Stanley House Camping Trip, 2018 – The Becoming of the Wellington Identity

On Friday, 7th September, 42 Stanley pupils embarked on an American style camping adventure to Huairou, north of Beijing. This was the first residential house trip in Wellington College China’s history and it was a cracker too! It was a fun packed two days where the Stanley House were able to put all the college’s values into practice. Courage in particular was fostered through the dizzying vertical climbs of the Via Ferrata. There was plenty of kindness displayed too as Stanley pupils, across different year groups, supported each other through the challenges of living out under the stars. Perhaps more so than in the confines of school we saw the emergence of the 5 characteristics of the Wellington Identity: Being away from home and amongst their peers promoted pupil independence. But as all Stanley pupils from year 7 - 12 voluntarily signed up for the trip the two days resonated with an ethos of inclusivity. Raft building and tent building and various other challenges required team and individual problem-solving and thus engaged pupils intellectually. And because there was such a variety of activities (raft racing, barbecuing and cooking, camp singing, dancing and bonfire games, and of course the thrilling via ferrata) each individual was able to discover what they found engaging. Finally, as can been seen by the many exhilarating photos and of course the wonderful feedback from both pupils and parents, the Stanley pupils were inspired and have inspired the whole college by their adventure. The in-house bonds they made and the memories they created will last for a lifetime!