A summer message from the Master

This year, our pupils have once again proven themselves to be true champions, both in the classroom and on the competitive stage. Four budding Wellington entrepreneurs participated in the University of Delaware's Diamond Challenge global finals. Competing against over 4,000 students from 940 teams worldwide, they secured 3rd place. They were the first team from China ever to place in the competition. 

I am delighted to celebrate the success of our young mathematicians. Wellingtonians excelled in the Junior Mathematical Challenge, earning 36 Global Gold, seven Global Silver and five Global Bronze awards, with two pupils achieving perfect scores. Our pupils also had outstanding performances in the Wellington College China maths competition, SIPMC and SISMAC. 

I am incredibly proud of our athletes, who have once again represented Wellington with distinction. The ACAMIS Football Tournament, hosted here at Wellington Shanghai, was an incredible showcase of our sporting talent, with our girls' team securing 3rd place and our boys' team taking the top prize.

Our musical talent was also on full display this year, as we celebrated the inaugural Golden Piano, Golden String and Golden Breath competitions. The performances of our young musicians before internationally acclaimed adjudicators were nothing short of inspiring, and I am confident that this will become a wonderful tradition at Wellington. 

Likewise, the performers among us sparkled on stage with our full calendar of dance and theatre productions, from Legally Blonde to Pippin! to Beauty and the Beasts to our autumn and spring dance showcases.   

College-wide, our pupils gave it their all in our packed calendar of house competitions this year. Pupils represented their houses in everything from netball to chess to football, even e-games. They revelled in the spirit of friendly competition while building a stronger sense of community along the way.  

Our Pupil Leadership Team raised the bar in terms of community engagement this year too. Our various College Committees have done excellent work in areas such as wellbeing, sustainability and STEM. Their charity work was also laudable with activities like our first-ever Colour Run, which raised money for the Special Olympics, and our annual Summer Festival, which raised money for UNICEF. This is a core Wellington value in action. Well done!

We want every Wellington pupil to be a citizen of the world. The best way to do this is to be out in the world, which is why I was so happy to see our excursions programme up and running once again. This year’s highlight was our Senior School trip to Kenya. Our pupils got to experience a safari into the Masai Mara. They also visited the Kenyan parliament, met with the country’s minister of tourism and wildlife, toured the UN’s Kenya headquarters and spent some time in a local orphanage.  

Furthermore, I am absolutely thrilled about the exceptional university offers our Class of 2024 received. Next fall, Wellingtonians will be attending Oxford, Cambridge, UCL, Kings College London, Emory University, New York University, Boston University, Vassar, the University of Washington, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Hong Kong University and the University of Toronto.  

As we move towards the future, I am excited to see our community continue to grow and flourish. The low teacher turnover rate of only 7% and the return of beloved former teachers to our community are a testament to the strength and vibrancy of our institution. 

To our departing pupils, parents and teachers: I extend my heartfelt gratitude for your contributions to the Wellington community. You will always be a part of our family, and I hope that you will carry the lessons and memories of your time here with you, wherever your paths may lead.

To those who will remain with us: I look forward to the year ahead, filled with new challenges, opportunities and the continued celebration of our College’s achievements. I wish you all a restful and restorative summer break. I cannot wait to see what the next academic year has in store for us as we celebrate our 10th anniversary!