Wellington honours exceptional pupils on Fellowship Award Night

At Wellington, there is no stronger proof point of this than the pupils in our Fellowship Programme. Wellington Fellows stand out among their peers. The distinctively coloured pins and ties adorning their uniforms (yellow for academics, red for the arts, blue for sport) distinguish them as role models on campus. Off campus, they serve as our ambassadors, embodying Wellington’s core values of courage, kindness, respect, integrity and responsibility. They assume a proactive stance in bringing about meaningful transformations in their respective fields, fueled by their unwavering passion and expertise.

Becoming a Wellington Fellow is a significant achievement. Wellington Academic Fellows are chosen because they demonstrate a singular focus and a boundless curiosity in their subject area. Our Arts Fellows show an innate talent and a creative spirit whether it is visual arts, dance, drama or music. Sport Fellowships are awarded to pupils with clear athletic talent and a desire to always go faster, higher, stronger and further. 

On the evening of November 2, our teachers, parents and pupils gathered in the Wellington College Theatre for our annual Fellows Award Night. This was an opportunity to honour over 100 Wellington Fellows and Aspirants to look ahead at the amazing things they will accomplish this year as pupils and members of Wellington and the external community.

For most pupils who are apply to an elite university, outstanding grades and exam scores are a foregone conclusion. A Wellington Fellowship, however, provides a pupil with that X factor that sets them apart from others in the applicant pool. "Universities around the world are always looking for pupils that have pushed their academic passions and pursuits beyond the curriculum,” says Joshua Beard, Director of Higher Education, “and that is exactly the kind of opportunity Wellington’s Fellowship Programme provides.  Furthermore, many universities, particularly those in the United States, want applicants who will contribute to their broader communities through sports and the arts, making our Sports and Performing Arts Programmes an ideal way for our most gifted pupils to hone and showcase their talents to such universities."

Regardless of what pin they wear, Wellington Fellows are challenged and stretched far beyond our already rigorous curriculum. Our Academic Fellows dive deeper into their subject area with independent research projects. They develop their research skills and build their capacity for self-guided learning. We supplement their classroom learning with exclusive off-campus excursions, like speaking engagements and other enriching activities. Each Academic Fellow is also assigned a mentor who specialises in their preferred area of study. They provide advice, insight and personalised guidance in their academic enquiries. This equips our pupils with the resilience they will need to excel at university and beyond.

Arts Fellows and Aspirants benefit from deeper immersion in their creative pursuits. Musicians, for instance, attend regular individual voice or instrument lessons and commit to participating in Wellington’s regularly scheduled music recitals. Our dancers and theatre performers hone their craft with extra workshop activities and are enrolled in advanced repertoire and Wellington Academy courses. They are also expected to study their art form in IGCSE, IB and co-curricular activities wherever applicable as they participate in dance shows, plays and musicals throughout the academic year.

Sport Fellows enjoy enhanced opportunities to train, condition and gain greater physical literacy within their discipline. Fellows involved in sports like football, tennis or swimming take bespoke training sessions with our performance coaches. As the programme grows, Fellows will have the opportunity to co-create individualised sports programmes (ISPs). These will provide further support in psychological aspects of athletic performance, specific fitness programmes and even guidance on nutrition. The College also provides opportunities for Sports Fellows to compete at the highest possible level in their sport through national age group competitions like UTR tournaments for tennis and Academy-level football matches.

Entry onto the Wellington Fellowship list is competitive, and a rigorous selection process is undertaken each year.

If you are a current pupil and are interested in applying to become a Wellington Fellow next academic year, please contact the following staff members and for more details.

The Arts Fellowship

Michael Larsen-Disney

Director of Arts

Before teaching, Michael Larsen-Disney had a long career as a performer and director in mainstream commercial theatre. He was educated at the Victorian College of the Arts and the Australian Ballet School in Melbourne, and later at Bath Spa University and the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, where he gained a Master’s Degree in contemporary theatre practice. As an educator, he served as Artistic Director of the Wessex Academy of Performing Arts UK and the Director of Performing Arts British International School of Jakarta.

After graduating from Brunel University, Daniel Tuitt began his career as a teacher of Physical Education in 2011. He has taught a broad range of year groups, from Early Years to IB. With almost a decade of leadership experience, he has served as Head of Department at Preparatory and State Schools, where he played a crucial role in developing curriculums and teaching across all subjects.

Academic Fellowship

Rory Vaughan

Academic Fellowship Coordinator

Rory Vaughan holds a BA Joint Honours in English and history from University College Cork, a Professional Diploma in Education and a CELTA certification. With more than a decade of experience in education, he has served as a teacher and Head of Year at schools in Thailand, Dubai and China.