Lertlah School

Philosophy: Morals and Academic Excellence

At the heart of Lertlah School's identity is a philosophy that places equal emphasis on moral character and academic achievement. The school's guiding principle — 'Nurturing minds and hearts through compassion, understanding, and teamwork among teachers, parents, and students' — captures a holistic vision of education that goes beyond exam results.

Bilingual, Child-Centered Learning

Lertlah's approach to teaching centers on the child as an active learner. The English Program, which serves as the primary curriculum framework, is delivered primarily in English (estimated at approximately 85% of instructional time) with Thai integrated as both an academic subject and a cultural touchstone. This bilingual structure draws on elements from the Canadian education system, blending international best practices with Thai national curriculum standards.

Classrooms encourage critical thinking, creative problem-solving, and collaborative work. Rather than rote memorization, students are guided to explore, question, and construct their own understanding — a methodology influenced by Canadian inquiry-based learning traditions.

Compassion and Community

The school explicitly frames education as a collaborative endeavor between teachers, parents, and students. This tri-partite partnership model means parents are considered active stakeholders in their children's development, not passive observers. School communications and community events reinforce this ethos of shared responsibility.

Technology as a Tool for Global Readiness

Alongside moral and academic development, Lertlah increasingly emphasizes technology literacy and information communication technology (ICT) skills — particularly visible in the Kaset-Nawamin campus, which has been described as an innovation-driven campus. The school's mission explicitly references preparing students to 'thrive globally,' recognizing that digital fluency is now inseparable from academic excellence.

Implications for Families

Families choosing Lertlah can expect a school culture that prizes respectful relationships, integrity, and intellectual curiosity. The emphasis on 'morals' before 'academics' in the school's core values signals that character education is not an afterthought but a structural priority — embedded in everyday school life rather than delivered as a standalone program.

Campus Life at Lertlah School

Lertlah School's three campuses are geographically spread across Bangkok, making the school accessible from multiple districts while giving each campus a degree of individual identity.

Petkasem Road Campus — The Original Home

Situated in the Nong Khaem district of western Bangkok (1 Soi Phetkasem 77 Lane 2-5), this is the founding campus, established in 1994. It offers education from Nursery through Grade 6. The campus has been progressively developed over the years: a swimming pool dates from the school's founding year, an indoor gymnasium and outdoor sports field were added in 2000, and a Math-Science Park and camp ground followed in 2001. The atmosphere here reflects the school's original vision of combining English-language learning with a nurturing, child-focused environment. Contact: +66 2-809-9081 to 9085.

Kanchanapisek Road Campus — The Academic Hub

Located in Bang Bon district (39/5 Moo 5, Kanchanapisek Rd), this campus opened in 2002 and extends coverage to Grade 9. It is described as an academically oriented campus with a focus on critical thinking, collaborative learning, and moral development. The campus houses multiple teaching blocks and sports facilities within a bilingual learning environment. It serves as the administrative hub for many of the school's parent-facing communications. Contact: +66 2-894-5400; [email protected].

Kaset-Nawamin Road Campus — The Innovation Campus

The newest and largest campus (opened 2006) is located in Bungkum district (9/29 Moo 9, Kaset-Nawamin Rd, Bangkok 10230) on approximately 15 rai (over 60,000 sqm) of land. The campus features multi-story buildings, a gymnasium, outdoor sports grounds, and a swimming pool, with a particular emphasis on ICT infrastructure and real-world learning curricula. It is positioned as Lertlah's technology and innovation flagship. Contact: +66 2-943-9436; [email protected].

Shared Campus Culture

Across all three campuses, daily school life is shaped by the same core values: compassion, respect for teachers and peers, and a commitment to both academic achievement and personal integrity. The school day features English-language instruction from qualified Thai and international teachers, with Thai language and cultural education woven throughout.

From One Campus to Three: Lertlah's Expansion

Lertlah School was established in 1994 on Petkasem Road in the Nong Khaem district of Bangkok, beginning with a modest offering of Nursery through Grade 3. The founding vision was clear: to deliver a bilingual English Program that could give Bangkok students — whether local Thai, expatriate, or from internationally mobile families — a rigorous academic foundation rooted in both Thai cultural values and internationally recognized educational standards.

Campus Milestones

1994 — Petkasem Road Campus Founded The original campus launched with the English Program and core infrastructure including a swimming pool. By 2000, an indoor sports gymnasium and outdoor sports field had been added, signaling the school's commitment to holistic student development.

2001 — Expanding Infrastructure A Math-Science Park (outdoor science learning area), staff dormitory, and school camp ground were added to the Petkasem campus, reflecting growing enrollment and enrichment ambitions.

2002 — Kanchanapisek Road Campus Opens The second campus extended Lertlah's reach into the Bang Bon district of Bangkok, offering education from Nursery through Grade 9 — the school's full academic range. This campus became known for critical thinking and collaborative learning approaches.

2006 — Kaset-Nawamin Road Campus Opens The third campus, located in Bungkum district, brought Lertlah to northeastern Bangkok. Set on approximately 15 rai (over 60,000 sqm), it features multi-story buildings, a gymnasium, outdoor grounds, and a swimming pool, and is positioned as an innovation and technology-forward campus.

A Growing Network

Today, the Lertlah School group operates these three campuses with a combined student population exceeding 3,136 and a teaching and support staff of over 564. The school has accumulated over three decades of experience in bilingual education and describes itself as having delivered Thai-Canadian integrated education since its founding year.

Academic Culture: A Thai-Canadian Bilingual Model

Lertlah School occupies a distinctive niche in Bangkok's private school landscape: it is neither a fully international school operating a foreign curriculum (such as IB or British), nor a conventional Thai school. Instead, it deliberately fuses the Thai national curriculum with methodological influences from Canadian education — a blend that gives graduates familiarity with Thai academic standards while equipping them with English fluency and internationally oriented thinking skills.

Structure and Grade Levels

The school serves students from Nursery (age 3) through Grade 9 (approximately age 15), covering early childhood, primary, and lower secondary education. The Petkasem Road campus runs to Grade 6, while the Kanchanapisek and Kaset-Nawamin campuses extend through Grade 9.

Each year level typically comprises five parallel classes. Nursery classes are capped at approximately 27 students per class, while primary and secondary classes accommodate around 32 students. This structure produces a relatively large school cohort while maintaining manageable class sizes.

English as the Medium of Instruction

All core academic subjects — mathematics, science, social studies, and English language arts — are taught primarily in English by native-speaking and qualified foreign teachers, supplemented by Thai teachers for Thai-language subjects and cultural education. The school estimates approximately 85% of instructional time is conducted in English.

Canadian Pedagogical Influences

The Canadian influence manifests primarily in pedagogical methodology rather than in curriculum content. Inquiry-based learning, student agency, collaborative projects, and formative assessment approaches associated with Canadian schooling are embedded in daily classroom practice. This shapes a learning environment that values process as much as product.

Technology Integration

All three campuses incorporate ICT into the curriculum, with the Kaset-Nawamin campus particularly noted for its innovation-focused facilities and information technology infrastructure. This reflects the school's stated mission of preparing students to 'thrive globally' in a digitally connected world.

Academic Calendar

The school follows the Thai academic calendar: Term 1 runs from May to September, and Term 2 from November to March, with a school break in October and a longer summer break from March to April.

Community Culture at Lertlah School

One of the distinguishing features of Lertlah School's culture is the explicit priority placed on community — the school's philosophy statement names the tri-partite relationship between teachers, parents, and students as foundational to its mission.

The Parent-School Partnership

Lertlah's philosophy of 'Nurturing minds and hearts through compassion, understanding, and teamwork among teachers, parents, and students' is not merely aspirational language. It reflects a school culture in which parental involvement is actively encouraged and structured into the school's operations. Parents are viewed as essential partners in moral and academic education, particularly given the school's emphasis on values-based learning.

This approach is well-suited to the school's target demographic: Bangkok families — including Thai families seeking bilingual education, expatriate families, and internationally mobile professionals — who are typically highly invested in their children's schooling and want to maintain close communication with teachers.

Student Community

With over 3,136 students across three campuses and five parallel classes per year level, Lertlah offers a school environment that is large enough for students to build broad friendship networks while small enough for individual teachers to know their students. Class sizes of approximately 27 (nursery) to 32 (primary/secondary) support meaningful teacher-student relationships.

Moral Education as Community Building

The school's emphasis on 'morals' as the first of its core values — preceding even academic excellence — shapes the community atmosphere. Students are taught not just to succeed academically but to contribute positively to their classroom community, school, and society. This character education ethos is embedded in daily routines rather than isolated to specific lessons.

Accessibility and Inclusivity

Lertlah's bilingual model — English primary with Thai support — makes it accessible to a broader range of Bangkok families than fully international schools operating in English only. Thai families seeking international-standard English education without removing their children from the Thai curriculum framework represent a significant portion of the community, alongside expatriate families looking for a more affordable bilingual alternative to fully international schools.