1. In all QSI schools students are assigned to classes according to their birthdays. QSI classes do not use the traditional American terms of pre-school, kindergarten, first grade, fourth grade, sophomore, senior, etc. For elementary classes the terms used are four-year-old class, five-year-old class, six-year-old class, nine-year-old class, Secondary II, Secondary IV, etc., respectively. 
2. Normally a student is assigned to the eight-year-old class if he has completed eight years before the first of November. 
3. Students born in November or December would normally be placed in a class where they would tend to be the oldest students in the class. Thus a student who completes eight years of age in November or December would be placed in the seven-year-old class. 
4. Exceptions may be made for November or December birthdays, in consultation with teachers and parents, to assign student with a November or December birthday to a class where they would tend to be the youngest students in the class. 
5. Any exceptions can only be made through a meeting of the school Director, Director of Instruction, Teacher or Teachers involved, Counselor or Resource Teacher, and Parent or Parents. If an exception is made (either to place above or below age level), the meeting must be documented. 
6. Secondary-age students are placed into the Secondary I class by age (14 years old by 1 November), but some may yet be engaged in mostly elementary outcomes. Progress through the Secondary levels is determined at the beginning of each school year by the number of credits attained (a minimum of 50 for Secondary II, 100 for Secondary III, and 150 for Secondary IV). A student normally in the 13-year-old class may in some cases be assigned to the Secondary I class if he or she is engaged in all Secondary courses.  

The schools of  Quality Schools International  (QSI) have been founded in order to provide a quality English medium, North American, international education for expatriates. Local citizens who want their children to be educated in English are also accepted. Admissions to QSI schools are aligned to the QSI mission, vision, and values. 

QSI Phuket welcomes students with little or no English language skills enrolling at the pre-school, elementary, and middle school level. Students in need of Intensive English from 6 to 13 years old may stay in the classroom and work with teacher assistant or be pulled out for Reading and Writing classes to receive special tutoring. Our school’s Intensive English program follows a specially developed Intensive English program of study. When the students’ academic performance indicates that they are ready to move out of Intensive English, they will be mainstreamed back into the Reading and Writing classes.

English Language Requirements 

• QSI schools accept students with no previous experience with English from preschool through 13-year-old class (US Grade 8). 
• Secondary students must demonstrate increasing levels of language proficiency, as determined by an English language assessment administered at the schools. 
• Older students with little or no English experience may expect to spend additional years enrolled in Secondary in order to graduate with a QSI diploma. 

Special Needs 

• QSI admits students with limited learning needs, challenges, or disabilities once it has been determined that the student can succeed at the school. 
• For students with moderate to severe disabilities, the school will review additional information including evaluations, reports, IEPs, or school referrals required to help the school assess whether a program can be provided to meet the academic needs of the applicant. 
• Students identified with challenges the school is unable to effectively address can be denied admission to the school.

EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM 

Most QSI schools operate 3-year-old and 4-year-old preschool programs. Some QSI schools operate 2-year-old programs. 

• A two-year-old program is available at QSIP.  Children are allowed to enter the program if they are 2 years old on or before 1 November of the same school year. Students entering the 2-year-old program are required be toilet trained prior to admission into the program. 

ELEMENTARY CLASS ASSIGNMENTS 

• 5-year-old class students are placed with their age group, however, they are assessed for achievement in Mathematics and Literacy (Reading and Writing) at admission to the 5-year-old class program and are placed at their achievement level for these courses. Example: A 5-year-old class student achieving at the 6-year-old level in Literacy is provided 6-year-old Literacy instruction, either in the homeroom class or by moving to join the 6-year-old class for the Literacy periods. For all other classes (PE, Music, Science, etc.) the student is in class with children of his or her age level. 
• For the 6-year-old class through the 13-year-old class, students are assessed in Mathematics and Literacy (Reading and Writing), and are placed at achievement level for these courses. For homeroom and all other courses, students are placed by age. Example: A 7-year-old student achieving at the 8-year-old level in Literacy is provided 8-year-old Literacy instruction by joining the 8-year-old class for the Literacy periods. For all other classes the student is with the 7-year-old class.

SECONDARY PLACEMENT PROCEDURES 

Mastery learning works to address the needs of secondary students across the learning spectrum, from those who need extra support to backfill learning gaps to those who need further academic challenges. Placement is a key ingredient in meeting the individual needs of students, so placement decisions should be consistent, and based on as much evidence as possible. The more accurately secondary students are placed, the more they understand that the mastery learning system provides student-centered instruction at the appropriate level to prepare them for the future. 

INITIAL TESTING & PLACEMENT OF STUDENTS  

1. Transcripts from past educational institutions are an important piece of the placement decision, but they don’t always give the complete picture of a student’s academic background. It is possible for a student to have completed a course within another school system without mastering the material. Similarly, the student may have already mastered much of the learning that takes place in a course without officially earning credit.  

2. Testing, especially to determine a baseline level in English and Mathematics, is an important part of the decision for placement. Testing in other subjects may also be necessary, especially for placement in courses with prerequisites. To help determine a new student’s achievement level, the following may be administered as appropriate: 

1. Measures of Academic Progress (MAP). 
2. Assessments from prerequisite courses, even if past transcripts show the student has completed the course.  
3. Writing sample: Student responds to a writing prompt. 
4. End-of-year assessments.  
5. Other assessments that help with the placement decision. 

3. Homeroom assignment should be based on the following: 

1. Fewer than 50 credits: Secondary I 
2. Minimum of 50 credits: Secondary II 
3. Minimum of 100 credits: Secondary III 
4. Minimum of 150 credits: Secondary IV 

4. Further testing may be necessary if a student is performing so well on the assessments that they are showing mastery of material found in courses for which they have not yet received credit. To credit the past learning and place the student appropriately, the student may take unit tests within a subject to earn the units of study. For example, a student who has never taken Algebra, but shows readiness for Geometry and/or Advanced Mathematics I, may take the 10 unit tests for Algebra to earn 10 Algebra credits. 

5. Meet with the student to determine strengths, weaknesses, interests, needs, and developmental level. 

6. Discuss with parents the academic, social, and emotional strengths and needs of the student.  

7. Determine placement, create a graduation plan, and meet with parents to discuss the initial graduation plan. Placement will be based on the best professional judgment of the school’s placement team; the team will be flexible and willing to adjust student placement as needed. The team should include teachers and school administrators. Explain to parents why the placement and graduation plan determined by the placement team are in the best interests of the student.