First in the World

In June, Wellington College Bangkok ended a hugely successful first academic year, capped by a global-scale achievement.

In May 2019, Wellington College Bangkok became the first school in the world to successfully complete the six-month COBIS Patron’s Accreditation process inside its first year of operation, and the first in Thailand in any year. COBIS, the Council of British International Schools, is the largest and most important network of British schools across the globe, representing over five hundred educational organizations in seventy-five countries.

The Inspection Report notes: ‘the school offers a curriculum that allows all pupils to excel’; ‘the pupils are independent learners who ask challenging questions’; ‘Parents have an extremely high level of satisfaction with the school’; and ‘the school has exceptionally detailed and effective ways of monitoring pupils’ progress’. 85% of all educational provision at Wellington College Bangkok was judged to be not only very good – but ‘an example to all COBIS schools of best practice’, a notably impressive accomplishment for a school that had not even completed its first full academic year.

The Inspection visit itself lasted for most of a week and coincided with a highly successful Wellington College Annual Review inspection. The positive report from Wellington College’s inspector confirmed the high quality of Wellington College Bangkok in the context of Wellington College International, likely the world’s top school brand in terms of ethos, prestige and excellence.

An area of great anticipation for the upcoming academic year at Wellington College Bangkok is the new Top Floor.  The oldest students will take advantage of the ground-breaking provision here, including the Meitner Laboratory, Harkness Rooms, Learning Studios, Drama Studio and the Lovelace-Babbage Computing Lab.

The Meitner Laboratory is a teaching lab and classroom where students from Year 3 (7 years old) learn practical, experiment-based science from a specialist science teacher. The impressive and expansive lab is fully CLEAPSS-compliant, which represents the UK’s highest standards for laboratory safety, and features a separate prep room staffed by a dedicated lab technician.

Two brand-new Harkness Rooms (the classic, polished-wood Exeter Room and the sleek, modern White Room) are to be utilised in Harkness Learning, which is a powerful form of discussion-based, student-led learning that promotes independent critical thinking as well as individual confidence and maturity. According to Founding Master and Head of Senior School Chris Nicholls, “When done properly, Harkness learning resembles the inner workings of a very good boardroom. While Harkness is used quite extensively at Wellington College in Berkshire, UK, from age 13, we introduce it in Bangkok from the age of 8.”

The Learning Studio stretches the length of the Top Floor and provides a comfortable co-working environment for students and staff to engage in small-group discussions and individual work, as well as being a venue for social interaction. At a preview event for Wellington families, parents remarked that the ambience reminded them of a business class lounge at the airport, or a university library.

New Art and Design Technology rooms in the school, linked to the Lovelace-Babbage Computing Lab on the Top Floor via the innovative ‘Control Room’, a space designed for open-ended problem-solving in any area of study, add cutting-edge creative and technological options.

As developments continue apace, construction of The Theatre—a grand, professional-grade 600-seat performing arts space (with full orchestra pit)—is on schedule for completion in early 2020 and the innovative and extraordinary Senior School is set to open for the 2021-2022 academic year.

As for 2018-2019, Wellington College Bangkok enjoyed enormous success in its inaugural year, bringing in a very strong cohort of UK-based teachers, who not only have made excellent progress in moving the teaching and education of students forward in the classroom, but also have produced exciting musical productions, led day and residential trips across all age groups, and arranged a slew of competitive sporting fixtures almost since Day 1.  The most important metrics—the outstanding progress that students have made in their learning and personal development, as well as high parent satisfaction with the school—have been a resounding success, making Wellington College Bangkok already, and clearly, one of the top international schools in Thailand – and the world. 

Wellington College Bangkok according to COBIS:

‘The school offers a curriculum that allows all pupils to excel.’

‘The pupils are independent learners who ask challenging questions’

‘Parents have an extremely high level of satisfaction with the school’

‘The school has exceptionally detailed and effective ways of monitoring pupils’ progress’

For more information about Wellington College:
Call 02-087-8888 or [email protected] or visit www.wellingtoncollege.ac.th