Links with the Wellington College Family
It is a remarkable and very special opportunity to be part of a school family that is both steeped in history, and acknowledged as being at the forefront of 21st century educational debate and innovation. Here in the dynamic core of urban China, pupils at Wellington College International Tianjin are in a unique position to take advantage of that opportunity, and 
make the very best of the links with our partner schools in the UK. From live web-cam link-ups to pupil exchanges, the possibilities are endless. Our partners include not just Wellington College, but Eagle House, its junior school, and The Wellington Academy, a pioneering state school set up collaboratively between Wellington College and the British Government.
Wellington College is arguably the most popular and high profile private school in the UK at the moment, with over four applicants for every place. It has a well-deserved reputation as an exciting, busy and innovative institution, with superlative facilities, outstanding academic results and pastoral care, excellent staff-pupil rapport and a deep commitment to learning beyond the classroom, as embodied in the Eight Aptitudes approach. These are all qualities we aim to emulate here in Tianjin.
The College has a proud 153 year history, founded by Queen Victoria as a lasting memorial to the Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, who defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo and went on to be British Prime Minister. The College motto, ‘fortune favours the brave’, continues to echo in the classrooms and on the sports field, as ambitious young men and women strive to reach beyond their grasp. Our links with the British Royal family remain strong, with 
HRH Prince Andrew, the Queen’s son, acting in an official role as Visitor at Wellington College International Tianjin. October 2011 saw HRH Prince Andrew accompanying HRH Queen Elisabeth and her husband, HRH Prince Phillip on a visit to Wellington College UK, the Queen’s second visit there in two years. Few, if any schools, and certainly none here in China, have such deep ties with history, and such a proud heritage to continue.
Though we exist on 7 acres instead of the 400 acres that Wellington has in the UK, we nonetheless feel every inch Wellingtonian, thanks to the remarkable architectural resemblance between the schools – an obvious and deliberate statement of the closeness of the links. Pupils are all in one of four ‘Houses’, all partnered with their namesakes in the UK – Blucher, Orange, Stanley or Wellesley – each with their own crest and identity. Welcome photographs and videos have already been exchanged between the Houses. Amongst other things, our House links will include collaborative charity projects, such as the Nabukenya Primary School in Uganda, funded entirely with money raised by Blucher and Orange pupils in the UK, and including their labour in its construction!
Academic collaboration across subjects and years will become part of our routine here, and we have a small committee of pupils working to develop that, as well as the House links, in our WCUK Links Club, which meets weekly. Back in the UK, an equivalent group is being formed, under the watchful eye of our International Academic Director, whose chief role is to develop and strengthen links between the family of schools. They will be publishing regular newsletters to highlight the collaboration that’s taking place. We even hope to have live class link-ups via webcam, despite the time difference!
Most exciting of all though is the chance to 
visit the UK and spend time as a pupil at Wellington College in Berkshire. Our Exchange Programme will be starting early in 2012, when the first senior school pupils from Wellington College International Tianjin will spend several weeks in the UK, living with local families and immersing themselves in all that is Wellington. On top of that is the Royal Albert Hall event on April 30th 2012, which will see a group from Tianjin performing in a rousing finale in front of thousands at a celebration of Wellington family history. The future will also see other cultural tours, as well as sports and academic trips.
The story does not end when you leave Wellington College. Former pupils (Old Wellingtonians, or OW’s) become part of the global OW network, which operates at social, sporting, business, and many other levels, and means that you will always be part of the family. There has been huge interest from OW’s in the new Tianjin campus, and many have visited already, or contacted us to arrange a visit. This speaks volumes for the loyalty and sense of belonging that being part of Wellington College engenders. We also hope to provide opportunities for internships at Wellington UK for our Year 13 leavers, just as we have former pupils from the UK working in Tianjin with us at the moment.
Our partnership is truly one of endless possibilities.