Be Well. Do Well: How Wellington Supports Children's Wellbeing

2026-04-28

"We are watching more than just the words your child can write. We are watching their hearts. We ensure that every single day, your child feels emotionally secure and intellectually alive."

— Charlotte Knight-Benjafield, Principal of the Early Years Campus

At Wellington Shanghai's Early Years Centre, education goes far beyond the simple transfer of knowledge; it is about nurturing the heart. In this video, we show you what that looks like in our learning environments every day.

Why Wellbeing Matters

At Wellington's Early Years Centre, our first question is always "How is this child feeling?"

If a child doesn't feel safe, secure and happy, their brain simply isn't ready to learn. That's why supporting wellbeing is not an optional extra; it's the foundation of our approach. We actively teach children to understand their emotions and build resilience. Developing this emotional intelligence is just as vital as literacy and maths.

How We Measure Wellbeing

Wellbeing is internal; you can't simply give a child a test to see if they feel good. To understand what a child is experiencing, we use a world-leading professional tool, The Leuven Scales. Our teachers use a scale from 1 to 5 to measure two specific aspects:

Wellbeing: Are they open, relaxed, and ready to learn?
Involvement: Are they completely absorbed, focused and motivated?

"The Leuven Scales move us away from guessing," explains Nina Li, Assistant Head of Early Years. "They give us real data on a child's emotional state, making our teaching observations more scientific and more compassionate."

Dynamic Support:

Sustaining Deep Learning

Lower scores alert us to provide immediate support. Our teachers respond straight away with tailored assistance—adjusting the environment, changing our approach and working closely with parents to re-engage the child.

"When we see high scores—when a child is 'in the zone'—that is the sweet spot where deep learning happens," Nina adds. "We document those moments to ensure we can replicate that ideal state. Because a happy, engaged child is a child who is ready to conquer the world."