Playpen School
Turns 50: make your card Notices 2 Book a visit
Page 01 of 07About

From a kindergarten to a school with its own ten-storey building.

Founded in 1977 by the educationist Mrs Zeba Khan. The first O Level candidate sat the examination in 2003, A Level classes began in 2013, and on 19 July 2018 the school moved into the building where it teaches today.

The whole ten-storey building seen from the lawn, brick boxes stepping out of its concrete frame under a pale sky.

The building from the lawn, 2021.

01The recordEvery date once, in three eras

The school in three eras.

A kindergarten, then a Cambridge school, then a building of its own. The dates are the school's; the pictures are of the building as it is now, each dated under it.

Begun as a kindergarten.

Playpen was founded in Dhaka by the educationist Mrs Zeba Khan. The school's own history describes it as starting with a kindergarten and growing class by class.

  1. A kindergarten in Dhaka

    The educationist Mrs Zeba Khan founds the school, which begins as a kindergarten.†

  2. Primary classes

    By 1998 the school has added primary classes. Secondary classes follow; the school's own history gives no year for them.

O Level first, then A Level.

Since 2013 a child who joins in Playgroup can stay at Playpen until the end of school. The Cambridge pathway explains the examination years.

  1. The first O Level candidate

    The school's first Ordinary Level candidate sits the examination and earns A grades in all seven subjects.

  2. A Level classes begin

    Chairman Mr A. Mannan Khan introduces A Level. The school now teaches from Playgroup to A Level.

  3. The first A Level batch

    The first full batch of students enrols for the two-year course. A Level teaching had begun in 2013.

A painted arch reading Graduation Ceremony over the wooden doors of the hall, with plants on either side.

And today: the hall doors dressed for Graduation, 2024. The ceremony is for the O and A Level leavers of the year.

Into a building of its own.

Principal Mrs Sorabon Tohura led the move. Chairman Mr A. Mannan Khan oversaw the construction, and the architect was Mr Ehsan Khan. Our campus walks through the building.

  1. The school's own buses

    The school begins to run its own bus service. Transport and safety says how a family applies for a place.

  2. The move to Bashundhara

    Under Principal Mrs Sorabon Tohura, the school moves into its own building of ten storeys in Bashundhara Residential Area. The architect is Mr Ehsan Khan.

The school crest and the word Playpen on the board-marked concrete of the street front, creepers hanging at the left edge.

And today: the crest on the street front of the building, 2024.

The second phase of the building is in progress. Where the school is now, below, says what it adds.

Playgroup to A Level today

† Dates are from the school's own history pages, September 2026. The founding year is being confirmed with the school.

02The peopleThree names in the record

The people named in the record.

  • Founder

    Mrs Zeba Khan

    The educationist who founded the school as a kindergarten.

  • Chairman

    Mr A. Mannan Khan

    Introduced A Level classes in 2013 and oversaw the construction of the building.

  • Principal

    Mrs Sorabon Tohura

    Led the move into the new building on 19 July 2018.

Today's Chairman, Managing Director, Principal and Vice Principals, and the six Teachers-in-Charge, are on School administration.

School administration

From the school's history and administration pages, September 2026.

03The school todayWhere the story has got to

Where the school is now.

The second phase of the building is in progress; the school has published no completion date. What the school's pages list for it

Admissions

Come and see the school.

The building in these photographs is the one you see on a visit. Call the line for your child's section first; the office confirms the day.

Book a visit Enquire How to apply