Before the ceremony commenced, younger pupils, accompanied by their teachers and parents, gathered along the path outside the College Theatre, forming a guard of honour for the 'Wellingtonian Walk'. They looked on as the graduating pupils made their way towards the ceremony.

Dr Charles Debieux, Head of Secondary School, explained the significance of this new tradition: "It quietly tells every pupil, 'Your effort matters. Your character matters. One day, this will be you.'"

In that moment, growth was both celebrated and passed on.

Introduced by Mr Martin O'Brien, Head of Sixth Form, each graduate rose in turn from their seat on stage to receive their leaving certificate from the Master, accompanied by the applause and best wishes of teachers, family and friends in the audience.

As each name was called, the big screen displayed a sequence of images — from the first shy, younger versions of themselves beginning their Wellington journeys to the confident young people now seated on stage, ready to take on the world.

Graduation representatives then took to the stage to speak.

They reflected on the diverse journeys, personal growth and memories they have shared at Wellington, touching on friendship, resilience, individuality, gratitude to teachers and family, the challenges of adolescence and hopes for the future.

Yazan

"Football gave me the support that I needed to become the person I am today. Although it ended bittersweet, I'll be eternally grateful for the family I've made and the lessons I've been taught on that field."

George

"Through our time at the school, we've all grown through different experiences and challenges, discovering new parts of ourselves, making us the people who are today, standing on this stage."

Steven

"'Be you' means be the most regulated, most refined, most intentional version of yourself. The one that earns the freedom to stand out by first knowing how to fit in. And 'Be More' is the reminder that you are never finished. There is always further to do and further to go."

Anyo
"Strangers turned into friends. Classmates turned into teammates. Teachers became mentors. Ordinary days turned into memories we didn't realise we would someday miss."

Tiffany

"The only constant in life is change. In four years, you'll be unrecognisable to the person you are today, just as your Year 13 self is to your Year 10 self. … There is always time to change."

Mia
"The planet isn't going to be saved by perfect people who never made a mistake. It's going to be saved by people who know what it feels like to be on the wrong track and keep going anyway…Leadership isn't about being perfect. It's about showing again and again together."

In his address, Julian Jeffrey, the school's Master and Chief Executive Master of Wellington College Education (China), encouraged graduates to embrace uncertainty, use their compassion, kindness and respect as their true superpowers, and trust that they already have the tools and support to shape their own futures.

"Genuine superpowers are not the ability to shoot lasers from your eyes or create webs from a flick of a wrist. Way more common, much more important in saving the world we live in, are the superpowers that we already have. You have compassion, you have kindness, and you have respect."

This year, the Class of 2026 concluded their secondary school years with dedication and perseverance. Nearly half have received offers from universities ranked in the top 20 of the QS World University Rankings. But what truly fills us with pride is not simply where they are going; it is who they have already become.

Throughout this journey, they have grown, little by little, into the best versions of themselves — learning the values of Kindness, Responsibility, Respect, Courage and Integrity; discovering passions worth pursuing; and forging deep friendships through days filled with both laughter and tears. Those moments of chatter between lessons, the roar cheers on the sports pitch, the quiet encouragement before exams — these are the true, lasting marks of their youth.

Congratulations! Class of 2026