about WAB
Background
The Western Academy of Beijing (WAB) was founded to meet the growing needs of the Beijing expatriate community with a high-quality school, which would provide a caring environment that was responsive to its international community and the culture of the host country, China.
In the summer of 1993, a number of concerned individuals, including our founders Michael Crook and Sabina Brady, came together with GE, Motorola and Shell to establish the Western Academy of Beijing Education Foundation (WABEF). Its purpose was to provide the support and structure for the establishment of a not-for-profit, international school in Beijing for the children of foreign families living and working in the city.
WAB opened its doors on September 1, 1994, with 147 students, ranging from Nursery to Grade 6, on a site leased from the Beijing No. 1 Textile Machinery Factory. Since then it has grown rapidly to an Early Years–Grade 12 school of more than 1300 students who come from more than 50 countries.
- Early Years – Junior Grade 1: 114 students
- Senior Grade 1 – Grade 5: 488 students
- Grade 6 – Grade 8: 332 students
- Grade 9 – Grade 12: 388 students
WAB prides itself on having maintained the community spirit and learner-centred philosophy on which it was founded. The school operates as a professional learning community. The school, its staff and the approach taken by the leadership team and Board in developing a world-class program reflect the WAB Spirit – in Chinese “gong hé” – where with a spirit of commitment, enthusiasm and shared purpose, each member of the WAB Family contributes to the whole.
WAB enjoys a very strong reputation as a leading international school with high academic standards, a commitment to delivering the IB Programmes in an innovative and dynamic way, within a caring, supportive environment. WAB also has a strong commitment to working with the Chinese educational authorities and the Chinese community toward the common goal of improved educational opportunities and outcomes for all.
The WAB Mission, Philosophy and Core Values guide the direction and the development of the school. WAB has chosen the IB Programmes for their alignment with the school’s beliefs and has adopted the IB Learner Profile as its statement of outcomes. WAB’s plans for future development are described in its ‘Lighthouse Document’ – WAB’s strategic plan.
Facilities
WAB is located 30 minutes from the centre of China’s vibrant capital city. The school facilities are exceptional, inspirational and are amongst the best in the world, providing a unique environment for students and staff to learn and work. The school was designed with a contemporary outlook on education, and the design of the buildings reflects both the host country China and the school’s commitment to learning communities. The High School, in particular, was designed to givea pre-college atmosphere, not just as a feeling butalso as a reality.
The school campus comprises five separate buildings – Early Childhood Centre, Elementary School, Middle School, HUB – Sports, Arts and Technology Centre (shared by the Middle School and High School) and the High School. The latest addition to our indoor sports and play facilities is the ‘Tiger L’Air’; a 3,200m2 air-supported structure featuring fully filtered air, five tennis courts and multi-sports space.
Spread across a park-like campus, the facilities are extensive and include libraries, science labs, arts studios, music suites and a recording studio, broadcasting rooms, video studios, theatres, design suites and workshops, maker spaces, learning kitchens, cafes, sports fields, gymnasiums, a swimming pool, fitness centre, climbing wall and an experiential outdoor education centre located in the mountains on the outskirts of Beijing.
Curriculum
As an IB World School, WAB is authorized to offer all three IB Programmes – IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the IB Diploma Programme (DP).
The school’s curriculum focuses on the development of the whole child through active, meaningful, inquiry-based learning. WAB has internally developed and implemented standards and benchmarks from Early Years to Grade 12, drawing on examples of best practice from many regions of the world. In addition, we also emphasize visual and performing arts, physical and social development, foreign language study, community service and interacting with our host country, China.
The integrated curriculum develops attitudes of respect and responsibility, and provides opportunities for leadership, action and service. Furthermore, WAB strives to develop and offer programs of study that meet the needs and demands of students living in the 21st century. Through the IBPYP and the IBMYP, students develop the skills of inquiry and independence, ultimately giving them the opportunity to find success in the IBDP during the last two years of High School and beyond.
Learning Platforms
WAB uses Apple hardware and Microsoft platform. Teams is the central communication platform for all Faculty and Staff. It is the main learning platform for Middle and High School. In the Elementary School, Toddle is the central platform for planning, teaching and learning.
We also share details of our curriculum and resources on the WAB Learns site: learn.wab.edu. You can find information relevant to all school sections, as well for Faculty (learn.wab.edu/ faculty).
Elementary School (Early Years to Grade 5)
WAB ES follows the IBPYP with programs of study in six subject areas: Language (including English as an Additional Language), Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, The Arts (Visual and Performing Arts), and Personal, Social and Physical Education.
Middle School (Grade 6-8)
WAB MS follows the IBMYP with programs of study in eight areas: Language and Literature (English andChinese), Language Acquisition (Mandarin, French,Spanish and English), Mathematics, Sciences, 15 Physical and Health Education, Individuals and Societies, Design and The Arts (Music, Art and Drama).
High School (Grades 9-10)
For Grades 9 and 10, WAB HS follows the IBMYP with programs of study in eight course groups including: Language and Literature, Mathematics, Sciences, Individuals and Societies, Language Acquisition (French, Spanish and Chinese), Design, The Arts, and Physical and Health Education.
High School (Grades 11-12)
For Grades 11 and 12, WAB HS has three options available: the full IB Diploma Programme; IB DP Certificate courses; a combination of IB DP Certificate courses and WAB High School (HS) Courses. All students that graduate from WAB receive a WAB High School Diploma.
Course selections may include:
- Language and Literature: DP Literature or DP Language & Literature either in English or in Chinese, DP Self-Taught Literature (SL), WAB HS Language and Literature in English
- Language Acquisition: DP Language B – English (HL), Chinese, French and Spanish, DP Language ab initio – Chinese and Spanish, WAB HS Conversational Chinese
- Individuals and Societies: DP Economics, DP Geography, DP History, DP Psychology, DP Information Technology in a Digital Society, DP Environmental Systems & Societies (SL), WAB HS Global Issues
- Science: DP Biology, DP Chemistry, DP Physics, DP Environmental Systems & Societies (SL), DP Design Technology, DP Sports and Exercise Health Science (SL), WAB HS Integrated Science
- Mathematics: DP Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation, DPMathematics: analysis and approaches The Arts: DP Music, DP Visual Arts, DP Dance, DP Theatre and DP Film.
All courses are offered at Higher Level (HL) and Standard Level (SL) unless otherwise indicated.
WAB is committed to developing the attributes of the IB Learner Profile in all students and staff, and to ensuring a continuum of learning across all school sections. Collaborative planning and differentiation are key elements of the WAB working environment with an emphasis on an interdisciplinary approach.
WAB is strongly committed to the integration of Information Communication Technology (ICT) within the curriculum and is internationally recognized as an Apple Distinguished School. The school has outstanding ICT resources to support collaboration and communication, including a 1:1 wireless laptop environment for students from Grade 6 onwards. We employ a 1:1 iPad environment in all Junior Grade 1-Grade 5 classrooms, and the Early Years students have ample access to iPads.
Accreditation
Accreditation provides a measure of the educational standard of a school as well as a mechanism for ongoing review and improvement. WAB is internationally accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS), New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), and authorized by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO).
The Council for International Schools (CIS) has acclaimed that WAB is “by any standards, a remarkable school… [one] that has developed an enviable and richly deserved reputation for offering a vital, stimulating and challenging education to its very international student body.”
WAB Contact Information
Post
Beijing’s postal service is reliable and inexpensive. Letters can be posted from all the major hotels, residential compound reception desks and regular Post Offices.
Mail service is also available from the Elementary School front desk, where you can purchase stamps and put your mail in for posting every day. Some staff members choose to use international courier services such as FedEx and DHL, which are significantly faster than the regular Beijing postal service. Local courier service is also available.
Where should I address My Mail?
You should direct all personal mail and courier packages (e.g. DHL or FedEx) to the school’s address, and not to your Beijing residential address. At WAB, both your business and personal letters are delivered to the Elementary School mailroom, and then put in your personalized mailbox (commonly known as a “pigeonhole”). Staff members need to check for deliveries there, as notifications are not sent out when mail is received. The following is WAB’s physical address and official mailing addressin both English and Chinese for easy cut and paste:
#10 Lai Guang Ying Dong Lu Chaoyang District, Beijing 100102 PRC
北京市朝阳区来广营东路十号 邮政编码: 100102
Telephone
The School’s main telephone number is +86 10 5986 5588. To transfer, just dial the four-digit extension number (if you know it) or dial “0” for assistance from the front desk (located at the Elementary School).
Have you informed the HR Office of your latest contact details?
To facilitate communication after you leave your current school, it is important to keep WAB’s Human Resource Office updated with your current address (mailing address), telephone number(s) and a personal email address.
Your New WAB email address
WAB will provide you an @wab-edu.cn email address early during the process. We have many reasons for doing this, including that it is the professional way of communicating with new employees, as we don’t want to burden your old school’s email system, and it ensures you will retain all our communication even after you leave your old school. Please check your WAB email account on a regular basis. We only send you information that is needed during the transition process.
Have you prepared your “relocation folder”?
It is important to organize your relocation paperwork in a folder. We recommend collecting things like your passport, invoices, receipts, medical report, email printouts and important contact information. You should also make photocopies of these documents, just in case more than one set is required. Organizing a ‘relocation folder’ will help you find things easily and quickly and will help manage transitional stress.
Key Contact People
Please feel free to contact the following staff members who will help you with your transition to WAB:
Michael Christiansen
Chief Financial & Operating Officer
michael_christiansen@wab.edu
Tel: +8610 5986 5588
Stephen Taylor
Director of Innovation in Learning & Teaching
stephen_taylor@wab.edu
Tel: +8610 5986 5588
Hunter Shang
New Employee Orientation Program Coordinator
hshang@wab.edu
Tel: +8610 5986 5588 ext 2211
WAB’s Urgent Communications System
When WAB need to urgently communicate or receive information from our community we use WeCom, a WeChat enabled system. WeCom is simple to use: There is no additional platform, app, or login required. Once in China, with a Chinese mobile number new staff can simply scan the below QR code using a WeChat account that is linked to the mobile number registered with our HR, and it will automatically identify you as a WAB staff. Once registered, any urgent messages will be delivered directly to your normal WeChat account.
Step-by-step instructions can be found at https://parents.wab-edu.cn/wecom-registration
Get Connected with WAB's Social Media
You will receive all your essential information on school life through WAB’s staff portal, but for more fun news, photos and reminders, you can choose to connect and engage with the WAB community on your favorite social media platforms! Like and share photos, videos and news from WAB by following these accounts.
WeChat: WAB’s official WeChat account is a one-stop shop for news, photos and upcoming events at WAB. The WAB community can access tons of school resources and WAB Weekly by signing in with username: wabtiger and password: wabtiger. Don’t worry! This is not a group chat so you won’t be bombarded with tons of messages. Scan the QR code to follow now:
Account: WAB_Chat
Facebook: Connect with WAB through photos, videos and stories of life on and off campus. Like, comment and share information related to WAB sports, arts, academics and events! Account: Western Academy of Beijing
Instagram: Share and contribute to a collection of WAB photos by uploading your photos with #mywab. See and share live updates from WAB events, highlights from WAB in the community, and day-to-day school happenings. Account: @wablive
Twitter: Follow a mix of media and up-to-the-second updates from WAB events. Mention @wab_live in your tweet and use #mywab to become part of the conversation. Account: @wab_live
Linkedin: Visit LinkedIn and search for Western Academy of Beijing, which will bring you to a page dedicated exclusively to our school’s academic news, teacher initiatives and job openings. Account: Western Academy of Beijing YouTube: Visit Western Academy of Beijing on YouTube to see videos of school activities, WABTV productions, weekly highlights and more. Account: Western Academy of Beijing
YouTube: Visit Western Academy of Beijing on YouTube to see videos of school activities, WABTV productions, weekly highlights and more. Account: Western Academy of Beijing