Best schools in Hanoi
Education in Hanoi
There were no international schools (fortunately, probably) in existence before the Vietnam war and the majority have only been established in the last decade (UNIS aside, which was established during the 1980s before the country was opening up to the world and trade embargoes being lifted). But Hanoi has been transformed from a frightened town on the edge of a war zone into a huge, bustling, watery city, complete with almost everything that westerners want, including a choice of international schools.
Whichever district you decide to live in – and whatever school you choose - you will almost certainly have to get behind the wheel to take your child to school or use the school bus system that almost all schools operate.
Choosing a school in Hanoi
State schools are not really an option unless you are planning to live here permanently and want your children to integrate entirely into the local culture. There are several layers of schooling in the local system - pre-school and kindergarten, primary, secondary and onto high school, during which students prepare for the Vietnamese school-leaving certificate, the National High School Graduation Examination.
When it comes to international schools, the curricula are as varied as the food. The International Baccalaureate Diploma is increasingly available and either comes as the last part of a full IB Programme or is just offered as the final Diploma qualification, acquired over the final two years of schooling. You can also find the French curriculum, a full American curriculum, culminating in an American High School Diploma and also offering Advanced Placement courses. IGCSEs are also on offer at some schools.
Unfortunately whichever district you choose to live in (whether that is the ‘old’ or ‘French’ quarters on the edge of the Hoan Kiem Lake or the water covered West Lake District favoured by many international families) you will likely have to get behind the wheel to take your child to school as many schools are between 20 and 40 minutes drive outside central Hanoi, the upside being the air quality is clearer and there is more space for sports facilities.
Special education needs in Hanoi
Most top international schools in Hanoi support mild to moderate special needs. UNIS, for example, offers a psycho-educational assessment and speech therapist but does not have behavour and/or autism specialists.
Pre-schools, kindergarten and nurseries in Hanoi
Many of the international schools have pre-school / kindergarten sections which we recommend as a good starting point, not least for the fact that they are independently accredited and have good facilities, but we also hear that there are some dedicated pre-schools offering services for young children up to 6 years old such as EtonHouse Hanoi.
