John Lyon School and Harrow International School Bangkok exchange
Published on isbi School News dated Thursday 21st of March 2024
As part of the Harrow Family of Schools, we’re able to offer international exchanges, which give pupils a chance to explore different cultures and to broaden their global perspectives. This term, a group of Year 9 John Lyon pupils, along with three members of staff, embarked on a memorable journey to Bangkok for an exchange hosted by Harrow International School Bangkok (HS Bangkok). This marked a significant milestone as the School’s first post-Covid exchange trip within the Harrow Family of Schools, which comprises a total of 14 schools.
Our pupils had a great time in Thailand, coming back to tell us of their memorable experiences, both cultural and educational, not to mention enjoying some fantastic weather and Thai cuisine! While in Bangkok, our Year 9s joined with their Harrow peers in lessons, which included sessions learning the Thai language. They also explored the vibrant city of Bangkok, indulging in all sorts of activities, highlights of which include a captivating dining experience at Baiyoke Tower – Thailand’s tallest building – and visits to iconic locations such as River Kwai Village, the Grand Palace and the Thai-Burma Railway.
In reciprocation, John Lyon warmly welcomed a group of pupils from HS Bangkok to London. Overall, this experience has been enriching for the staff involved in supporting the exchange as well as for the pupils. It gave the visiting HS Bangkok pupils a taste of UK school life the John Lyon way as well as of broader British life through several social and cultural outings, including a theatre visit, trip to Oxford and much more.
Exchange programmes like this are a wonderful chance for pupils to step outside their usual routine, to learn about different cultures, make friends, and gain confidence and independence. The positive response to the John Lyon – HS Bangkok exchange has been encouraging, and we look forward to organising more international learning opportunities for our pupils in the very near future.
