MCLAUGHLIN
Joanne has enjoyed a variety of experiences studying and teaching in different locations around the East Midlands, England. She studied at Nottingham Trent University where she left in 2014 with a First Class BA Honours in Primary Education with QTS and an Advanced Diploma with Commendation in Leading Early Years Practice. She returned to Nottingham Trent University in 2017 to gain a Masters accredited National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination.
Over the years Joanne has had opportunities to work in completely different settings. She started her teaching career as a Reception teacher in a village in Nottingham and then moved to an old mining community on the outskirts of Derbyshire. During her final year teaching in the U.K. she was a class teacher and SENDCo, running a unique classroom supporting children with special educational needs using a bespoke combination curriculum of both Early Years Foundation Stage framework and Key Stage One objectives.
MS. JORDAN VAN TONDER
Ms. Jordan holds a BA with a lower second class honours degree in Primary Education with QTS from St Mary’s University, Twickenham, UK which she gained in 2015.
Jordan has seven years’ teaching experience and 3 years of leadership and experience in working in a new international school. She joins us from Qatar where she is currently the Foundation Stage 2 leader and Year 1 class teacher. Previously she worked in a UK state school. She also has experience of working with Toddler and Nursery aged children. Jordan will become the new Under 4s coordinator with responsibility for all Toddler and Nursery classes.
MS. NAVJIT UPPAL
Ms. Navjit Uppal graduated from Roehampton University, UK with a BA (hons) in Primary Education with History specialism in 2011.
Ms Nav joined us from the UK where she taught in Early Years and Year 2 in a Primary school. She has over 13 years’ experience in teaching young children from 18 months to 7 years old and previously managed an independent Nursery in the South of England. Ms. Nav has a gentle, bubbly and fun nature which will help our youngest children to settle in school. She is also very keen to build supportive links with parents to ensure all the children in her care make good progress.
MS. AMY DUNCOMBE
Ms. Amy holds a Post Graduate Certificate of Education including Qualified Teacher Status from Manchester Metropolitan University (2022).
Amy has over 6 years’ experience teaching Early Years and Primary, both in the UK and Internationally. During her time teaching in the UK, she specialised in Early Years as well as teaching Key Stage 1 and her experience includes youth mental health training, implementation of new schemes of work, i.e., a new phonics programme and working closely with SEND.
MRS. TRACEY THURLBY
Mrs Thurlby has a wealth of experience in education teaching children across the primary age range. Her teaching career spans over 20 years where she began teaching in Reception in a large Primary School in London, UK. Over the years she has taught in many Early Years classes in different schools. As her career progressed she has been Head of Early Years and KS1, SENCO, Deputy Headteacher with responsibility for teaching and learning and behaviour. Her final position before leaving the UK was Headteacher of a large Primary School in Norfolk. When moving to Bangkok she was Early Years Lead and Deputy Headteacher in another International School before her move to Kensington.
As a teacher she is committed to the growth, development and well-being of every individual child. She believes that successful learning and progress is achieved by a play-based learning environment where every child is treated as an individual. She believes that partnership with parents is very important for the development of children and that school and parents should work closely together.
MRS. EMMA GILES
Mrs. Giles graduated from Kingston University in 2016 with a first-class BA (Hons) in Dance. After gaining experience in teaching from an early age, she tailored her degree around dance teaching and learning. Whilst studying, she had the opportunity to teach dance to children from nursery age to university students.
After graduating, she undertook a TEFL qualification, and came to Thailand for one year to teach English in a public school in Surin. She loved that experience and knew she would like to come back at some point in her career.
Mrs. Giles returned to the UK to complete her teacher training at the University of Gloucestershire. She finished her PGCE Primary (3-7 years) as an Outstanding teacher and gained valuable experience teaching the National Curriculum across the EYFS and Key Stage One. She worked for two years as a Year 2 teacher in Gloucestershire before joining us. She is now very excited for this next chapter in her teaching career and cannot wait to meet the children!
Children aged 3 – 4 years
will attend 5 days per week.
8.00 a.m. – 2.00 p.m.
Kensington International Kindergarten, located in the Taling Chan district of Bangkok, offers a comprehensive international nursery school programme based on the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and the British National Curriculum.
Our purpose-built facilities provide ample opportunities and resources for our young students to explore their own ideas, creativity and the world around them by providing educational guidance and direction in a wholesome environment overseen by highly experienced and qualified teachers.
In addition to the EYFS and the British National Curriculum, our programme uses ideas and methods that have been adopted by such progressive educators as Te Whariki, Reggio Emilia and Maria Montessori.
We believe that every child is unique and fully capable of learning when the concept of education is presented in a nurturing atmosphere of acceptance and support. By providing this safe and comfortable atmosphere, we enable children to reach out, ask questions and explore the world and their own ideas with confidence.
Preparing Children for a Continuing Education
By conducting our programmes within the framework of the EYFS and the British National Curriculum, we ensure that every child is well-prepared to continue their formal education once they have progressed beyond the programmes we offer.
Children who have been enrolled in the Kensington International Kindergarten nursery school programme gain a well-rounded foundational and developmental education that provides them with the means to discover their passions and continue their education with a sense of direction.
Convenient and Purpose-Built Facilities
We have chosen to locate Kensington International Kindergarten in Taling Chan to provide families in the central business district of Bangkok with a high-quality international nursery school.
Our purpose-built facilities combine indoor and outdoor spaces into a highly functional, educational learning environment that provides inspiration and direction to young, developing minds.
This environment, along with the nursery school programme we have developed and the experienced and nurturing guidance of our teachers and staff, provide every child enrolled at Kensington International Kindergarten with a proper foundational education that will further enable their future studies in whatever field and direction they eventually choose.
Please contact us at your earliest convenience to schedule an interview where we can offer more details about our programme and offer a tour of our well-designed and purpose-built facilities.
Children aged 5 – 6 years
will attend 5 days per week.
8.00 a.m. – 2.00 p.m.
YEAR 1
In Year 1 we continue with a play-based curriculum while following the English National Curriculum through a thematic approach. Children continue with daily Literacy and Numeracy sessions and carry on with the Phonics program initiated during their Reception year. The transition from the EYFS to the National Curriculum will be a seamless process with all Reception and Key Stage 1 teachers working together to ensure that children are supported through this change.
Subjects taught at Key Stage 1:
Art and Design
English
Mathematics
Geography
Information and Communication Technology
Design and Technology
Science
Music
Physical Education
PSHE and Citizenship Education.
As with other year groups, assessment is ongoing with formative assessments being carried out through observation every day.
This is the final year that children can attend Kensington International Kindergarten; consequently, they will be provided with a portfolio of work spanning their time with us, which they may like to present at their new school.
Children aged 4 – 5 years
will attend 5 days per week.
8.00 a.m. – 2.00 p.m.
RECEPTION
In Reception, children continue to follow the EYFS with equal emphasis given to all seven areas of learning. We also continue the thematic approach to planning with the children’s interests being at the forefront of all classroom activities.
At this stage, the children are introduced to daily Literacy and Numeracy sessions where they begin to experience a little more structure and formality to the day. This helps to prepare children for their subsequent move to Year 1. During the Literacy sessions, children will be introduced to the phonics programme, Letters and Sounds.
As with Toddlers and Nursery, the children will have a ‘welcoming class team’ who will help them settle in and provide a close link between school and home.
Transitions continue to be an essential part of the school year, and all our children will receive support to make the transition from Nursery to Reception. This will include visiting their new classroom and meeting the team in Reception before the end of the Nursery year.
Our Reception year marks the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage, and once the children enter into Year 1, they will follow the National Curriculum of England.
Children aged 2-3 years
attend our toddlers class
either on a 4 or 5 days
per week
8.30 a.m. – 12.00 p.m.
TODDLERS
Toddlers in our international nursery follow the EYFS focusing on the three prime areas of the revised framework: Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Communication and Language, and Physical Development.
We see a smooth transition from home to school as crucial, and in response to this, we make sure that your child has a ‘welcoming class team’ with whom they can develop secure relationships. The role of the class teacher is to provide a direct link between school and home and is the first point of contact for parents; however, parents are also welcome to approach any member of the Toddlers team.
Children in Toddlers will be involved in a range of activities aimed at providing them with opportunities to explore and discover at their own pace, using all their senses. They will be given support and encouragement from our highly experienced and trained team who are all experts in planning appropriate and purposeful play activities for young children. Topics covered include introducing basic concepts such as colours, shapes, animals, and other areas in which children show an interest.
Children will be encouraged to develop independence through establishing routines, such as snack time and playtime.
We believe that fortifying a child’s home language is vital for them to develop confidence in all aspects of their learning. As an international nursery, we encourage children to speak English in school by providing a language-rich environment. Children will begin their journey into acquiring English as an additional language through listening rather than speaking at this stage. The activities used to support both the home language and the acquisition of English includes role-play, storytelling, and music.
MS. PIMCHANOK CHOTIJAREANPONG (KRU PIM)
Kru Pim holds a Bachelor of Education Degree (First Class Honours) in Early Childhood Education (Major: Kindergarten), from Chulalongkorn University and gained a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education also from Chulalongkorn University.
She has experience of working as a trained Kindergarten teacher at the Waldorf Kindergarten in Bangkok. As well as experience teaching in Nursery, a Children’s Centre and Phonic Learning Centre. Kru Pim has worked at Kensington since 2015 with children in every class level. She believes that practical and play based learning can be adapted to Thai lessons.
MR. JONATHAN THOMPSON (COACH JONNY)
Mr. Jonathan Thompson holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Sports Development and Coaching Sciences from the University of Bournemouth, United Kingdom.
Mr. Thompson has over 15 years’ experience working with young children in various educational and sports settings. He has a vast amount of knowledge in sports coaching, PE lessons and classroom teaching. He has been trained with Australia’s national organisation for the Teaching of Swimming and Water Safety and attended the Infant and Preschool Aquatics course. He has excellent skills in planning and delivering high quality PE lessons.
MS. JESSICA CHAPMAN
Jessica has extensive practice in early childhood education as well as a wealth of experience in the field of Outdoor Learning. Her interests in Outdoor Learning blossomed after her involvement in a programme that encouraged children to explore the countryside and take part in activities such as rock climbing, orienteering and kayaking. The enjoyment and pleasure that students gained from being outside in a natural setting was clear and inspired her to incorporate outdoor learning into her daily lessons.
She has designed and built gardens and play spaces for schools over many years and takes great pleasure in creating areas that encourage learning to take place outdoors. This allows children to explore the great outdoors, enabling them to develop their skills, love of nature and sense of responsibility to the environment. Jessica also likes to work alongside children and teachers, helping plan areas of the curriculum that can be taught in an outdoor setting. She has delivered training to teaching staff and understands the desire to get out and explore combined with the need to provide a quality education with purpose. She is pleased to offer her expertise to Kensington International Kindergarten.
“Outdoor Learning is all about getting outside and finding new ways to explore the natural environment to aid learning. This could include furthering our understanding of nature, such as insects or plants, but it might be building an alphabet out of sticks and flowers. The key ingredients are being an active learner outdoors!”
MS. JODIE SAHA
Jodie holds a BA (Hons) Degree in Early Childhood Studies from Teesside University, Middlesbrough, United Kingdom (2011).
She is a UK trained Early Years Teacher, and her work experiences allow her to understand and implement the EYFS fully. She was lead teacher of a 2-3 year old’s class at an International School in Qatar before joining Kensington’s Crèche teaching team in 2017.
Jodie has experience of working with children from birth to 6 years with English as an additional language (EAL). She has a lovely gentle nature which helps our younger children settle into school well.
MRS. STEPHANIE JACKSON
Stephanie holds a Post Graduate Certificate in Early Years Practice with Early Year Teacher Status (EYTS) from Reading University, Reading, United Kingdom.
She has worked in various Nurseries and Early Years settings and as a Senior Nursery Nurse and deputy toddler room leader in the UK since 2013. During that time, she followed the EYFS framework and has an excellent understanding of Child Development. She also spent 2 years teaching English at schools in South Korea (2010 – 2012). Stephanie joined the Kensington teaching team in 2015 as a Toddler teacher. As she accumulated experiences with Toddler education, she was promoted to Under 3’s Coordinator, responsible as a mentor to new under 3 teachers and now runs meetings with all Under 3’s teaching staff.
Mr. NITIPHAN PHANWIROJ
Nitiphan holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree with honors in Civil Engineering from University of Nottingham. He also gained a Master Degree in Finance from the Imperial College London, University of London. Nitiphan has over 18 years of experience in Management Consulting, human capital & leadership strategy and leadership development.
When asked what the key factor of success at Kensington is, “I could start with ‘how we translate our vision and philosophy into our building design,’ but if you asked me about the real secret of success at Kensington, I would proudly say, our people and our core values. Our dedicated senior management team work as one, with clear direction towards our vision and values, leading to an empowered culture and working environment where the entire team work tirelessly in an atmosphere of love and passion with early years children
“Define beliefs and Define spaces to create Learner-Centric Eco Systems that support the philosophy and curriculum”
