Having worked for a few years at Vinschool, I’ve formed a well-grounded opinion about it (I think). I’ll aim to be as detailed as possible in sharing my thoughts about my experience at the school. It’s important to note that my experience is in secondary and doesn’t extend to primary schools, so any comments about primary are based solely on what I’ve heard from colleagues.
Reputation vs. Reality
After working in various schools, I find the general perception of this school to be somewhat misleading. Every school has its strengths and weaknesses, and to believe that other schools are flawless is simply unrealistic. The corporate group operates many schools across Vietnam, and what’s a strength in one school might be a weakness in another. Admittedly, some decisions made by the administration seem poorly thought out, often adding unnecessary tasks that bring no real improvement.
As for the so-called VIP or VVIP students, I’ve taught a few and never encountered any issues. My advice is to treat them like any other student and not to be intimidated (it appears that some who comment on this topic are overly concerned about the students and their parents). While it’s true that some parents are influential—just as in any other school, company, or community—the notion that they control everything is, in my view, exaggerated.
School Quality: A Mixed Bag
Whether the school is “good” or “bad” largely depends on the teachers and the administration at each campus. There are a few truly exceptional, highly committed, and hardworking teachers. However, the majority seem to be there primarily for the financial benefits and are not particularly well-prepared. Due to the school’s poor reputation, it struggles to attract quality staff, and many of those already employed are quite lazy and incompetent, often neglecting basic teaching duties.
Similarly, the administration can be hit-or-miss. Some staff members have been promoted without sufficient experience, while others are too ego-driven to listen to constructive feedback. When a promising individual does appear and attempts to make necessary changes, they often end up disappointed by the lack of support.
The Students
In my experience, the students are generally well-behaved and disciplined. Compared to students in England or the United States, they are absolute angels. While they can be a bit noisy during classes, they are generally docile and will follow rules if they’re clearly communicated. In terms of academic performance, students tend to do well in IGCSE or AS/A Levels.
Class sizes typically hover around 25+ students in the standard programme or the early years of the Cambridge programme. However, this number can decrease significantly in IGCSE and even more so in AS/A Levels, depending on the campus. More established campuses usually have larger class sizes.
Teaching Resources
In terms of resources provided by the school, well, it's a bit of a lottery. You might get a decent laptop that allows you to handle all the basics, but if you're unlucky, you could end up with a bloody piece of junk. Some teachers prefer to use their own laptops instead, which speaks volumes.
The school does provide markers at the beginning of the year and again in the second semester, but I don’t think it's enough. I’ve had to buy my own markers a couple of times. Other resources like pens, pencils, paper, and scissors are available, but honestly, I’ve seen very few teachers actually needing them—perhaps this is more of an issue in primary.
The school also provides books, but if you need new books or if the syllabus changes and you require updated versions, be prepared to wait. It’s not uncommon to receive them six months after the academic year has started, which is far from ideal.
As for other teaching resources, such as presentations, practice materials, and exams, the availability varies greatly depending on the head of the department. Some are proactive in improving the school and providing resources to both teachers and students, while others show little to no interest in doing so.
Primary School and Standard Level
It’s said that the workload in primary schools and the standard programme is more demanding than in secondary schools or Cambridge, though I can’t personally verify this. What I do know is that local teachers are treated quite differently—they’re often given more tasks and can have their salaries docked for any infractions. Typically, a vice-principal or principal manages the standard curriculum, while a different individual oversees the Cambridge programmes.