Wellington College

About the school

INFORMATION ABOUT THE COLLEGE

Nestled in a stunning 400-acre parkland campus, Wellington College is situated in Crowthorne about 35 miles to the south-west of London.

Wellington College is one of the UK’s — and indeed the world’s — great coeducational boarding and day schools. It seeks to provide young people with the knowledge, skills and character to serve and help shape a better world. Its innovative and interesting use of technology in the classroom combined with its emphasis on pupil-centred learning ensures that Wellington is at the forefront of educational advance.

An exciting fusion of heritage and modernity characterises our educational philosophy. Our curriculum, facilities, and teaching methods are constantly adapting to the challenges of preparing young people for the ever-changing world of the 21st century. Wellington College is a school which is dynamic in every sense of the word, and yet all that we do is rooted firmly in our five College values — Kindness, Courage, Respect, Integrity and Responsibility — values which underpin every aspect of life at Wellington.

The College is celebrated not only for its academic achievements but also for its sporting, artistic and dramatic provision. Stellar examination results, a richly varied co-curriculum, and a raft of national accolades contribute to the College’s national and international reputation.

Wellington has won many awards for the pastoral support it offers its pupils. There are 17 boarding houses, each with its own dedicated team of HMs, Tutors, Matrons, and domestic staff. A newly built co-ed Sixth Form House will open in 2024. Pupil and staff-led Mental Health initiatives and our nationally recognised Wellbeing curriculum not only help our pupils successfully navigate their teenage years, but also prepare them for healthy, happy, and successful lives after school.

The Curriculum

From the moment pupils arrive at Wellington, they experience a rich and stimulating education offering both breadth and depth where the aim is to inspire the pupils and embed a deep love of learning. Pupils choose two languages to study in the Third Form (from French, German, Spanish, Mandarin and Russian) plus three elective subjects (from Art, Computer Science, Dance, Drama, DET, Music and PE), and core subjects Maths, English, all three Sciences, the Humanities (History, Geography and Philosophy & Religion) and Classics. In addition, all pupils will be taught the Wellbeing programme that is an essential element of the Wellington philosophy encouraging the pupils to reflect on their own personal, social, emotional and intellectual development. In September 2016, Lab Time was introduced to promote ICT skills, research and referencing skills and independent learning.

A broad range of subjects is on offer in the Middle School (Years 10 & 11) to ensure that the curriculum accentuates personal enquiry, independent study, internationalism and social responsibility. All pupils study Maths, English (Language and Literature), two or more sciences from Physics, Chemistry and Biology, one of the Humanities and a Modern Foreign or Ancient Language at GCSE. In addition, pupils currently choose 2 or 3 other optional subjects to study where they can pick the subject areas that interest them and will potentially lead on to areas of study in the Sixth Form. They will also engage with the HPQ (2 lessons per cycle); and in addition all pupils will have two periods per cycle of Wellbeing in Year 10 and one period per cycle in Year 11.

In the Sixth Form, pupils may choose between A Levels and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). In brief, the IBDP provides a broad, balanced, international and socially engaged education for the whole person with depth and specialism provided by the Higher Level choices whilst A Levels provide an intensive and specialist education in a focused range of subjects increased to 12 periods per cycle from September 2020. In addition to their A Level programme, pupils will take the EPQ and have one period per cycle of Wellbeing in Year 12. Those taking the IBDP also complete the core component of EE, ToK and CAS and in addition, one period per cycle of Wellbeing in Year 12.

Academic Results

Wellingtonians study GCSEs, followed by the IB Diploma or A Levels and, whichever route they take, results are superb: in 2022, at A Level, 22 students achieved straight A*s; 39% of all grades awarded were A*, 76% were A*/A and 95% were A*-B. The IB cohort achieved an incredible 41.3 average, with twelve students achieving the maximum 45 points and 75% scoring more than 40 points. At GCSE, 75% of all grades awarded were 9/8 and 91% 9-7. 100 Wellingtonians have been offered Oxbridge places over the past five years, while 20-25 move on each year to American universities, including several to Ivy League universities.

Departments

All academic activities are organised in departments which are teams of dedicated teachers working together to instil enthusiasm for their subject in every student. Departments meet weekly to share good practice and to focus on how they can work together to improve the teaching and learning that happens in their department. The facilities are excellent, and all teachers set very high standards for themselves and for their students so that together, they can achieve the very best outcomes.

The school’s performance review system, regular lesson observations and informal and formal feedback via colleagues and students ensure the continued high quality of the teaching. There is an advanced and bespoke professional learning programme for all teachers, and departments are encouraged to be innovative allowing teachers to develop their skills further. It is essential that teachers continue to be learners and at Wellington this is strongly encouraged.

FACILITIES

Wellington College is blessed with world-class facilities. Standing in its own enclosed 400-acre campus it offers the very best provision for academic study, musical, dramatic and artistic expression, and sporting choice and excellence.

Academic

As a Microsoft Showcase Schools all staff and pupils are equipped with Surface Laptops, enabling learning across Microsoft platforms such as OneNote and Teams, and ensuring that when necessary, lessons can be accessed virtually.

Separate and fully resourced teaching blocks for Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Design Engineering ensure our STEM provision is second to none.

A standalone Modern Foreign Languages building with fully equipped sound laboratory and a variety of small and large teaching spaces.

A unique four classroom Mandarin Centre at the heart of the College.

A Humanities teaching block for Economics, Business, History and Geography – with a separate, six classroom Classics Department.

A brand-new teaching block for English, Philosophy, Psychology and Wellbeing.

A newly refurbished and spacious Learning Support Department.

All departments are equipped with the latest in AV technology – and all boast unique Harkness tables that promote the growth of independent research and study.

The Mallinson Library lies at the very centre of the College and is equipped with university-level digital research facility, eight private study rooms and pods and a large selection of contemporary and traditional fiction.

Arts

With the two tier 900-seat Annenberg Auditorium, the more intimate Christopher Lee Theatre, five other performance spaces, two separate Music buildings (which contain over 20 practice rooms), a dance studio, a recording suite, TV station and radio studio, and the uniquely designed Grimshaw Art School, few schools worldwide are able to match Wellington College’s provision for the Arts.

Sport

Two floodlit AstroTurf pitches, a modern, well-equipped sports hall and an even newer indoor centre hosting netball, tennis, fencing, and 4 permanent cricket lanes. Add in 16 rugby and football pitches, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, 22 hard tennis courts, 9 cricket pitches, 2 lacrosse pitches and 10 netball courts and you begin to see the extent of our sporting provision. On top of that we have a strength and conditioning centre, a newly equipped fitness gym, a dance studio, basketball and volleyball courts, a recently refurbished rackets court, and a brand-new real tennis court. There is plenty of provision for squash and badminton, and a challenging climbing wall, an indoor shooting range and outdoor clay pigeon range contribute to the variety of activities possible here, with a nationally acclaimed nine-hole golf course, adjacent range and indoor computerised coaching facility perhaps laying claim to being the jewel in Wellington’s sporting crown. The Wellington Riding centre hosts our equestrian offering, and Polo is played at the nearby Emsworth grounds.

PASTORAL

House life lies at the heart of each pupil’s experience, and it comes as no surprise that every Wellingtonian is convinced that their house is the best. Housemasters and Housemistresses, dedicated tutor teams, matrons and housekeepers all ensure that the house truly is a home away from home.

A focus on Mental Health with both staff and pupil ambassadors, a unique Mental Health Day for parents and pupils, several national awards for Safeguarding, a recent educational initiative on Sex and Consent, and a newly appointed Head of EDI and Social Responsibility help ensure that Wellington provides a safe and healthy environment for pupils and staff.

Our nationally recognised Wellbeing curriculum (we were the first school to introduce happiness lessons) focusses on embedding growth mindsets and building grit and resilience: the positive coping strategies that our pupils learn not only allow them to make the most of all the opportunities available to them at Wellington, but also prepares them for healthy, happy, and successful lives after school.

SPORT

The College has an outstanding reputation for sport for all pupils, with nearly 30 different activities offered with the emphasis equally placed on both performance and participation. In 2021/22 the College fielded over 200 teams across sports, with nearly 2,000 fixtures played, a genuine reflection of our desire for sport to be available to everyone. A strategic focus last year to raise the profile of girls’ sport led to the addition of Friday evening show piece sporting events in Hockey and Netball.

2021/22 saw Wellington represented in 12 national finals across a range of sports, with wins or placings in Netball, Hockey, Golf, Rugby, Rackets, Climbing and Fencing. Whilst these team and individual performances are stunning, we are equally proud of teams such as the girls’ U14C hockey team who had an unbeaten season and our girls’ cricket team taking on the MCC for the first time.

The year also saw many individuals gain national or international honours across 11 different sports, with several going on to take up professional contracts, scholarships at US universities, and places on UK-based performance squads, particularly in Target Shooting, Gymnastics, Rugby, Skiing, Fencing, Triathlon and Hockey.

In 2022/23 we aim to continue to deliver a world class sporting experience for all pupils, ensuring both challenge and support at all sporting levels: Wellington remains committed to add to its reputation as one of the UK’s strongest and most diverse schools on the sporting front.

PERFORMING ARTS

Performing Arts are equally strong. Music and drama are stunning, with 60% of pupils taking instrumental or LAMDA lessons with some 1,000 lessons taking place each week. During the recent pandemic the Arts have been as active as ever, releasing content on our YouTube channel and performing concerts and competitions to audiences via Live Stream. In the past year, our choir has been on tour to Northern France and recorded and videoed an anthem especially for the Diamond Jubilee. There have been orchestral and a cappella recordings, two musicals, a student-written play, Shakespeare productions and imaginative and inclusive junior plays as well as a bumper-packed Arts festival, with a spectacular film-music concert including performing music to live gaming. Dance is thriving with two spectacular shows each year playing to packed houses as well as many activities and individual lessons. House competitions are also very popular with the House Singing competition a student highlight. Indeed, student-run events are a very important feature of the arts provision and a feature of the student ambassador and scholarship programme.

CO-CURRICULAR

Leadership, service to others and developing an international outlook are also central to the College’s core values which is why co-curricular activities include CCF, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, and a pioneering Global Social Leaders scheme, in which pupils learn to create and run innovative social action projects, tackling local and global issues.

Clubs and societies range from Green Power Racing to the Field Gun team, from WTV (Wellington’s own television company) and its pupil-run radio station DukeBox, to a full range of more traditional pastimes such as Photography, Creative Writing, Debating and the Model United Nations society.

For more information, see the Wellington College website: http://www.wellingtoncollege.org.uk

An International Baccalaureate World School