“True education is a kind of never-ending story — a matter of continual beginnings, of habitual fresh starts, of persistent newness.”
by J. R. R. Tolkien, an English writer
The Orientation Day for this academic year took place on Tuesday. Nearly 400 families and over 300 teachers gathered at Wellington College Hangzhou in the morning to embark on a brand new journey together. It was a day for newly enrolled pupils and parents to meet their class teachers and future classmates. They collected their school uniforms and some even learned how to tie their tie properly for the first time.
Walking into the main building, pupils were pleasantly enveloped in a wonderful sense of ritual. Thoughtfully prepared umbrellas, welcome-back gift bags, exquisite tea breaks, creative locations for social media photo opportunities and beautifully arranged enrolment stalls. From every corner and detail, pupils experienced caring support from dedicated teachers.
Against our Be You, Be More backdrop, we captured this joyful and meaningful moment for the children with cameras. As is conveyed in our slogan, pupils at Wellington are embracing unlimited possibilities here.
Here at Wellington College Hangzhou, we provide every child with abundant opportunities and resources with an eye for their individual growth. We also stimulate pupils’ inner drive based on their individual needs and encourage them to take the initiative to learn, i.e., to be the captain of their own learning.
For pupils at Wellington College Hangzhou, Orientation Day symbolises the commencement of a new learning stage. It presents an opportunity for the newcomers to better utilise the ample quality resources at the school and make like-minded friends so that they are better equipped to embrace the challenges in the new academic year.
Additionally, communicating with teachers and pupils from around the world helps extend their knowledge and broaden their horizons allowing them to experience diverse cultures. This increases their understanding of the world, which is the embodiment of learning at Wellington, i.e., when different people are marching forward with one dream, we can Be More.
When all the families were ready, the commencement ceremony for the new academic year officially started. Accompanied by the enchanting melodies of Bach, Kathryn Richardson, Master of Wellington College Hangzhou, took the stage and cordially welcomed the new joining families:
Kathryn Richardson
Master of Wellington College Hangzhou
“I would like to extend my warm welcome to every family joining our Hiba and Wellington community. Congratulations to you on choosing the best school for your child. As Master of the school, I have now been here for four academic years and I will be starting my fifth year with all of you as part of this community. I am very proud of the growth that we have gone through as a school, and I am incredibly excited to continue this growth and to make the school even more special than it already is.”
Ivey Wang
Principal of Hiba Academy Hangzhou
"Wellington College Hangzhou is a caring and diverse international community. Our teachers are firmly convinced that every pupil is unique, and we are here to support their individual growth. Pupils will receive the best bilingual education at Wellington College Hangzhou. We are committed to preparing them to become learners and connectors, a future bridge that links China to the world."
We encourage our pupils, parents and staff to actively participate in community activities, attend to the people in need to gain an in-depth understanding of social problems and seek practical solutions. It is our belief that every member of the community is an indispensable force. Together, we form a constellation of lights that illuminates the wider world with hope.
On the day, we conducted spontaneous interviews with teachers from different departments who, from their own perspectives, expressed how they felt about Orientation Day. Read on to find out more.
“My heart melted completely when I saw lovely smiling faces on Tuesday. There are no words to express how happy I was when ‘smiley' pupils held my hand and said ‘I am so excited to start school soon'. I want to embark on this brand new dream-chasing journey with them.”
“I saw a parent tying the ties for her two children in front of the school at 7:00 a.m. that morning. The pouring rain didn't dampen their excitement and passion. They went on a campus tour and talked to teachers, showing great interest in our school. The parents were incredibly friendly and inclusive, and the pupils were able to find things they liked about the campus. It made me think that all our hard work was worth it.”
“It's been an amazing journey and a great honour to join the Wellington family even before that journey starts. I hope to continue the journey with the pupils.”
“Orientation day was amazing! It was a particularly beautiful moment to watch the young pupils walk into a brand-new environment. Seeing so many supportive parents was such motivation for me to continuously strive for improved outcomes."
“Parents speak highly of the school and recognise the environment we have created for their children. Some parents have told me that they think of Hiba as the top bilingual school in Hangzhou. Hearing this, I couldn't be prouder of my home away from home.”
“The children were more open and active than I expected, and I would like to thank all my colleagues involved for their cooperation and support in making the Orientation Day run smoothly. Everyone has a better understanding of Hiba’s values and our team spirit."
An important aspect to highlight is our new ‘unboxing video campaign’ in Xiaohongshu and WeChat Video Channel with the hashtag #WellingtonHangzhouCampusUnboxing. Parents are invited to participate in the campaign by posting a recorded video of the child(ren) unboxing their induction day gift box on these channels. By 17 September, the top ten videos with the most Likes from each platform will receive special limited-edition gifts from the school. We look forward to watching your videos and having you join us in commencing the new academic year.
Children radiate a brilliant light brightly within our school. We are ready to let the children shine at Wellington College Hangzhou.
Let us join hands and watch the new academic year begin in style!
