Reflecting on another fantastic year at Wellington Bangkok

This has been an amazing year.  So many new students, new classes, new teachers – even a new school, as the Senior School finally cemented its own identity.  Here are a few highlights; there were many, many more.

Year 5 did really wonderful work on Harkness this year.  Very few schools anywhere do proper Harkness work so young: we are leading the world! 

Our new Governors’ Scholarship programme for Year 9 was hugely successful, attracting some outstandingly talented new students to Wellington, and really boosting the potential of the whole yeargroup. 

A lot of our classes are full, with waiting lists, now.

We are redesigning the Pre-Nursery facility, to further upgrade provision there. 

The Theatre hosted its first whole-school performance, the marvellous Christmas Concert, and almost had its first Performing Arts Festival (we’ll all have to wait till the autumn!). 

We had international success, with first place in one category of the FOBISIA International History competition, and multiple top-three finishes. 

We experienced outstanding sporting success across a range of sports. Our football and basketball teams in Senior and Junior School picked up tournament trophies and we saw brilliant individual success in golf, swimming and on the athletics track. We consistently held our own against more established international schools and as a result have been invited to a vast range of fixtures and tournaments next year in addition to the numerous sporting events we will be hosting ourselves during 2021/22.

We introduced French to the curriculum for the first time, developed new online skills(!) and opened a new sports field, the Centre Court. 

We linked up with a large group of students at Wellington College in England for an Individual Student Coaching Programme.

We had a wonderful, unforgettable Friends of Wellington party at Nai Lert Park in November.  I sang a song that day! 

It is sad, as well as disappointing, that all this great stuff, and so much more besides, can’t be properly celebrated next week by our whole community.  The last day of the School year should be a big, joyous event where we all come together one more time.  

That’s one of the many reasons why I am really looking forward to next year! 

Some of our staff, though, won’t be here next year, because they are moving on to new challenges.  A huge thank you to our departing expat teachers – Ms Gill Elrick, who will be taking up a Deputy head post in China; Mr Robert Bradley and Ms Ailsa Carr, who are returning to the UK; Ms Katie Stewart, Ms Emily Jefferis, both also returning to the UK; and Mr Jack Burkill, who is – rather excitingly – moving to Norway. 

We also say fond farewells to Thai teachers Kru Aom and Kru Kaew, who are leaving the profession, and Kru Faasai, who will be developing her experience at another international school. Some ALTs are also moving on this summer – Ms Nok, Ms Lani, Ms Fuse, Mr Pipe, Ms Korbua and Ms Nat. 

All of these staff have given a huge amount of energy and passion to their time here at Wellington. We will miss them very much and wish them all the very best of luck with their new adventures into next year, and beyond.

With best wishes, 

Chris