Canggu Community School is a non-profit private school serving both the international and local communities in the South Bali area and uses the British National Curriculum and employs certified foreign teachers. CCS was established in 2001. There are over 300 students enrolled at the school in grades Pre-school to Year 8. CCS has a secure, purpose-built facility on a hectare of land. This school is located out in the boondocks of Canggu and if you are living in the Kuta/Legian/Seminyak area, it will take 15-30 minutes to get to school depending on the traffic.

CCS was built with Australian standards in mind; classrooms are 850 square feet and are quite bright. Each classroom has air-conditioning that the teacher uses at his/her discretion as the buildings are insulated against heat and humidity. The school has an IT lab with one computer per student. All computers have internet access, and CCS sees IT as an important part of a students education. Additionally, CCS has a science lab, a music room, a library, and a Multi-function Hall that they use for PE.

Parents who wish to enroll their child in school, need to make an appointment and should bring their child with them. Expats who wish to enroll their child before they arrive in Bali can contact the school and fill out an e-application. Canggu has a waiting list at all grade levels, and priority is given to siblings of current students. CCS is

Children are enrolled in a grade based on their age as of August 1. The school website has a very informative placement schedule which shows equivalent grades in other national systems compared to the CCS grading system. And just a note for that small group of parents who have “gifted” children who just have to be placed in a higher grade than their age dictates, the school website specifically says that higher placements will not be done. The school has set a maximum limit of 22 students in Year 4 and below, and 24 students in Year 5 and above. This is a fairly large classroom size for international schools. Generally schools limit classroom size to 18 if at all possible.

CCS is not one of the cheapest schools in Bali. It is interesting that on their very nicely presented website, their fee information is two years old which makes me wonder if it has been increased since then. However, based on the 2006-2007 academic year, the cost for a Pre-school student is $3,300 per year; $5,000 per year for students in Grades 1-6; and $6,000 for students in Year 7. They also have a late fee of 5%, but also have discounts for families with more than one child: 5% for a second child, 10% for a third child, and 15% for a fourth child.

In addition to the tuition, there is an annual building fee of $250 for Pre-school students, and $500 for Grades 1-7. New students pay a one-time registration fee of $300 for Pre-school, and $600 for other students.

The school website has an excellent Pupil-Parent Handbook in pdf format. If you are interested in this school either for your child or as a possible place of employment, I suggest that you download it.

Employment for Teachers

Prospective teachers are required to have a teaching credential, excellent language and writing skills, a commitment to professional development, and an understanding of the use of ICT use across the curriculum. It is advantageous for the prospective teacher to have updated first-aid qualifications, and training in ESL.

While the curriculum is based on the British National Curriculum it has been adapted for international use. Students in Years 2-6 take the SATs. Other assessment is school-based. CCS has an after school activities programs and teachers are required to sponsor one activity per week.

The school has a number of specialist teachers on staff. They are currently in an expansion mode so they are expanding their staff. You can find out about available positions on the school website.

Teacher contracts are generally given for a two-year period. Salaries are based on a teacher’s qualifications and experience and thus are not listed on the school website. Benefits include: assistance with airfare and relocation, a housing allowance, medical insurance, and a long-term bonus that is paid after four years of service at the school. Applications should be emailed to the school. An application should include: Full name, date of birth, residential address, contact details, professional experience, educational background, professional development, and the name of three referees. Interviews are done in Bali or London. If it is not possible to have a face-to-face interview, a telephone interview or video conference is possible.