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We Are Wellington | A Thriving Expat Community In Hangzhou Where Children Develop A Global Mindset

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We Are Wellington | A Thriving Expat Community In Hangzhou Where Children Develop A Global Mindset

December 10
00:36 2019

At Wellington College International Hangzhou, we aspire to create a caring international expat community in Hangzhou that develops well-rounded individuals with strong values and the skills and identity to thrive within an ever-changing world. In fact, this is our vision statement. Community is at the centre of all we do at Wellington, and we continuously strive to work together with our parents, staff and pupils to develop that strong sense of community that makes the international schools unique. In this series of ‘We Are Wellington’ articles, we aim to tell the stories of those families and highlight the special contributions they make to our community. Most of these families come from the expat community in Hangzhou.

This week’s article in the series is from mother of Gina (Year 7), who shares her family’s feelings about the Wellington community, and how Gina has changed and grown during her time here.

A community sharing same values

Though we joined Wellington College International Hangzhou in its founding year, we didn’t feel it operated like a new school. In fact, everything in school ran smoothly from the beginning, which was strong evidence of the school management team’s ability.

Our whole family have established a strong sense of belonging in this expat community in Hangzhou over the past year. The diverse events organized by Wellington College International Hangzhou helped us better immerse ourselves in the community. Also, most parents of Wellington College International Hangzhou share similar values about our children’s education, which makes our community more united.

We Are Wellington | A Thriving Expat Community In Hangzhou Where Children Develop A Global Mindset

As for my favorite school event, I feel the Christmas Tree-Lighting ceremonies held at five-star hotels in Hangzhou last November were the most unforgettable ones. Gina participated in all the carol singing sessions, and we as parents were also involved. I was grateful that the school found such nice venues and made every detail so engaging.

More importantly, Coffee Mornings have been held regularly this semester to boost the communication between school and parents. As a busy working mother, I hope to join coffee morning more often. All of these has formed more immersive atmosphere in this Hangzhou expat community.

Developing a proactive personality

My overseas studying experience and career path make me realize the importance of a well-rounded personality and global vision to one’s long-term development. We expect Gina to grow into a confident, well-mannered and outgoing lady with an international perspective. For these reasons, my husband and I wanted to choose a school not only emphasizes improving pupils’ academic results, but also boosting their well-rounded development as a human being.

We Are Wellington | A Thriving Expat Community In Hangzhou Where Children Develop A Global Mindset

One of my friends, whose child is studying at Wellington College International Shanghai, therefore recommended Wellington College International Hangzhou to me. She believed Wellington’s educational values and teaching methods would fit Gina’s personality and our education vision very well. There are other parents from the expat community in Hangzhou who also recommended Wellington College International Hangzhou,so we thought we can give it a try.

Fortunately, after Gina studied for more than one year at Wellington, I do feel the school is the right place for her to grow both academically and personally.

Also, Gina ran for the role of head girl of Wellington College International Hangzhou, a big move that we would never expect before. We are so proud of her and are happy to see her become more confident to take challenges.

Balancing personal talents and interests

Apart from performing arts and leadership skills, Gina’s talent in sports has also been well cultivated at Wellington. Gina has been learning playing golf, rock climbing and horse riding for years. We therefore wanted to choose a school that will further encourage Gina’s physical development, and Wellington College International Hangzhou does meet our expectation.

The school has a diverse sport curriculum and places a strong emphasis on pupils’ physical development. Such an atmosphere undoubtedly creates a better environment for Gina to develop her interests in sports.

Most importantly, Wellington also holds a high standard for pupils’ academic development. Gina’s performance in her Mandarin course has improved a lot, and a main contributor is her Mandarin teacher. Gina likes her Mandarin teacher a lot, and the positive interactions with her Mandarin teacher have given her a strong passion to study and keep improving her Mandarin. With robust encouragement from her teacher, she now learns more proactively and therefore achieves a better academic performance. This has created a positive learning cycle for Gina.

We Are Wellington | A Thriving Expat Community In Hangzhou Where Children Develop A Global Mindset

Also, at Wellington, the teachers take the time to give the necessary amount of attention and guidance to each individual pupil, and carefully observed pupils’ ways of learning. They understand what makes each child unique. In Gina’s case, sometimes her teachers notice her improper learning habits, and they give feedback to me, which helps me to better guide her learning habits at home.

In short, I believe a child’s personal qualities and interests are the key basis for parents to choose a school. Since Gina was a quiet girl with interests in arts and sports, I preferred a school that could educate her to be more outgoing, more confident and fulfill her potential in her interested fields.

The world is changing fast and there will be occupations beyond our imagination in the future. My husband and I therefore want to educate our daughter to be a good learner who has a real passion for what she wants to do. We value these qualities more than academic scores. I am more than happy to recommend Wellington College International Hangzhou to those parents who are already in or want to join the expat community in Hangzhou.

Media Contact
Company Name: Wellington College International Hangzhou
Contact Person: Max
Email: Send Email
Phone: +86 571 8239 6366
City: Hangzhou
Country: China
Website: https://www.wellingtoncollege.cn/hangzhou-international/