Junior School

Dear Parents 

There is a lot of conversation across the world at the moment centred around the extraordinary drama series ‘Adolescence’. In the story, which is set in England, an awful crime takes place and a 13-year-old boy is accused. Over four episodes, the circumstances of the crime are examined.   

For me, the most extraordinary things about this show are: two acting performances, by the actors playing the boy and a psychologist who works with him in episode 3; and the single-shot direction.  

But the meaning of the show is complex. It doesn’t give one simple reason for the crime.  It explores family relationships, online communities, bullying, school culture. Our school is very different to the school in the story, which is a rough and difficult state school. And we are fortunate to have two things at Wellington that they don’t have.   

One is the real support of our families, and the positive culture you bring to the gates every morning. And this is two-way. We should do our best to support you in whatever ways we can, as well. 

The second is focused, deliberate, structured support of our students. You could say that the teachers in ‘Adolescence’ are doing their best. But what you actually see is teachers not listening, not giving attention, not caring in real time. And it’s specifically the job of a Wellington teacher to listen carefully, and to give attention, and to care.   

Even just one moment when you do actually listen to what someone is trying to tell you (rather than assuming you already know) can make all the difference to someone’s life.

Let’s hope this weekend is a bit less shaky than the last one.

With best wishes

Chris 

Meet Our New Admissions & Marketing Director 

We’re excited to introduce our new Director of Admissions and Marketing, Mr Ian Steele, who joined Wellington College earlier this week. Ian comes to us with a wealth of experience in private education, having worked in a variety of cities across the globe, including Lima (Peru), Beijing and Shanghai (China), and Pattaya (Thailand), where his journey in Admissions first began. This is his first time living and working in Bangkok, but he’s very happy to return to Thailand, having spent almost five years in the country previously.   

Before his international adventures, Ian also spent time living in Cyprus and worked in a variety of roles, including with the UK Royal Air Force and as a Regional Operations Manager for a UK-based finance company. Outside of work, he enjoys amateur cartography and travelling the world with his partner and is excited to have the opportunity to re-explore Thailand and South East Asia.   

“I’m thrilled to be joining the Wellington College community,” says Ian. “I’ve always admired the school’s incredible reputation and heritage having been well aware of the calibre of Wellington UK and our other sister schools around the globe. I’m really looking forward to being part of the team as we prepare for our first Year 13 cohort in 2025/26. 

We’ve got a fantastic group of students and staff, and I can’t wait to see what we achieve together!  I’d also like to thank my predecessor, Jane Forster for her work in the role for the past three years and wish her all the best for her future.”   

We’re sure you’ll see Ian around the campus as he gets to know our students, staff and parent community in his first days and weeks. If you see him in school, please say hello!

Wellington Global Citizenship Day

On Thursday May 1 we will be celebrating what it means to be a Wellington Global Citizen, and we’d love your support. There are 3 key areas we’d loved your support with:  

🌍 Cultural bites - Global Food Fair in the Junior School. Each year group will represent two different countries by bringing in traditional foods. The food should be snack-sized portions with enough to serve approximately 200 students. Please make sure there are NO NUTS and limit packaging wherever possible in line with our sustainability goals.

🌍 Cultural bites - Bake Sale in the Senior School. Students are encouraged to bring in cakes, cookies and treats for a bake sale. Ideally these food items will be homemade and must have NO NUTS. These will be sold on Thursday 1st May at the Global Citizenship expo.     

♻️ Jumble Sale – Donate & Make a Difference. As part of the celebrations we’ll be hosting a jumble sale - a great opportunity to declutter while supporting a good cause. We are collecting the following: 

• Toys in good condition
• Clothing (please ensure they are washed before donating). All donated items will be priced by students and then sold, with all proceeds going to charity. Donations are open now.

📍 Drop-off points: Junior School and Senior School lobbies 

Key Stage 3 Drama: Exploring Theatre Design 

Over the course of the Lent Term, Key Stage 3 Drama students (Years 7-9) explored theatre design, focusing on various set and costume concepts. This was an eye-opening experience, helping them understand that drama isn’t just about performing—it also involves technical skills and the creation of innovative and dynamic designs. The theatre industry is known for its actors, singers, and dancers, but behind every performance is a skilled team of costume, set, lighting, and sound designers who bring it all together. This term gave students a valuable insight into that process.  

Year 7 responded to the given brief of 'Fantasy Land' - creating enchanting landscapes, glimmering costumes, and mystical radio dramas.  

Year 8 responded to the given brief of 'Haunted Houses' - creating haunted environments, deadly costumes, and spooky radio dramas.

Year 9 responded to the given brief of 'Post-Apocalyptic Worlds' - creating dystopian sites, scavenged costumes, and unsettling radio dramas.  

STEAM Week 2025

This week, students in Junior School took on creative challenges for STEAM Week 2025. Inspired by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), each year group was tasked with using recycled materials to solve real-world environmental problems, drawing on their knowledge of Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics. 

Year 1 students created some impressive eco-outfits for teddy bears, while Year 6 designed floating planters specifically for the school lagoon. Projects across Junior School embraced the aims of the SDGs and it’s been a wonderful opportunity for our students to think like inventors and problem-solvers. 

Other issues such as ocean pollution, water conservation, bird habitats, and even shoe waste in Thailand were tackled, proving that our school’s young minds are willing and able to collaborate, think critically, and support projects that are important in both the domestic and global arenas. We look forward to seeing many of these projects showcased throughout our school next term.

Thank you to Dr Yogi, Mr Cadman and Ms Upton for their hard work and creativity in bringing STEAM Week to life.

Last month, we hosted School Track Channel on campus as they spoke with our Board of Governors, Dr Darika, and Master, Chris Nicholls about what makes Wellington College Bangkok the finest school in the city, as well as discussing our 1,000,000 THB Sixth Form Awards. 

Enjoy the video, which can be shared easily with friends, family and colleagues who may be interested in joining our community. Our Admissions team are here to answer any questions and are happy to meet with families who may be interested in more details about the school.

Football Fixtures

This week was packed with football fixtures, and our teams put in impressive performances across the board! 

The U13 Girls played a strong match against NIST. Despite tough conditions, they stayed focused, worked well as a team, and were motivated after their previous encounter with NIST in the Cup final.

The U13A Boys had an intense match against NIST, with both teams pushing hard until the final whistle, making for an exciting and competitive game. 

The U13B Boys had their scheduled game against NIST U13B canceled just 20 minutes before kick-off, but they stayed positive and took part in a training session with Coach James instead. 

The U18 Boys played with just seven players due to other commitments, but they gave everything they had in the match against BCB. Nobby led by example, pushing through discomfort and keeping his teammates motivated until the very end. 

The U18 Girls showed great resilience in their match against BCB, battling back after being down early. Their energy and determination never wavered, and they kept pushing until the final whistle.

It was a full day of football, with every team showing incredible spirit and teamwork! 

U11 FOBISIA Basketball Tournament 

Our U11 boys' and girls' teams recently attended the FOBISIA Basketball Tournament which was hosted at Rugby School Thailand. The competition was fierce, but both groups demonstrated remarkable skill and determination throughout the event. The games were intense, with several of them being incredibly close, showcasing the resilience and sportsmanship of our young athletes. 

We are extremely proud of how both teams performed, especially considering the high level of competition they faced. The players' dedication and hard work in the lead-up to the tournament was evident, and this event marks a promising future for basketball at Wellington College Bangkok, especially when considering the potential shown by our students. 

We’d also like to thank the parents who took the time to support the teams – your encouragement truly makes a difference and plays a key role in building a strong sense of community within the school. 

 
We look forward to even more success in future tournaments and are excited to continue developing our basketball program further. 

Community Golf Day

Last Friday, over 60 parents joined us for our 3 Annual Wellington Community Golf Day. It was a fantastic day with great food, laughter, and unforgettable memories. A big thank you to all the parents who came out to support the event, and to those who generously sponsored prizes. We can’t wait to do it all again next year! 

Come See Me Swim: Hummingbird Class 

This week, our Reception students in Hummingbird Class showcased their swimming skills to their parents, and it was a joy to watch! Parents were thrilled to see how their little ones had developed in the pool. A special thanks to our exceptional Swimming

programme, led by Olympian Coach James Goddard, our Director of Swimming, for making this possible.

Thank you to all the parents who joined us to see their children swim! 

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