Joining Wellington

All students  enter the College at their appropriate year group level. Any exceptions will be made by the Master. The entry procedure varies depending on year group, as outlined below:

Early Years (2-6 Years old)

Students entering Early Years must be toilet trained. Prospective students in Eaglets, Nursery and Reception, students will meet the class teacher to ascertain level of language and motor skills, including an in-class assessment.  Year 1 (5-6 years old ),students will take an EAL and Maths test including an  in-class assesment.

Students will spend at least one hour in the class to allow them the opportunity to interact with their potential peer group. Language proficiency at this stage is deemed less important than the ability to mix socially with the other students and to respond positively to the teacher, both in the classroom environment and the more informal setting of the play areas. Parents and student will be expected to meet the Head of Nest.

Junior School (6-10 Years old)

Each child will take a combination of tests in English and non-Verbal Reasoning, followed by an individual interview. All students will be expected to spend no less than a half day in the classroom setting to allow for interaction with their potential peer group. Parents and student will meet the Head of Junior School.

Senior School (11-17 Years old)

Entry into the Senior School involves tests in English and non-Verbal Reasoning, accompanied by an individual interview.

All offers of a place at the College are subject  to agreement by parents (and guardians where appropriate) to the  Wellington College Parent Contract, a copy of which is available from the Admissions Office and will be attached with the offer letter.

Wellington College is an inclusive school admitting children with a wide range of skills and abilities. A selection process is involved, though this process is made as comfortable as possible for all concerned. We approach the selection process with the firm belief that all pupils have got something to offer and so every chance is given to try to accommodate parents and pupils who obviously want to join us. All pupils at the College enter at their appropriate year group level. Any exceptions will be made by the Head Master.

Admission to the College is influenced by several factors. In our international section (ages 6-18), we take students who hold foreign passports only, this is in line with Chinese law. To ensure a balanced and diverse student body a limit is placed upon the number of pupils coming from a single country.

Our main teaching medium is English and all applicants will be assessed in this area. It is obviously important that pupils offered a place can succeed academically and socially in a school with the high academic and extra-curricular standards of Wellington. However, we also understand that some applicants might find the entrance tests a little daunting. This is where the student’s previous school reports and the interview are important in supplementing the test results.

The decision to offer a place to a student will be taken by the Admissions Committee. The intention is that the offer of a place will be made within 3 days of the entrance tests and interview. Wellington’s decision in offering a place is final.

Pupils may not attend the College until all aspects of the Admissions procedure have been carried out and all the relevant fees paid.

We expect all our parents to be fully supportive of the ethos and values of the College as a result all offers of a place are subject to agreement by parents, our Standard Terms and Conditions and Parent Contract, copies of which are available from the Admissions’ Office, and which will also be sent with the offer letter. A student cannot be admitted to the College or allowed to remain there unless living full-time with at least one parent or a legal guardian (unless boarding at the College). Any exceptions to this policy would have to be approved by the Wellington College Governing Body.

Unless there are exceptional circumstances, Wellington College will place pupils in the correct year group by age. The allocation of a house or class is the decision of the College. We are happy to receive suggestions from parents regarding a particular house or class. However, parents should consider such requests based on the specific learning needs of the child rather than a preference for a housemaster/housemistress or classroom teacher. The College will listen to such requests but will not necessarily grant them, as house and class allocations will be based on several factors such as ability ranges, an effective mix of ethnicity, the proportion of native English speakers to second-language English pupils, and the ratio of boys to girls.

Siblings and Waiting Lists

Siblings of current pupils will take precedence over new applicants without any previous association with Wellington College. In the event that a student meets all the above admissions’ criteria but there is no space available, he or she will be placed on the year group waiting list. Priority on the waiting lists will again be given to siblings of pupils already in the College. The waiting lists are closed at the end of each academic year and parents need to re-apply if they wish to be considered for admission for the following year. A second Registration fee will not be required for entry in these circumstances.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

Wellington is very conscious of the fact that the teaching medium in all subjects, except Mandarin and Modern Foreign Languages, is English, which for a significant number of our pupils will be their second language. Every effort is made to ensure our pupils reach the necessary standard of English proficiency for academic and social success at the school, and this is reflected in the resources, both human and material, directed at the EAL department. It may be that a student offered a place at the College is required to have extra English language support, on occasions as a condition of entry, and this will be provided by the EAL department. Pupils will come out of timetabled English classes for these lessons. If the need arises, this level of support can be increased.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Wellington College accepts pupils with mild learning difficulties on a case-by-case basis. The needs of each individual will be considered against current staffing levels and the available expertise and resources. In general terms pupils will be offered places if they are able to participate successfully in the regular class with a limited amount of support, usually not in excess of an average of one hour per day of individual and/or small group work.

Gifted and Talented Programme

The College believes that all pupils have strengths that must be nurtured and developed to their full potential, while recognising that some pupils have particular gifts and talents that require specialist support and encouragement. To fulfil this need, both the curriculum and the extra-curricular programme have been devised to provide gifted pupils with the widest possible opportunities to enhance their skills and talents. Further details can be obtained from the Admissions Office.

How to Apply

All prospective parents should complete the Application Form, which constitutes the basis of their application to the College. The Application Form can be found under Admissions on the school website. The form must be supported by the following documentation and payment:

• Copy of the student’s passport, valid Chinese visa
• Copy of the Parents Passportspassport (or if applicable the legal guardian/s)
• Two recently taken passport-size photographs of the student (a digital photograph is acceptable)
• Copies of the pupil’s school reports for the past two years in English or notarized if translated from another language
• The non-refundable Application fee of 2,000RMB

You are welcome to send scanned copies electronically to admissions.tianjin@wellingtoncollege.cn

The Admissions Office will send an email confirmation to the parents upon receipt of the initial application material. If you do not receive an email, please contact the Admissions Office to ensure your materials have been received.

Upon receipt of all the above, the Admissions Office will arrange for the relevant testing and an interview, if this is deemed necessary. The intention is that the offer of a place will be made within a week of the assessment.

After the acceptance of a place at the College, parents must provide the following:

• Medical Form (provided by the Admissions Office)
• Signed acceptance of the College Terms and Conditions and Parent Contract
• A refundable Resource Fee of 18,000RMB* (if applicable).

*The Resource fee is only applicable for Year 2- 13 pupils studying in the International Section of the College

The Resource Fee will be repaid by means of a credit without interest to the final payment of fees or other sums due when the student finally leaves the College. Until credited, it will form part of the general funds of Wellington College.

School Tours and Open Days

We are happy to show prospective parents and their children around the campus at any time during the school day, but it is advisable to book in advance. Each term, the College also holds at least one Open Day, when groups of prospective parents and their children can view classes in operation and be given presentations on various aspects of life, academic and non-academic, in both the Senior School and the Junior School. These Open Days also provide an opportunity to meet the Master, Second Master and the Head of Junior School. Presentations will be followed by a question-and-answer session.

Parental Feedback

The College has gone to great efforts to try to make the Admissions procedure into the school as straightforward and efficient as possible for all concerned. Nevertheless, we are always aware that we can improve and, for this reason, we do appreciate your feedback once the process is over. The Director of Admissions is available to discuss ways in which we can do better; we can assure you we will take very seriously your comments and act upon any shortcomings.