Did you know that Bangkok Prep have their very own forest campus based over in Bang Kra Jao (or Bang Kra Chao) which is locally known as Bangkok’s green lung a place where city dwellers flock to get their dose of nature and escape the high rises that dominate the Bangkok landscape. Students have the ability to participate in authentic lessons watching seedlings grow, exploring the environment and learning how to make camp fires and have respect for and the importance of sustaining our eco-systems and environment.
The Forest Campus is Bangkok Prep’s first Headquarters for Sustainability and Environmental Education, reaffirming their commitment to education for sustainability. The Forest Campus supports students’ discovery and connection with nature and offers fantastic opportunities to enrich our curriculum and to work with our local neighbourhood, as well as Forest School UK, for forthcoming activities and programmes. The school welcomes families and students to their Forest Campus for school trips, family days, outdoor education and activities.
Bangkok Prep The First International School to be Awarded the Green Flag
In 2017, Bangkok Prep was the 1st international school in Thailand to be awarded the Green Flag, which is the highest status by the ECO School organisation. In 2019, Bangkok Prep was a founding partner with Get Growing Farm in Bangkrajao to foster a sustainable community farming concept. Many school trips have been made to the Green Lung, as well as being utilised as a venue to host many sustainability related events including; Forest School (Level 3) Training (1st time in Thailand) and FOBISIA Environmental Conferences. It was at this point that the school realised the need to have our own facility. The Forest Campus project was then initiated in 2020 when we were able to allocate the land adjacent to Get Growing Community farm.
The green flag award is the highest award given by the Eco-Schools governing body, a global organisation aimed at promoting sustainability and environmental education. “The Eco-Schools programme is fantastic,” says Bangkok Prep Eco School Coordinator Kris Leverton, “because it is not about bombarding students with information or buying solar panels and recycling bins. Effective environmental education is about participation and encouraging young people to take action. This is how genuine change occurs.”
The Bangkok Prep ECO Team
The Bangkok Prep Eco Team started three years ago, when members of the Student Council expressed concern over rubbish found on the playing fields. Before long, Bangkok Prep was a registered Eco-School, and had joined the Eco-Schools award scheme.
Soon, thanks to the enthusiasm and hard work of the students involved, the Bangkok Prep Eco Team had worked their way through the Bronze and Silver Awards. At this point the hard work really started, as they set their sights on the International Green Flag. This involved systematically working through all of the Eco-Schools focus areas, making sure everything was considered. After another year of hard work, the school was finally ready.
“This was a proud moment for the Bangkok Prep Eco Team,” says Mr Leverton. “The focus of the Eco-Schools programme is on child-led initiatives and a student-centered approach to environmental learning. The students in the Eco Team have given up their free time, developed leadership and organisation skills, written and presented assemblies, presented to the board of directors, written magazine articles, delivered lessons and much more.”
For the Bangkok Prep Eco Team, this is not the end, but rather the beginning. They have many more projects planned to help raise awareness and encourage participation in environmental education in Bangkok. “Our aim is to continue working to be an Eco-School, so that we can inspire other schools and help to spread the idea of saving the planet. It’s very important because we only have one,” says Primary Eco Team Member Ella Pfirsch.
Sustainability at Bangkok Prep
Sustainability at Bangkok Prep is categorised in to 4 pillars – Education, Environment, Wellbeing for All and Leadership for the Future.
We are authentically invested in sustainability and empowering our future leaders. As well as having the UN Global Goals embedded throughout our curriculum – we are also showing the way with sustainable practices through future technology, innovations and extending wider community engagement; among many other initiatives – underlying our commitment to environmental education and sustainability.
Walk the Walk Don’t Just Talk the Talk
For Bangkok Prep, sustainability is our commitment to proactively organise and make decisions to create long-lasting positive impact on all people and our planet that is continued by future generations. As a member of the Bangkok Prep community, we all have a collective responsibility to be an active advocate of sustainability.
As a member of Bangkok Prep, we will engage in:
- Activities and practices which enable environmental, social, and economic longevity
- Genuine and authentic commitment that creates positive impact for our community and beyond
Sustainability activities that are based on current situation and resources
Why Sustainability is Important to Bangkok Prep.
At Bangkok Prep, sustainability is an essential part of our beliefs, visions and existence. It is a guiding principle in how we operate as a school. We believe that…
- As an academic institution – we are determined to provide quality education for our students which includes enabling them, as future leaders and decision makers, to actively and creatively interact with changes around them.
- As a member of society – we have a role to play in creating a sustainable future and it is important for us to take action as responsible members of society. We are committed to creating a strong community, internally and externally.
EDUCATION
As an academic institution, Bangkok Prep is committed to give our students quality education and help learners reach their full potential both academically and in preparation for life beyond Bangkok Prep. For these reasons, sustainability is profoundly integrated into the curriculum. As a member of society, we are committed to help improve the overall quality of education for surrounding communities and society. We will engage with external stakeholders for long-term education development for target beneficiaries.
Our school is also working very closely with The Foundation for Environmental Education to provide training, resources and information for schools, teachers, students and parents. This will help to improve community engagement and meet the shared goals of higher levels of Global Citizenship.
