Wellington College nominated for prestigious Tes Independent-State School Partnership Award

Wellington College, in Crowthorne, Berkshire, has been shortlisted for the Tes Independent-State School Partnership Award. This award recognises initiatives that involve working and cooperating effectively with a state school or schools.

Wellington College has been recognised for the award due to the extensive work it has done over the last year to help state schools tackle the problems they faced due to the pandemic. The College has worked with local state schools since 2008 and now provides academic and pastoral support for fifteen schools across Wokingham, Surrey Heath, Bracknell Forest, Wiltshire, and extending to Newport in Wales.

Pre-pandemic, the College hosted over 2,000 state school students per academic year to successfully run: Enrichment days, events for able students, Subject specific days – STEM subjects, languages, sport, music, Personal development – revision skills, university applications, wellbeing, Oxbridge support programme, US college applications, talks and lectures for sixth form students, educational conferences – leadership, sport, environmental/sustainability and University information fairs.

Wellington also offers a more bespoke programme for 100 selected state school students known as the Wheeler Programme, where twenty year 9 students are supported until their graduation at the end of Year 13, when they have found their confidence and identified their future academic and professional goals.

Since the start of the Covid crisis, Wellington staff have adapted the programme to be delivered online. There have been 75 personal Oxbridge interviews to support applicants from our local state schools. Wheeler students have also attended ‘Study Evenings’ to discuss subjects that extend beyond their curriculum. Finally, a two-week Catch Up Programme has been organised for digital access to core subjects in both A-levels and GCSE. In addition Wellington staff will be delivering 27 sessions accessible online for up to 300 students from our local state schools to assist in closing this educational gap as best as possible.

Sue Parker, Wellington College’s ISSP Partnership Coordinator said: "Our partnership work has proved to be so beneficial for so many during the pandemic. Our students are selected on the basis that they need extra support for many different reasons and during the pandemic this was even more apparent. Studying at home during lockdown, isolated from classmates, we started to keep in touch with regular emails full of resources to aid online learning, helping them stay connected with someone who was ready to help or to listen.

"We provided support to the students and their families with advice and guidance on university applications, sixth form and A level choices, support for mental health challenges, IT problems and help accessing their online sessions and much more. This has been very rewarding."

Tes editor Jon Severs said: "After a difficult year for all schools, it is an honour to celebrate the Tes Independent School awards, not only to celebrate excellent practice but to ensure that practice is shared far and wide.

"We received an unparalleled number of entries this year, which is testament to the great work all have done during the pandemic. The schools that have been shortlisted should be proud - it's a remarkable achievement."

Sadly, the awards night cannot be held in person this year. For the very first time, Tes Independent School Awards winners will be announced at a virtual ceremony on Friday 30th April 2021.

To see the full list of who is in the running and to register for the virtual ceremony, please visit isawards.co.uk