The Master's End of Year Letter

Dear parents

As ever, an end of year letter comprises two main threads. There is undoubtedly a sense of sadness as we say goodbye to those in our community - both pupils and staff - who have reached the end of their journeys with Wellington. On the other hand, such emotions are surely overshadowed by the evident progress and achievements we have shared this year.

It has been a remarkable year for the school. The story of the year has been one of success across the board. I have attempted to place the year's statistics, from examination results to university offers, competition awards, spectacular events in music, art, sport and drama and service and charity projects, in an infographic simply to draw your attention to the highlights of the year. 

Of course, I want the entire community to celebrate these achievements, but more importantly for the longer term is the fact that these pupils will have materially improved their life chances by what they have achieved, collectively and individually, over the last 12 months. 

Inevitably, university offers and examination results will dominate the headlines. 

We should look beyond these, though, to how our children have developed their independence in their learning; their levels of academic English; their confidence in performing and presenting in front of their peers; and their understanding of how to lead a life dictated by common values and a shared sense of purpose.

There is more to look forward to in 2021/22. There are major investment programmes for the Nest, library, and boarding house. The Nest will be renovated throughout, creating a state-of-the-art learning environment for our pupils. The indoor space, which will boast new activity and music rooms as well as redesigned classrooms, will be complemented by a new outdoor learning zone centred on the old tennis court. It will allow children to access further learning resources and the space to explore the world around them more fully. The library will have a similarly significant makeover, with more natural light, dedicated areas for Junior and Senior pupils and more accessible shelving for the books. It promises to be a remarkable facility once the work is complete in August. Boarders will be greeted with new furniture and interior décor on their return to school after the summer.

In addition to our work on the school's facilities, next year will mark our tenth anniversary. Celebrations are planned throughout the year, with further details published in August.  

I referred earlier to the sadness that accompanies this time of year. A number of much-loved colleagues are moving on at the end of term. We are saying goodbye to Ms Wang, who will complete her teaching qualification at Oxford university next year. Ms Willoughby joins Mr Rowark in returning to the UK, and Ms Chapman and Mr Hazell will also be back in England as they get married and then embark on adventures in their new schools from August. Mr Wood, for so long the caring and passionate champion of DT and boarding, returns home for a well-deserved retirement from teaching. 

Several colleagues are moving to take up new roles across China. Mrs Xing moves with her family to Nanjing. Ms Chen returns to university life after her second spell in the music department. Mr and Mrs Prendi will be in Guangzhou; Mrs Arden leaves us for a role as director of teaching and learning at a new school in Chengdu; Ms Hollywell is heading for Beijing, and Mr and Mrs Gater take up new positions at schools in Shanghai. 

Mrs Gater will remain in the Wellington College family, happily, as she transfers to our sister school there. Joining Mr and Mrs Gater in Shanghai are Mrs Mukherjee and Mrs Popovic. The latter two will share their expertise as members of the WCC Central Office, so well will still see plenty of them here in Tianjin. They have all proved to be wonderful teachers and supporters of your children, so I hope you will join me in thanking them all for their service and commitment to Wellington.

We have been busy recruiting over the past eight months, and I am delighted that we welcome the following new colleagues to the school in August. Mrs Edwards joins the Nest, whilst Mrs Thicks, Ms Ford, Mr Khan, Ms Lim and Mrs Meler will be in the Junior School. In the Senior School, we have Ms Kim (music); Mr Moody and Mrs Norman (English); Mr Masters and Mr Walsh (history/geography); Mr Mungai (Business Studies and Economics) and Ms Ofosu (DT). There will also be some changes to the leadership of the Junior and Senior Schools. Mr Ali will continue as Second Master, but he will now move to lead the Senior School. Mrs Meyers, his deputy for the past two years, takes over as Head of the Junior School. Finally, Mr Ogando becomes our new Director of Studies for the Senior School. These changes, combining both elements of new staff and experienced school leaders, means that we can be confident the quality of teaching and learning is not compromised. Our new team bring with them fresh ideas and broad experience of the British and international teaching world.

Finally, I would like to thank all our families for their support for the school over the past year. As we have emerged from the disruptions of the Covid year in 2020, we have grown ever closer as a community, bonded by a shared determination to help our pupils become the best they can be. It has been so good to share once more major events such as our concerts, sports fixtures, Summer Fair and Festival of Education with our Wellington families. Parents and friends of the school are an integral part of our growth and progress towards being a genuinely world-class school. 2020/21 has seen a massive step in that direction, and I am hugely excited to be working to ensure another year of similar success and achievement in 2021/22.

As ever, I wish everyone in the Wellington family a very happy, productive summer holiday.

Best wishes    

Julian Jeffrey

MASTER