About us

The Beginning

Good education shouldn't be far from home

“We are not educators; we are industrialists. Whatever we do, we must do it to the very best… If we build a school, we must make it the best we possibly can, and it must be the best in Korat.”

Plookpanya began with three young parents, Khun Thidarat Rodanant, Khun Achcha Leeungkul and Khun Chotima Leeungkul, who dreamed of a school to care for children well through their early years. Khun Thosapol Tantiwong backed the investment, and Khun Wareeporn Tantiwong gave treasured family land for the school.

The school was never built for profit. It was built so Korat's children could have a good choice in education without moving to Bangkok or flying abroad, because education is the best tool for reducing inequality.

• 2005

  First pillar raised

  12 August, Mother's Day.

• 2006

  First day of classes

  16 May, in the kindergarten building, with the first 50 families.

• Early years

  Early-years curriculum

  Guided and shaped by Mom Dusadee Paribatra Na Ayudhya.

From day one, the school has believed that every child's wisdom is different, and hoped each would grow up with a strong body, a whole heart, good wisdom and happiness. Its buildings are not just classrooms but spaces that invite children to observe, wonder and seek answers, because learning can happen anywhere, anytime.

Every great tree begins as a seedling.

Growing Taller

Staying true to its roots

“We want children who graduate from our school to be Thai at heart and never forget their roots: to be good leaders and good followers, able to build a career they love and give their all to everything they do.”

The name "Plookpanya" came from Khun Thidarat. "Panya" (wisdom) is where learning leads, and "plook" (to plant) is what helps it grow. The school's teaching began with two theories: Brain-Based Learning, teaching in step with how the brain develops at each age; and Dr. Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences, the belief that every person holds many kinds of intelligence, and that given the right activities and environment, every child can learn to their full potential.

• 2010

  Secondary level

  The school first planned to stop at Primary 6, but parents wanted their children to stay to the end, so secondary opened, with an Intensive English Programme.

• 2013

  Friends abroad

  A partnership with Tauranga Intermediate School, New Zealand, with Mr. Brian Diver (Principal) and Mrs. Annemeike Hart (International Director).

  
• 2014

  International curricula

  Cambridge, IPC and IMYC are woven into the Thai core curriculum.

  

Every child needs a different measure of soil, water and sunlight.

Opening Up

The world grows wider with friends

“People are different, so there are many ways for them to grow… in a warm, safe community that nurtures learning, until each person's strengths can emerge according to their own potential.”

• 2016

  Sister school

  MOU with Kanai Educational Institution / Fukui Senior High School, Japan.

  
• 2017

  First graduates

  The first Grade 12 (M.6) class of 14 students graduates, alongside exchanges with St Peter's School, New Zealand, and Sakura Science (JST), Japan.

• 2018

  International Programme

  The International Programme opens, with an exchange with Fukui University of Technology, Japan.

• 2019

  IEYC

  Integrated learning for the early years begins.

  
• 2020

  AIHM

  Collaboration with AIHM (Minor Group) and Les Roches.

  
• 2021

  Sports Excellence

  The Sports Excellence Programme launches.

The Plookpanya way: give children a new toy. Some open the box and play at once; others read the instructions first. So its teachers don't just teach from the front of the room; they design activities for every kind of learner. The youngest learn through play, their senses and nature, in the spirit of Forest School. Music begins with movement, following Orff and Dalcroze.

With friends around the world, the world is never too far away.

Many Paths

A school is not a factory

“Every child is unique, so the way we nurture, plant and feed them must differ too.”

The multiple intelligences nurtured from kindergarten grow into many paths in high school, where students choose by strength and learn from real experts through the school's partners.

• 2022

  Dusit Thani College

  A Culinary Arts partnership begins.

  
• 2023

  Suranaree University of Technology

  MOU on sports science (30 November).

  
• 2024

  BTEC and friends abroad

  BTEC Level 3 in Sports; Rossall School and Westonbirt School, UK, through CETA; an MOA with Bulacan State University, Philippines.

  
• 2025

  Dusit Thani and results

  MOU signed with Dusit Thani College (23 June). Culinary Arts students won the national DTC Young Chef Hospitality Challenge, and 78% of the Class of 2025 got into their first-choice university.

When a child discovers who they are, that is Plookpanya's success.

Beyond Academics

Twenty years, and the next step

“Every child possesses unique talents and potential. Our role is to create a learning ecosystem that nurtures both intellectual growth and essential life skills, so each child can grow beautifully in their own way.”

The world is changing faster than ever, and knowledge can be found anywhere, anytime. So Plookpanya focuses not only on what students learn, but on the skills, mindsets and character that prepare them for the future.

PPY Alpha brings this to life through four pillars that are not separate subjects but run through every classroom, from the early years to a high school with ten pathways to choose from.

• Four pillars

  01 Critical Thinking · 02 Global Mindedness · 03 Life Skills · 04 Self-Discovery.

• 7 + 3 pathways

  The high school offers 7 academic pathways and 3 specialised programmes, because one path doesn't fit everyone.

• IXL

  AI-supported, personalised learning for every student.

  

• Google for Education

  Joining the network.

  

• Chulalongkorn University

  Partnership with the Faculty of Education.

  

• Baan Ingjai

  An MOU to support student wellbeing.

  

Behind it is a holistic ecosystem: AI-powered personalised learning, the Google for Education network, professional development with Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Education, an MOU with Baan Ingjai for student wellbeing, and many other expert partners, from university professors to business owners, who enrich students' learning.

From doctors to architects to professional golfers, Plookpanya graduates prove that every seed can grow in its own way.