CREATING TOMORROW'S LEADERS TODAY AT WYCOMBE ABBEY SCHOOL HONG KONG

By ITS Education Asia

More than ever before, the children of today need to learn to be expert, lifelong learners and become creative, collaborative problem solvers in order to flourish in their future lives and careers. That is why a curriculum that provides students with plenty of opportunities to engage with as many challenges as possible is very important.  It is at Wycombe Abbey School in Hong Kong that students experience this type of vibrancy during their day. 

Mr. Howard Tuckett, the Founding Headmaster, says: “For our students to develop leadership skills, they will need to acquire the qualities of determination, clarity of thought, self-confidence, resilience, the ability to manage teamwork, delegation, empathy and the ability to concentrate simultaneously on the group, the individuals and the task. By working in a communally vibrant classroom, students feel empowered and take ownership of their own learning.”

In September 2019, The Wycombe Abbey School Hong Kong opened its doors. It is the second international opening for this leading UK independent school, which opened Wycombe Abbey International School, Changzhou in China in 2016. Wycombe Abbey School Hong Kong is enjoying an outstanding first year and is doing exceptionally well.

An important message to deliver is that Wycombe Abbey School Hong Kong is licensed as a private school, not an international school, this means the school is open to all Hong Kong children, regardless of which passport or nationality they hold.

The curriculum is built around the core components of the internationally renowned National Curriculum and the Common Entrance Curriculum for the United Kingdom. The medium of instruction at the school is English. However, Chinese is taught as a discrete subject in every year group, with the same number of lessons allocated to Chinese (Putonghua) and English each week.  Putonghua with simplified character has purposefully been chosen because this is the main language of business across China. However, there is an option for children to experience a fully balanced Chinese cultural education as traditional characters and calligraphy are part of the ECA programme.

This curriculum prepares students for entry into British Independent Schools or for entry to top International Secondary Schools in Hong Kong. But the good news is that Wycombe Abbey intends to build their own secondary school in the near future.

Innovation is brought to the fore at Wycombe Abbey, which is incorporated into their bespoke curriculum. This is not to be confused with the much talked about STEM and STEAM programmes, which are becoming a staple in many curricula within Hong Kong’s international schools. iSTEAM is unique to Wycombe Abbey and adds and extra innovation component that focuses on developing scientific initiatives and the ‘A’ in STEAM represents either ‘Arts’ or ‘Aesthetic’.

Other subjects covered in the UK-based curriculum and are the core of the curriculum at Wycombe Abbey are ICT, art, music, geography, history, music, speech and drama, PE and PSHE. The school also offers an inspiring choice of different activities, from individual sports such as Swimming, Taekwondo and Wall Climbing to team sports such as Football, Basketball, Badminton and Tennis. There are also opportunities for engagement and exploration in broader activities such as additional Art, Chinese Calligraphy and Culture, Music, Classical Ballet and Musical Theatre as well as Science Clubs and NASA Education.

These programmes encourage students to step out of their comfort zone and to think creatively and collaboratively. This broader curriculum helps students take ownership over their learning by giving them scope to experiment, explore and be creative. Students at Wycombe Abbey are also taught to take responsibility, not only for their own personal items and timetable but also for their learning. Each pupil has their own Communication Book and is responsible (under supportive guidance), for managing their own homework and weekly Reading Log. 

It’s truly evident at this school that the development of primary aged children depends to a great extent on the adults working with them allowing them to explore, choose and experience as many activities, skills and challenges as possible. The teachers are dedicated and passionate about everything they deliver and go above and beyond their teaching duties.

Words from Founding Headmaster, Howard Tuckett: “I am so pleased and honoured to have been invited to be the founding Head of Wycombe Abbey School Hong Kong. I have been involved in this project since the first sketches of the School were being made on paper. Throughout a myriad of long discussions, creative planning sessions, endless drawings and designs, through watching the construction of the School take place during the early parts of 2019, to our very exciting first day of school on 5th September 2029 and now into the new decade, I have watched this school grow. I have been privileged to help steer the development of Wycombe Abbey School Hong Kong in all its aspects. I am very proud of what we have to offer the families of Hong Kong, which is the very best of primary education”.