ISC vs Belfry

The whole Belfry 2026/27 fee sheet is labelled “4th year Family”; it does not define eligibility. No usable general-family tariff is established. Published amounts are non-comparable until the school confirms a child-specific offer. Check the other school’s dated record separately; a range comparison cannot establish like-for-like cost.

For early years, the programme and attendance pattern matter. ISC publishes separate early-years figures, including two-half-day and full-day options. Belfry publishes Nursery and Early Years levels under its own tariff. A lower number can reflect a different number of days or hours, not simply a cheaper school. Write the attendance pattern beside every amount. For primary, compare the exact year group rather than the widest range: ISC has different published figures across Reception, Years 1–2 and Years 3–6; Belfry separately lists Year 1, Year 2 and Years 3–6.

First-year cash is larger than tuition at both schools. ISC publishes application, registration and annual insurance amounts. Belfry publishes an application charge, non-refundable registration and a refundable deposit. A refundable deposit should still be budgeted as cash required, while a non-refundable registration fee should not be treated as recoverable. Ask about sibling rules, refund timing, notice periods and whether any charge changes for a mid-year entry. Save the answer with the fee document.

Meals, transport and support also need their own lines. ISC’s public record identifies meals, transport and learning support as separate; Belfry identifies catering, trips, clubs, events and optional services as extra. If a school does not publish a tariff, label the item quote-only. Ask whether food is optional, which transport zone covers the home, whether the fee is one-way or return, and what happens after clubs. For support, ask how it is assessed, whether it is compulsory and whether the fee is per term, per service or per hour.

Ban Khai and Banglamung can create very different routines even for families living between Pattaya and Rayong. Test the school-day route at drop-off and collection, including rain, traffic and the child’s activities. Ask where a bus stops, whether it runs after clubs, what happens if a parent is late and how a child is supervised. A manageable weekend drive can become an exhausting term-time journey, particularly for younger children.

On a visit, take the same questions to both schools. Is there a place in the exact year group? What will the child’s first weeks look like? Which language and learning support is available? What is included in the invoice? How are parents kept informed? What happens at Year 6 when the family needs to plan the next school? Written answers matter because the public comparison is a starting point, not a contract.

First: which classroom routine and teaching approach fits the child now? Second: what is the exact annual cost on a standard, not mixed, payment basis? Third: which extras are compulsory? Fourth: can the family sustain the commute and activity schedule? Fifth: how will the school prepare the child for Year 7 transfer? Keep current fee documents, admissions emails, placement notes and payment terms together before any deposit is transferred.

The conclusion is practical rather than absolute. Belfry may suit a family whose geography fits Ban Khai and whose child responds to its Montessori-informed British primary approach. ISC may suit a family seeking its Banglamung English National Curriculum primary setting and published fee structure. Both require a later secondary plan. Choose the school that can explain the child’s daily fit, future transition and complete written cost most clearly.