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Tutorial

Every pupil has a tutor who provides a mixture of academic and pastoral support. Tutors work closely with housemasters and housemistresses, and care for a small group of pupils within each house, usually from the same year group. They meet pupils on a one-to-one basis each week in house to discuss individual matters and as a group in timetabled tutorial periods to discuss topical issues, personal development and well-being, study skills and reports. Tutors are supported and led by Heads of Year, whose responsibility is to monitor and enhance the academic progress, discipline and corporate spirit of each year group.

Academic Extension

At Wellington College, we provide a strong, rounded education to all of our pupils but, within that context, we also provide our most able students with opportunities that both challenge and support them in aspiring towards excellence. We use the terms 'Enrichment' and 'Extension' rather than 'Gifted' and 'Talented', because our emphasis is not on categorising pupils but on providing open-ended opportunities that extend and enrich the education they receive. This is appropriate at Wellington, where most of our pupils are of above national average ability, and where we have always offered an impressive range of extension and enrichment opportunities. Our key strategies for supporting the most able are:

To identify exceptionally able students and support them in developing their intellectual, artistic, social and/or sporting aptitudes.
To provide opportunities in departments for able students to develop deeper knowledge in their strongest academic subjects.
To promote extra-curricular opportunities for able students to learn, think and pursue their interests across and beyond the curriculum.

For those applying to Oxbridge, other highly competitive universities and American universities at the end of their time at Wellington, we also provide support, advice and application assistance as part of the Academic Extension programme.

EducationalSupport

Wellington College is able to support pupils with mild learning difficulties (such as dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia) provided that their various entrance examination results indicate that they will be able to access the whole of the College curriculum.The Head of Educational Support will assess initially then may refer onto an outside agency or educational psychologist if further assessment is needed. Individual advice Is offered where necessary to pupils and consultations with parents are offered on Saturday afternoons to discuss pupils needs. Support is offered in the Educational Support Department by an English and Maths specialist who also offer support in class if necessary. Progress in classes and in study support lessons is closely monitored. Additional and specific support which is sometimes requested by parents may incur extra charges to cover assistance from external staff. We cannot take pupils who need significant one-on-one support.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

A small proportion of our pupils arrive with English as an additional language (EAL). All pupils have an English test as part of the entry procedure which will be used to determine the level of support required. We have a master in charge of EAL, who monitors pupils' progress and ensures that they receive appropriate teaching and other advice. Pupils requiring extra English language support are taught either on or off timetable by trained and qualified EAL teachers. This may incur an additional charge, and parents are informed in advance if such charges will apply. Pupils with EAL must take an English language qualification at GCSE stage, but it could be something other than a GCSE, and this is decided on an individual basis. Pupils joining at 16 with EAL will be expected to attain at least level 6 on the IELTS test by the time they leave.