Wellington College Advice

[Sandradale330]

Hi all,

I’m hoping to get some advice from anyone who’s gone through the admissions process at Wellington College, or who has any insider tips. My daughter is going into Y5, and I’m starting to think seriously about her secondary school options.

Wellington is one of our top choices, but I’m finding it a bit overwhelming trying to understand exactly what a child who gets an offer from WC typically looks like. I’ve looked at their website, but I’d really appreciate some real-life insights from parents who’ve been there!
Some questions I have:

• How competitive is it really, and what kind of academic or extracurricular profile are they looking for?
• Is it worth getting a tutor for the ISEB pre-tests or later stages?
• What are the interviews like, and how should we help our daughter prepare?
• Do current pupils seem happy there, and what kind of child really thrives at Wellington?
• Is there anything you wish you’d known before applying?

We’re looking at flexi/weekly boarding as options.
Thanks in advance to anyone who can share their experience – really grateful for any tips or honest opinions!

Best,
Sandra

Aiee,
I wouldn’t worry too much about academics or tutors.
More important is either having a big talent or interest, and being vocally keen & socially confident.
They do online interviews (which were weird questions given it’s ten year olds, more like an adult competency based job interview, eg “tell me about a time when you had to show leadership to your peers in a stressful situation”. Then you go to College for an assessment day which is a succession of fun slightly gruesome group activities. Things like collectively writing a poem based on the school’s values…

You should also be aware that flexi isn’t really an option at Wellington - the choices are either day or boarding. While many boarders go home at some point at the weekend, they still pay full fees and are expected to be in College Sunday night through Saturday afternoon.