Established in 2015 and owned and operated by BE Education, WASCZ is the first overseas franchise of the Wycombe Abbey Schools International Group, which now also include schools in Hong Kong, Hangzhou and Nanjing. WASCZ is a world class boarding and day school for 1400 children aged 3 to 18, providing an all-round, fully integrated bilingual education which prepares children for entry to the world’s top universities. WASCZ employs 160 international teachers (the largest ex-pat employer in Jiangsu Province) alongside 140 bilingual local teachers and administrators. Run along the lines of a traditional British boarding school, with a House structure and emphasis on excellent pastoral care, students at WASCZ achieve outstanding results at A Level alongside benefitting from a truly holistic education. Performing Arts, Creative Arts and Sports are key components of a busy schedule which supports students as individuals.
WASCZ Ethos
At WASCZ we want every child to discover a love of learning; to progress from dependence upon their teachers and peers into independent thinkers and learners; and to mature with compassion and kindness, supporting the aspirations of those around them, sharing in their successes and, together, contributing to the local community and wider world.
WASCZ Aims
1. Academic – we will identify and develop the abilities of all children towards the achievement of their full potential so that they can go onto the world’s top universities
2. Pastoral – we will provide a secure and caring environment which values the individual and encourages tolerance, responsibility, integrity and good humour
3. Enrichment – we will create experiences that encourage the full development of the individual and serve as a preparation for life in the modern world
4. Extension – we will stretch and challenge all children as they set aspirational targets and exceed their own expectations, well beyond the curriculum
5. Community – we will foster good relationships between teachers, students, families and the wider community; nurture an outward looking school; and enable everyone to grow in confidence to become excellent decision makers and have a positive impact in the world.
WASCZ Location
WASCZ is located in the Wujin District, 30 minutes outside the city centre of Changzhou. It occupies a modern and spacious, green campus on the banks of West Taihu Lake, in the parkland and gardens of a nature beauty reserve, part of the Xitaihu Lake International Community. Changzhou is 40 minutes by high speed train from Shanghai and on the main lines to Beijing, Nanjing, Chengdu and beyond.
WASCZ Buildings
Built in 2015, the campus is comprised of twelve buildings set against the backdrop of Xitaihu Lake, to which we have direct access for water sports. The building are:
Administration (A); Secondary Classrooms (B); Primary Classrooms (C); Theatre (D); Watersports Centre (E); Kindergarten (F); Boys Boarding Houses (G); Girls Boarding Houses & Medical Centre (I); Primary Boarding Houses and Dining Room (H); Sports, Science & Technology Complex (J); Sports Dome (K); Boathouse (L).
Sports facilities include badminton hall; fencing hall; table-tennis hall; dance studio; golf driving range; basketball stadium; rugby pitch; 400m running track; 25m competition swimming pool; beginners’ training pool; weights gymnasium; cardio gymnasium; boathouse & lake; 4000m2 air conditioned & filtered sports dome providing tennis, badminton, volleyball, floorball, netball and football pitches.
The Theatre building is home to the creative and performing arts, with the auditorium; five ensemble rooms; recording suite; five art studios; the drama studios; 24 individual instrumental teaching rooms; composition room; theory rooms; and exhibition spaces.
The Science & Technology Centre is home to nine fully equipped laboratories; four IT rooms; common rooms; examination/assembly hall; and car technology studio.
The campus has 24 hour security, extensive gardens and walks and stunning views.
Aim 1: Academic
WASCZ recruits the finest staff, both locally and internationally, providing them with the resources to nurture outstanding students, outstanding professional development and training, and aspirations to match the pioneering spirit and traditions of Wycombe Abbey School in the UK. The academic standards of WASCZ and its track record in helping students gain places at leading universities in the UK, the US and around the world are already of the highest order and the school is deservedly regarded as one of the best schools offering an internationalised bilingual curriculum in Greater China. Students complete all aspects of the Chinese National Curriculum in G1-9 (Years 2-10) and then study for IGCSEs and A Levels in G10-12 (Years 11-13). A Level results are excellent: 70% (A*/A); 85% (A*/B). Each year approximately 20% of students go on to study in the world’s top 20 universities. Courses chosen are 40% Science & Technology; 30% Commerce & Business; 30% the Arts (including world class Music Conservatoires and Art Colleges).
Aim 2: Pastoral
All teaching staff belong to one of the 12 House. The six girls’ houses are: Austen, Blyton, Cavell, Dove, Fonteyn and Somerville; the six boys’ houses are: Blake, Elgar, Hawking, Newton, Scott and Turner. Boarding is available to children aged 7-11 (weekly) and 12-18 (full). All staff support the work, competitions and activities of their House and are on duty one evening each week. Tutor groups are arranged through Houses. Each tutor has approximately 8-10 tutees (usually from the same age range) with whom they meet individually each week to set and monitor targets, provide emotional support and give academic guidance.
Aim 3: Enrichment
Enrichment concerns broadening the educational experience for all students, ensuring that they have exposure to activities that enable them to develop their interests, competencies and ‘Multiple Intelligences’:
• physical/bodily/kinaesthetic
• intrapersonal/leadership
• linguistic/verbal
• technical/logical
• environmental/naturalist
• international/cultural/identity
• artistic/creative/spatial
• performance/musical.
Weekends and evenings are packed with over 100 different clubs and activities for students to try.
Trips and expeditions provide opportunities for children to plan, collaborate and lead. Students are supported in taking the Duke of Edinburgh awards, the John Muir award and they embark upon a number of outdoor pursuits and activity weeks during their time in the school. Recent international adventures have included the Borealis Expedition to Iceland; Cultural Tours to Europe; Trekking in Inner Mongolia and Nepal; Scuba Diving in Thailand; and Sports Tours to the Americas.
Aim 4: Extension
Extension concerns deepening the education available by providing mentors who will enable students to master specific identified disciplines or competencies, showcase their skills and test their abilities beyond their immediate peer group. This may be demonstrated in many different ways, for example:
Saturday mornings are occupied by Academic Extension lessons; Music Theory; and Extension Clubs and Societies. Teams enter academic competitions such as Science Olympiads, World scholars’ Cup; National Chess League; and Model United Nations. Students are prepared for university applications, admissions and aptitude tests and interviews. The Xilingshi-Ada Lovelace Society provides scholars with academic challenges in problem solving, critical, lateral and creative thinking.
Aim 5: Community
We are very much aware that we are preparing students to travel and have a positive impact on the world. As such, we ensure that they are outward looking and have contact with the wider community. We take the Performing Arts, Creative Arts and Sports beyond school through exhibitions, concerts, tours and tournaments; collaborate with our sister schools in China; partner with WASHK and WASUK; run extensive summer courses; run an outreach programme to local schools; and work with the district government on plans for Sustainability and Environmental Change. This year we are establishing a ‘Friends of Wycombe’ group for families, friends, alumni and contacts of the school to further build our community and influence and we are playing an important role in the development of the ‘Two Lakes’ international innovation initiative in the region.
To view our campus please click here
