STEAM + Sustainability: Why We Started The Sustainable School

Jimmy was helping to pick up apples during a community harvest activity

STEAM education isn’t the “steam” from a choo-choo train — it stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. In traditional schooling, these subjects are often kept apart. Students are streamed into either science or arts tracks, and from there, their learning paths diverge. But is that really best for their growth?

The great inventor and artist Leonardo da Vinci once said, “To develop a complete mind: Study the science of art; Study the art of science. Learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else.”

By blending the “soft” power of imagination with the “hard” skills of science and engineering, STEAM cultivates a holistic mindset. It encourages children to look at the world through a multidisciplinary lens and unlocks their ability to solve problems creatively and meaningfully.

The World Is Changing. Our Kids Need to Be Ready

As parents, we all feel it: the world is changing fast. From climate change and food shortages to AI, deepfakes, and rapid technological disruption, uncertainty is the new norm. And it’s only getting more intense.

So how do we raise future-ready children? Kids who are flexible, agile, and resilient — capable of navigating complexity while making a positive impact?

In a world where many still live just above or below the survival line, how can we make quality education accessible to all, creating real opportunities for those who need it most?

Sustainability Is About More Than the Environment

When we hear “sustainability,” we often think of recycling or protecting the environment. But true sustainability also includes social and economic dimensions. It's about creating systems that support both people and the planet.

The Three Pillars of Sustainability (Source: Circular Ecology)

Too often, modern societies rely on resources and labour from less privileged communities — whether in distant countries or hidden corners of our own cities. Their contributions are essential, yet invisible.

I personally never realised how stark this divide was until I left my home country of Singapore and visited an industrial warehouse to store my belongings. There, I encountered the dormitories of migrant workers whose hard work supports Singapore’s housing and infrastructure, yet whose lives remain in the shadows.

That moment stayed with me.

Why We Started The Sustainable School

We didn’t start The Sustainable School to criticise or create political debate. We started it because we believe in giving children a wider lens — one that helps them understand the real world, and find their own way of living meaningfully in it.

Growing up, I was a classic “nerd girl,” always striving to be top three in my class. At 16, I left home on a scholarship to study abroad. For the first time, I realised that all the academic skills I had spent years perfecting… only helped me for the two hours I spent in the classroom. Outside of it, I didn’t even know how to do basic things like laundry or manage my daily life.

Planting my first tree at Dunedin during "Trees for Families" on Mothers' Day

Looking back, I asked myself: why did no one prepare me for life beyond books? Why did it take so long to realise that life skills are just as essential as academic ones?

Now, through my research in sustainability, I’ve come to see that it shouldn’t be treated as a standalone topic. Sustainability should be integrated into the STEAM curriculum itself. At TSS, we go one step further: our whole philosophy is built around nurturing lifelong curiosity and care for the planet.

More Than a School — A Movement for Curious, Creative, and Conscious Kids

TSS is a school without walls which aims to nurture future-ready children through joyful, hands-on STEAM learning, rooted in real-world stories and a deep care for our planet.

Whether through building DNA models, exploring the world of AI, or creating upcycled art, every child is invited to discover how they can shape a better world, one small step at a time.

Because when kids see they can make a difference, they grow up curious, creative, and conscious — exactly what the future needs!