The Week Ahead 23 November 2018

Dear Parents You may have spotted that we have in school three young interns from the UK. For those of you not yet lucky enough to have had dealings with these outstanding young people, I would like to introduce them to you this week and provide an outline of the sort of extra value they add to our community. Bryony, Jordan and Thomas are among the hardest working members of the academic team, with commitments that reach from the Benson boarding house to the classroom and sports’ pitch. Each year, we are lucky enough to recruit between 3 and 6 new interns, young people who have been successful in their academic lives at home in the UK and are preparing to go up to university in September. They have chosen to give their time and energy to Wellington as a way of broadening their own horizons - living and working in China is obviously a fantastic opportunity for them – but on a deeper level, they have shown a commitment to volunteering and service which is a model for all young Wellingtonians. A very significant part of their role here in Tianjin is to offer in-class support for second language learners. The majority of our pupils come from homes in which English is either a second language, or one which has no real domestic origin, but rather is part of a child’s schooling. As such, chronological age is less of a defining factor in a child’s progress and development, but rather their language competency and (perhaps more importantly), their language confidence. Our interns all have TOEFL qualifications from the UK, and with their help and guidance, pupils who may lack the confidence to speak out in class and engage fully in English can make faster progress towards their language proficiency goals. This programme of sharper, more focused interventions with specific pupils is increasingly the model for our school, and Mr Findlay and his team are working hard on developing a full-school framework of such support systems in the coming weeks and months. All our data suggests that our English language learners make faster than expected progress against their UK counterparts, but we are far from complacent and continue to look for ways to lead the field in English language teaching strategies. Parents and pupils will all see the changes in approach in the coming terms, but you will already be aware of the increasing role played by highly skilled teachers in Science, Maths, Music and the Humanities in the Senior School as well as, of course, across the Nest and Junior School. Our teacher training programmes, led by the Institute of Learning in Shanghai, offer colleagues the chance to hone their skills in working with young people, both as whole class teachers, but also as specialists capable of offering precise, guided support to individual pupils. As children develop their fluency in the vocabulary-rich demands of the GCSE and A Level courses on offer here at Wellington, such skilled interventions can help make all the difference in the way a child accesses the curriculum in an international context. These are exciting times for our second language learners. As the approach to supporting them becomes ever more sophisticated and bespoke in nature, they can look forward to making faster progress in a secure and supportive learning environment. In time, we will have a new group of young interns replacing the marvellous trio we currently have, but they too will be committed to working closely with your children in an atmosphere of shared purpose, clear language goals and rapid progress. Further details of the developments in language provision, from our work on TOEFL and IELTS to the levels of support your child can expect each day, will be published in the coming weeks and months. Best wishes Julian Jeffrey MASTER MEET THE MASTER Duke of York Room 1400hrs-1515hrs Thursday 29th November This week, the Meet the Master slot is aimed at parents who are keen to hear more about the gifted and talented programme in the school. If you would like to attend, please confirm via email with Ms Emma Shi (emma.shi@wellingtoncollege.cn) by Wednesday 28th November. PARENTS’ BRIEFING: UNIVERSITY APPLICATION UPDATES Common Room 0900hrs-1015hrs Wednesday 28th November Every Wednesday morning from 0900hrs -1015hrs, parents will have the chance to engage with the school in sessions that cover all aspects of your child’s education, from the Early Years to A Levels and university admissions. The venue will vary according to the anticipated audience, and for this week’s meeting, Mrs Jayne Sabio, the Head of Sixth Form and University Applications, will update parents on university admissions and answer any questions that you may have regarding the process. Parents of pupils in all year groups are most welcome and refreshments will be provided. FROM THE SIXTH FORM TEAM Please note that the deadline for all University of California applications is the 30th November. FROM THE HEAD OF EARLY YEARS Nest Christmas Show  1000hrs-1100hrs Friday 30th November ‘Two thousand years after the Christmas story began, the celebrations continue. Join us as we follow the angels, delivering invitations to celebrate the birthday party of all time!' The Nest family and friends are invited to this year’s Christmas show - ‘It’s a party’ on Friday, 30th November at 1000hrs at the Seldon Theatre. FROM THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC Lunchtime Recital Black Box 1320hrs-1355hrs  Friday 30th November On November 30th we have our second lunchtime recital of the term. The beginning of Advent is fast approaching, and the A Capella group have chosen to perform a piece from their new Christmas repertoire in order to get the Wellington community ready for the festive season. We will also hear some debut instrumental performances by several pupils across the Junior and Senior Schools. Please be seated no later than 1325hrs in the Black Box. This recital is admission free. We hope to see many of you there. *REMINDERS* Term Dates Term ends at 1545hrs on Thursday 13th December and school re-opens for the Lent term at 0800hrs on Thursday 3rd January. FROM DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND ADMISSIONS Charity Christmas Bazaar Dining Hall 1500hrs-1730hrs Friday 7th December Christmas is fast approaching, and I am delighted that once again we are hosting an annual charity Christmas Bazaar. The bazaar will be on Friday, December 7th (1500hrs-1730hrs). The theme is the ‘Season of Giving’, to tie in with the broader messages of the Christmas season. Proceeds from the Bazaar will go to those charity organizations we have been supporting across the school, including the Rui Hui Autism Centre here in Tianjin. If any parents or friends from the Wellington community would like to be involved in organising a stall or offering any other support for the event, please contact Ms. Nina Li in the Marketing department. nina.lee@wellingtoncollege.cn The bazaar is followed at 1800hrs by the Christmas Concert.