3 minute read
Educational Partnerships
Iain Henderson Deputy Head of Partnerships
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In a year when it would have been too easy to hide behind the excuse-for-everything that is COVID-19, it is heartening to be able to report that Wellington’s partnership work expanded significantly, at a time when there was significantly more need, and equally, significantly greater moral imperative for such a privileged institution to be increasingly proactive in facilitating meaningful collaborative work.
Thanks to the support of so many within and outside the Wellington Community we were able to support a number of programmes some of which are outlined here.
Through our scheme “Donation for Education” scheme, we provided a laptop computer for online learning to all students at all 26 partner schools who needed one. This was achieved mainly through devices donated by Wellington families, being donated then professionally wiped, repurposed and distributed. Thank you to everyone who donated it really did make a difference.
We made the decision that the entire online Festival of Education was free to all, and available even after the event. Over 17,000 attendees enjoyed the event live, and many more in the following weeks. Our first cohort of Wheeler Programme students completed their Year 13 (final year). Some are off to university or further study, some to apprenticeships, and some to employment. We are so proud of all the Wheeler students and we wish this first pioneering cohort all the best going forward – in the knowledge that we are always here to support when needed – particularly through Welly Connect.
Our Independent State School Partnership (ISSP) refined and grew its student-facing programme in especially difficult circumstances, with access to online resources and events restricted for many families early on. Like many of us, we also saw that several of our events became even more successful online.
The Wellington College Teaching School Partnership has also grown, with four new schools joining during the year. The depth
of professional collaboration demonstrated now is remarkable. Wellington provided a platform to share a wide range of resources and online support across the partnership, and has provided a range of Professional Learning and Development courses and individual coaching for free. We have committed to continuing this as an independent operation after the government-backed Teaching School scheme ceases in September 2021.
In addition, we have enabled the Forest Learning Alliance (a thriving Primary Teaching School in Sandhurst with 26 active partners) to continue as an independent operation from September as well as supporting the work of Langley Grammar School as the Hub for Berkshire.
Wellington has become an Educational Grants Provider, with an initial fund of £500,000 per year. The first awards went to local schools for Covid catch-up. The funding is only made possible thanks to the income we receive from our overseas educational partnerships.
Wellington has supported the establishment and development of a new national body for partnership between state and independent schools, the Schools Partnership Alliance. We have provided financial support and professional learning to Into University, eventually aiming to eventually set up a local project in Reading. We have also provided mentoring and tutoring to a virtual school for children in care, in Wandsworth.
While the College was closed, we provided free accommodation to critical workers at Frimley Park Hospital who needed to isolate from their families during the pandemic.
During the summer break we were able to organise and host a summer catch-up school for almost 600 incoming Year 7 students at five of our most local secondary schools.
During the year we merged the Wellington College Academy Trust into the Royal Wootton Bassett Academy Trust, while maintaining our support for the WCAT schools.
I’d like to end with our grateful thanks to the dozens of staff and students who helped to make such a difference to so many young people, parents and teachers.
Wellington’s relevance in modern society must remain essential: we hope that it does.
