Good schooling plays a crucial role in a child’s life and has several significant impacts on their development and future prospects. Regents International School Pattaya, a prominent day and boarding private school in Thailand, stands as a beacon of academic excellence with a proven track record. The school nurtures contented and driven students who actively participate in shaping their own educational journeys. With a focus on providing an exceptional all-round education, students at Regents International School Pattaya gain the skills and knowledge necessary to pursue their aspirations, including admission to the world’s top 100 universities.
Below are highlights of the interview conducted between World’s Leaders and school principal Ms. Amos Turner-Wardell:
What makes Regents International School Pattaya stand out from other schools?
Regents is unique in many ways, the strong sense of identity and who we are as a school come through, we are fierce lions who always look after their own. We are proud of what we achieve and always strive to be more, both being part of Nord Anglia gives us access to the best opportunities in the world with MIT, Unicef and Juilliard, but we are also a Round Square School so we teach our young learners how to be good people and take care of others who maybe don’t have the same advantages as we have had. The students who leave us leave as compassionate, risk takers and I love that about them.
What resources are available to provide emotional care for students? Is there counseling and mental health support? What about disability resources?
As a school that recently received the Wellbeing Award for Schools, we are really proud of the work we do to support our students’ wellbeing and mental health. We have a full-time counselor, wellbeing tutors, a wellbeing committee, and access to a wealth of resources to support our young people.
What makes this college a renowned international school?
We have outstanding academic results, which we are very proud of. We have that as we strive to make the learning environment a positive experience for children to be themselves and thrive. We have success getting students to go all over the world to university, but it doesn’t end there. We want our students to get to university and thrive.
Where could the Regents International School in Pattaya improve? What is being done to make those improvements?
As a school, we are always looking to improve. We are always looking at new technologies and our approaches to teaching to ensure we are ahead of the game. We recruit the best teachers in the world who are forward-thinking, and as technology races ahead, we have to stay focused on making sure we are educating the students about the changing world.
As a private college, what does this school do to help make college more affordable?
We have a scholarship programme at the school; this is to give anyone of any background an opportunity to study with us. If you are strong academically or strong within the performing arts of sports, we have opportunities for you. Equally, we have the Kurt Hahn scholarship linked directly to Round Square. This is for students who give their time and energy to helping others; a real commitment to charitable work goes a long way.
What are the most significant changes you’ve noticed in the education sector and system, and how have they been influenced by technology?
The introduction of Chat GPT is probably the most groundbreaking change in education. We are still at the beginning, but it will certainly change the way that we teach, assess, and show children their learning. Education will have to adapt to AI and what it can do.
What are the three things you would like to improve in education, society, or students’ lives?
I think the biggest change is yet to come; the system is still very traditional, and the world isn’t any more. We don’t have the answers yet. The university acceptance system is the same in that it is based on examination results, and children can show their learning and understanding of the world in ways that are far more creative than passing an exam. If this were to change, then there would be some great changes around the world.
Is there anything you would like to say to students who are very early in their career?
Don’t give up, the greatest things in life don’t come easy. Stay true to who you are and be kind.
What is your vision for Regents International School Pattaya, and what steps are you taking to achieve it?
I have been a part of Regents for 6 years, and I want to continue for it to grow on its current path, I want to make sure it is a place where children can be themselves and thrive, that they will have opportunities to learn and develop in ways they didn’t think possible. That our teachers will be committed to changing lives and supporting our students to be the best version of themselves.
