How we unleash our employees’ potential
Becoming your best self is hard work, but it is a lot easier when you have the right kind of support. This is why at Wellington College China we are committed to empowering our employees with all the resources they need for professional and personal development.
We recognise that our employees are the backbone of our schools. By supporting their growth, we benefit their wellbeing and development, create a positive work environment and enhance the quality of our education provision.
We are our people
Our employees are crucial to our success. We are, therefore, committed to providing a supportive and inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive. Personal and professional development are essential for employee satisfaction and retention, which is why we offer personalised professional development pathways. These enable employees to develop their skills, knowledge and attitude in areas that align with their career goals.
We also prioritise internal promotions and career opportunities. We have an in-house Institute of Learning and a network of schools in Shanghai, Tianjin, Hangzhou and Nantong. Each provides a wide range of opportunities for professional growth and development.
Nearly 40% of all Wellington employees who have participated in our leadership development programmes have already been promoted within the group. Moreover, 60% of all participants have identified clear career trajectories at Wellington and are being developed for future leadership roles. To date, more than 1,000 talented educators from nearly 30 countries have joined the Wellington College China Family. We look forward to welcoming even more.
Kathryn Richardson
Master
Wellington College Hangzhou
“I first found myself interested in joining Wellington College China when I realised that the vision and values of the organisation aligned perfectly with my own. The commitment to achieving excellence was evident from the outset, and the organisation’s passion and drive to provide the highest quality education in all its schools was exactly what I wanted to be part of. I joined Wellington College International Hangzhou in August 2019 as a Principal, and I have since been promoted to Master. The school’s commitment to professional development is the best I have experienced in any school. Wellington College China, as a group, is fully committed to developing their people and the vast range of professional development training available is testament to this.”
A transformative coaching culture
Coaching is one of the most powerful tools for unlocking a person's innate potential. It is an important part of our ethos and culture. It supports the performance, leadership and independent learning of staff and pupils. It enhances teachers' performance in the classroom by providing tools and frameworks for self-reflection and feedback. Additionally, it builds stronger relationships between staff and develops a more supportive and collaborative culture.
All the Senior Leadership Team and leaders who are identified for the High-Potential Programme are paired with a coach. Moreover, Wellington College China offers coaching training to all employees. There are two levels of coaching courses. For the foundation level, participants learn to develop fundamental coaching skills such as listening for meaning, values exploration and how to ask coach-like questions. It promotes self-awareness and personal reflection to support the growth of our colleagues and our pupils. This level features hands-on training, emphasising participation and practical experience. You will have opportunities to coach, be coached and receive coaching feedback. By the end of the course, you will understand how to use basic professional coaching skills in a variety of contexts.
The advanced level includes growing internal resources and making long-term or major goals a reality. Throughout the two days, participants enhance their foundation skills by practicing in coaching trios, supporting each other and offering feedback on their coaching practice. The best part of the coaching courses is working with like-minded colleagues and being part of a learning community while sharing experiences, challenges, and best practice. Following the advanced level training, coaches have the opportunity to become part of the Wellington College China internal coach pool.
Dean Clayden
Head of Primary Support
Wellington College China
Institute of Learning
International Coaching Federation
Associate Certified Coach
“As a trained coach, I was able to start spreading my influence beyond my current role and make an impact across the entire Wellington College China group. I also started thinking about a career as a consultant, trainer and education adviser. What I like most about being a coach is that I have the opportunity to positively impact the lives of others by helping them achieve their goals and reach their full potential. I would highly recommend the coaching programme to colleagues who are looking to reflect on their leadership skills and step up to senior leadership roles.”
Designed with success in mind
Wellington College China offers a series of specially designed leadership development programmes. Our learning and development strategy is now clearly grouped into three key pillars that are linked to the Wellington College China Competency Model, showing clear progression through to Middle Leadership, Senior Leadership and beyond. The framework ensures Professional Learning opportunities are available to every single one of our staff, across all grades, roles and cities.
The Bo-Le Programme aims to support Chinese academic middle leaders to perform effectively in their current roles and equip them with skills for the future. The programme focuses on pedagogy and academic learning areas as well as leadership skills in a cross-cultural environment;
The High Potential Programme is designed to move participants from 'emerging' to 'effective' leaders by tapping into their potential and developing their competencies;
The Telescope Programme is intended to develop future Bursars or Deputy Bursars internally, accelerating participants’ impact and expand their horizons;
The Executive Leadership Accelerator Programme is a bespoke programme developed in partnership with Alliance Manchester Business School, with content aligned to MBA level and targeted at existing Senior Team Meeting members.
We also offer evidence-based programmes that promote professional development in a wide variety of areas. These range from academics and teaching methodologies to leadership and team building as well as cultural awareness. Academic employees may also choose to undertake one of a range of NPQ programmes or recognised teacher training qualifications. Published annually, the WCC Course Directory offers staff clear guidance for training opportunities throughout the year.
Faye Li
Deputy Bursar
Huili Nursery Shanghai
“I am so proud to have been a member of the High Potential Programme. The whole process is very engaging and helpful. Comprehensive training supported my development in different areas, and the coaching process inspired me to engage in some deep self-exploration and prepared me to take the next steps in my career. The programme is highly customised and designed to provide you with everything you need to level up in your career. I really want others to experience it. I am confident they will have the experience that I had.”
Wellington College China is a world-class team, we have a reputation as an employer of choice. This is reflected in how we attract, develop, reward and retain outstanding talent from China, the UK and across the globe. It is also born out in our outstanding academic results and the fact that we have won HR Asia’s ‘Best Companies to Work for in Asia’ award for three years running.
We are our people!
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> Wellington College Bilingual Tianjin Nursery
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