We Are Wellington | Matching School and Family Values

At Wellington College International Hangzhou, we aspire to create a caring, international community that develops well-rounded individuals with strong values and the skills and identity to thrive within an ever-changing world. In fact, this is our vision statement. Community is at the centre of all we do at Wellington, and we continuously strive to work together with our parents, staff and pupils to develop that strong sense of community that makes international schools unique. In this series of ‘We Are Wellington’ articles, we aim to tell the stories of those families and highlight the special contributions they make to our community.

This week’s article in the series was written by Audrey’s mother, a university lecturer in a Performing Arts department, who reflects on why she and her husband, an enterprise manager in environmental water governance, chose Wellington College International Hangzhou for their daughter Audrey. Audrey, who was born in Hong Kong, joined Wellington College International Hangzhou in September last year and has continued to grow and achieve in Year 4.

When learning expectations meet educational philosophy

When choosing a school for Audrey, my husband and I held firm in our expectation that Audrey be able to pursue her fields of interests and develop her own set of personal values. We carefully considered several schools’ educational philosophies and the values they instill in their pupils. The Wellington Values of courage, respect, integrity, kindness and responsibility are exactly the values we want our children to develop.

We were drawn to Wellington for how the school encourages pupils to explore and express themselves, develop their self-confidence and shape their individual personalities. By learning how to solve problems, work collaboratively and care for others, we knew Audrey would find her sense of belonging within our family and her school community. Wellington’s unique education philosophy made us confident that our learning expectations for Audrey would be met.

Embedding Wellington Values in daily life

For reasons known to all, this year is a special year and a difficult time. For our family, we have tried to take advantage of this increased time together and learn more about each other in the process. 

eLearning was a challenge for children and their parents, but it was also a good opportunity to learn. All of Audrey’s teachers were patient and responsible, making great efforts to ensure the curriculum was accessible and effective for children during such an unusual time. Audrey won a Wellington Values House point for her excellent performance during the eLearning period, which made her very excited and proud to be bringing honour to her house. 

When returning to school, we were quite satisfied with how the school ensured a smooth transition from eLearning to classroom learning, as well as their strict adherence to health and safety protocols. These reassured us that Audrey would remain safe while still enjoying this opportunity to be with her classmates and teachers again. In just one year of study at Wellington College International Hangzhou, we have already seen how Audrey has become more confident, independent and kind; learning how to evaluate decisions and act in accordance with the Wellington Values. 

We believe that the teachers at Wellington teach their children to be kind, courageous, respectful, responsible and act with integrity in their daily lessons and school life. Teachers are keen to guide children in discovering their talents and develop these passions. They are also experienced in cultivating our children’s cooperative spirits and international outlooks, both of which are essential qualities for future global citizens.  

Audrey is an example of how the Wellington Values are influencing my child perceptibly, making her more confident and cheerful, willing to think independently, form her own judgments and challenge herself. They influence her thoughts, feelings and decisions about herself and her world. As parents, we are really grateful to see how much Audrey has achieved this academic year. 

Engaging in school activities and community events

Various school activities and community events are one of the elements that makes Wellington special. Audrey was able to take an active role in several activities this year at Wellington College International Hangzhou. Audrey performed well in last year’s Sports Day and won two medals for “Best Effort” and “Sprint Winner.”  For the Christmas performance last December, we were surprised to learn that Audrey was one of the soloists and we really enjoyed watching the play. 

Due to the special time, the school has not been able to hold any offline community events since February. When looking back on the events the school organised last year, however, it makes me proud to know that the Chinese New Year celebrations helped inform Audrey about her country’s culture and traditions, which as Chinese parents serve as the foundation of our family. As for Audrey, I think her favorite event was the Christmas Party. After all, she sure can eat a lot of candy, can’t she?

If you would like to join the Wellington community, no matter whether you are planning on moving to Hangzhou or you are already living here, you can arrange an individual on-site visit by scanning the QR code below. Our Admissions team are on stand-by to host you for a personalised campus tour to help you discover what makes Wellington special.

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Wellington College International HangzhouWellington College International Hangzhou officially opened its doors to pupils in September 2018, offering a world-class international education for children of expatriate families from the ages of 2 to 18. In Pre-Prep and Prep-School, the College follows the English National Curriculum, which is enhanced through the cross-curricula International Primary Curriculum. In Senior School, pupils will complete the IGCSE and then follow the A Level Programme. As with all Wellington College schools, the Wellington Values and Identities form the core of the holistic education provided by Wellington College International Hangzhou.

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