Voice From the Master of Wellington College UK

I hope that you all had a restful and enjoyable half term break. It was good to welcome everyone back last Sunday, and the College is now back in full swing.

You may have seen the news over half term that Wellington has opened a ground-breaking international school in Shanghai. The school, currently for 2-6 year olds, is the first to fully integrate the concepts of Chinese and British education, and it is the first time Chinese children will have the option to go to such a school. It marks a significant step in Sino-British cooperation in education.  Please see the story in this edition of the Week Ahead.

I am often asked why Wellington is engaged in these overseas projects. The answer lies in the College’s outward-facing and forward-thinking approach. I believe there are significant benefits of our engagement with overseas education. The first is the opportunity for boys and girls from the College to visit China on cultural and educational exchanges which has the potential to be truly life-enhancing. I hope that every child entering Wellington will have an opportunity during their time at the College to experience life in one of our international family of schools.

I am also excited about engaging with the Chinese educational system to our mutual benefit, and about the understanding and expertise which will emerge from this fusion of British and Chinese pedagogy. Much has been written in recent months about the respected merits of western and eastern educational systems but I am keen that all schools and students in the Wellington family benefit from our shared understanding of what best practice, both inside and outside the classroom, actually is, regardless of its national heritage. Schools and teachers around the world have so much to learn from each other.

It is also important to be aware that money raised from overseas projects is used to fund our bursary programme which allows children to receive a Wellington education who would not otherwise be in a position to do so.

I am so proud that Wellington College is taking the lead in such an exciting and pioneering partnership. I hope that you are too.

I would like to wish you all a happy and successful half term ahead

Julian Thomas
Master, Wellington College UK