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Founding British schools settle into first term, Dulwich College Bangkok opens its doors: week in international schools (5 – 9 October 2026)

By British Learning Centre

British Learning Centre “Week in international schools” series cover — branded purple and gold graphic for the Bangkok and Eastern Seaboard weekly round-up.

Each Friday we draw together the week’s most useful international-school news for families in Bangkok and on the Eastern Seaboard — openings, programme news, wider education context and dates worth putting in the diary. This instalment covers Monday 5 October to Friday 9 October 2026.

After a fortnight dominated by flooding, this was a calmer week. The stand-out theme was the class of 2026: the group of British-heritage schools that opened in August are now well into their founding term, and two pieces from British Schools Asia offered a useful look at how that cohort is taking shape. Alongside that, UNICEF published sobering figures on how recent floods disrupted schooling nationally, and the Eastern Seaboard continued to watch the weather.

Dulwich College Bangkok: an inaugural term in Bang Na

On Monday, British Schools Asia profiled Dulwich College Bangkok’s inaugural term at its Bang Na campus. The school opened in August for Nursery to Year 7, with Phase 1 offering up to 1,000 places and a longer-term capacity of around 1,800. The Sixth Form is expected from around 2029, so the current founding cohort will help shape the senior school as it grows year by year.

Academically, the college follows an enhanced British curriculum leading to IGCSE, then either A Levels or the International Baccalaureate. It also carries the Dulwich “SE21” strand — named after the postcode of the founding school in London — and sits within the Education in Motion network of schools across Asia.

For families who want to see the campus for themselves, Dulwich College Bangkok has introduced “Curiosity Fridays”: a weekly tour and question-and-answer session with the Head of College, held on Fridays from 08:30 to 09:30 at the Prawet / Bang Na campus. Sessions are listed for 9 October and 30 October.

Six founding schools, one market

On Tuesday, a second British Schools Asia analysis stepped back to look at the wider picture. Six British-heritage schools began their founding term together in August 2026:

  • Dulwich College Bangkok
  • Wycombe Abbey International School Bangkok
  • Highgate International School Chonburi, on the Eastern Seaboard within the Eastern Economic Corridor
  • SPGS International School Bangkok, which remains primary-only until 2027
  • Glenalmond Phuket International School
  • The Jataka School

Opening so many new schools in a single year is unusual, and it gives families a broader choice than ever before — but also more to compare. The analysis highlighted boarding as a clear point of difference: Wycombe Abbey International School Bangkok and Highgate International School Chonburi both offer boarding, which matters to families outside the capital and to those planning ahead for senior school. For a new school, the first term is when routines, staffing and parent communication are tested in practice, and that early-term experience is often what prospective families ask about most on tours.

Flood aftermath: UNICEF calls for climate-ready schools

The national context remained serious. On Wednesday, UNICEF figures reported by The Pattaya News showed that recent floods disrupted 988 schools across 29 provinces, and that 188 schools in Bangkok were affected, with some used as temporary shelters. UNICEF used the figures to call for climate-ready schools — buildings, plans and teaching arrangements that can withstand extreme weather with less disruption to learning.

These are national figures across the whole school system, not international schools alone. However, they reflect what many Bangkok families experienced first-hand at the end of September, when campuses moved online and reopening decisions were taken day by day. No new school closures were reported in this week’s briefs, but heavy rain was forecast for Bangkok, the Central region and the East early in the week, with rain risk in Bangkok through about 10 October.

Eastern Seaboard: co-curricular breadth and a wet outlook

East of Bangkok, MIS International School Pattaya promoted its programme of more than 300 co-curricular activities. The school cites over 1,000 pupils and more than thirty nationalities, and the co-curricular offer follows its recent expansion of world languages — a reminder that, for many families, life beyond the timetable weighs as heavily as academic results when choosing a school.

Highgate International School Chonburi, featured in Tuesday’s analysis, is the Eastern Seaboard’s contribution to this year’s founding cohort, giving families in Chonburi and the Eastern Economic Corridor a new British-heritage option with boarding.

The weather outlook for the region remains unsettled. Rain was reported in Chonburi and Rayong mid-week, and the risk is flagged to continue from 9 to 13 October. Families travelling to visits or fairs should allow extra time.

Saturday at the Gateway Fair: twelve conversations with partner schools

On Saturday 10 October, Mr Ash was at the Bangkok International School Gateway Fair at the InterContinental Bangkok, where British Learning Centre welcomed families at booth 74 and met the admissions teams of our partner schools. We filmed a short conversation with each school, and every video is on our TikTok channel:

If you would like to visit any of these schools, many have open days in the coming weeks (listed below), and British Learning Centre can book your place.

Looking ahead (check with organisers before travelling)

With rain still forecast in Bangkok and the East, please confirm each visit with the school or fair organiser before you travel. Where we have Hub event pages, links go there — please register through British Learning Centre’s Book a place on each event page.

Earlier this week, the diary also included the St Andrews International School, Dusit Early Years and Primary open house on Wednesday 7 October, and open mornings at Brighton College Bangkok (Krungthep Kreetha) and St Andrew’s International School, Sukhumvit 107 (Secondary) on Thursday 8 October. If you missed them, we are happy to suggest follow-up visits.

Why it matters for BLC families

The founding-year wave means families have more strong British-curriculum options than ever — and more decisions to make. Our free school-placement support can help you build a realistic shortlist, compare new and established schools, and prepare for entrance assessments.

For pupils who lost classroom time during the floods, British Learning Centre’s UK-curriculum tuition — in Pattaya, at Lasalle’s Avenue in Bangkok, and online — can help close gaps in reading, writing and maths. During rain windows, online lessons keep learning on track without the journey.

Closing

A quieter week in the headlines, but an important one for families weighing the new British schools against established names. Thank you to every family who came to see us at booth 74 at the Gateway Fair — and whether you need placement advice or steady tuition support, British Learning Centre is glad to help.

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