How can we teach sustainability in a way that truly stays with our children?
What does a meaningful eco school programmeeally look like?
These questions matter more than ever, as every action we take affects both our lives and the world we live in. Let’s explore how sustainability in good eco school education can turn into a way of thinking, living, and growing. Let’s explore how sustainability in good eco school education can become a way of thinking, living, and growing.  

• Eco schools: Eco school is the school that integrates sustainability into every part of daily school life from lessons and leadership to infrastructure and activities. Leading Green School in Thailand: St. Andrews Green Valley is one of a few Thai schools awarded the Green Flag for outstanding environmental education.
• Integrated Eco School Programmes: Forest School, solar energy integration, and student-led recycling are part of everyday routines.
• Green Council and Environmental Strategic Group: Real projects like composting, eco-brick collections, and produce donations are organised by the group

What Makes an Eco School?

An eco school is the school that puts environmental values into practice across the whole campus. Through hands-on learning and student-led action, it encourages young people to understand real-world issues and take meaningful steps toward a more sustainable future. 

From how lessons are delivered to how rubbish is sorted and how students make decisions, sustainability is woven into everyday life. Eco school values are grounded in responsibility, action, and long-term thinking toward the world we live in and the surrounding environment. Beyond the benefit to the world, these are an ultimate method for students learn to think critically, act ethically, become self-aware and care deeply.

Green Valley: A Leading Eco School in Thailand with Green Flag Status

St. Andrews Green Valley is proud to be one of just a handful of schools in Thailand awarded the Eco-Schools Green Flag; the highest international recognition for environmental education. As of 2022, only nine schools across the country had received this distinction, and Green Valley was the seventh to do so.

This award reflects years of student-led work, long-term commitment, and a school-wide culture of sustainability. From how we plan our projects to how we track our environmental impact, the Green Flag status is a reflection of who we are and how we learn.

Eco School Ideas for Everyone Greater Benefit at Green Valley

Sustainability at Green Valley isn’t limited to one subject or one week of the year. It’s part of everyday life. Here are some of the ways we turn eco school ideas into real action.

Forest School

Our Forest School programme gets students outside and into nature. Activities like den building, fire lighting, plant identification, and other natural experiments to help children build physical coordination, resilience, and confidence. More than that, they foster a deep respect for the environment. This truly is something that can’t be taught in a classroom alone.

In our tropical setting with spacious green space, the natural world becomes an open-air classroom. Children are encouraged to explore, observe, and reflect on their place in the wider ecosystem.

Recycling Initiatives

Recycling at Green Valley goes far beyond sorting waste. Students participate in eco-brick collections, composting projects, and even run an online second-hand shop. These experiences help them understand the full cycle of consumption and the importance of reusing and reducing waste wherever possible.

Solar Energy Integration

Our campus uses solar energy to help power daily operations, reducing our reliance on non-renewable sources and lowering our carbon footprint. We also incorporate these systems into science and environmental lessons, giving students a practical understanding of renewable energy and how clean technology fits into everyday life.

Student-Led Change: The Heart of Our Eco School Programme

Our eco school programme is designed to be student-powered from the inside out. With guidance from teachers in the Environmental Strategic Group and the student-led Green Council (spanning Years 4–12), students take on real responsibilities and propose real solutions. Whether it’s organising school-wide energy audits or introducing new composting stations, every project begins with student voices and ends in visible impact.

Green Activities With Environmental Strategic Group And the Green Council

From campus-wide initiatives to everyday actions, our students play a central role in shaping how sustainability comes to life at Green Valley. Environmental Strategic Group together with the Green Council, we organise activities as follows;

• Eco Arts and Crafts
• Gardening Club
• Forest School and Composting
• Beach Cleans
• Community Fruit and Vegetable donations
• Online second-hand store
• Eco-shop
• Eco-brick collections
• Living walls
• Community Fruit and Vegetable donations

An eco school isn’t defined by a single subject or initiative. It’s a whole-school culture where environmental values shape everything — from how students learn to how they lead. What sets eco schools apart is their focus on real, hands-on action and student empowerment.

At St. Andrews Green Valley, our eco school programme encourages students to think critically, act responsibly, and make a meaningful impact. We integrate solar energy, recycling, and sustainable practices into daily school life. Through our student-led Green Council, children also lead creative, community-minded initiatives — from eco arts and gardening clubs to composting, Forest School sessions, and produce donations.