The School Day

Bell Times:
Elementary School Building

8:10am Supervision begins on the playground

8:25am Students may enter classrooms

8:30am Classes commence

9:40-10:00am Morning Break

12:00-1:00pm Lunch Break

  1. 12:00-12:30pm First lunch JG1, SG1 & G2 eat lunch
  2. 12:30-1:00pm Second lunch  G3, G4, G5 eat lunch 

3:20pm Dismissal from school

Bell Times:
Early Childhood Center

8:10am Supervision begins in the playground, Piazza, and classrooms

8:30am Classes commence

10:40-11:00am Morning Break

12:00pm 3-year-old half day: Dismissal from school (11:30 parent pick-up, 12:00 buses)

12:00pm 3- and 4-year-old full day: Dismissal from school on Wednesdays only (11:30 parent pick-up, 12:00 buses)

12:00am-1:00pm Lunch Break 

3:20pm Dismissal from school

Assemblies

WAB encourages everyone to be a part of the WAB community but also to value the many communities that exist within the school. Assemblies occur at different times throughout the school year. Elementary Assemblies are divided into two categories: Grade-Level Assemblies and Elementary School Assemblies.

Grade-Level Assemblies

Two Elementary Grade-Level Assemblies occur on alternate Fridays in the Founders’ Theatre – Junior Grade 1 and Senior Grade 1 alternate with Grades 2 and 3. Grades 4 and 5 Assemblies take place on Fridays in the Founders’ Theatre approximately every 2 weeks. 

The focus of these assemblies is a celebration and sharing of students’ learning and an opportunity for students, teachers, and parents to enjoy being together as a group. These assemblies usually feature one or more classes that prepare and perform items that reflect ongoing learning in the classroom. Very often, students from various classes will lead the assemblies. These assemblies are also a forum to disseminate information from the administration and WAB community about events that may be happening in and around WAB. 

In the Early Years, students gather in the Piazza for singing and celebrations every Friday morning.

Elementary Assemblies and Whole School Assemblies

Elementary School Assemblies (Early Years-Grade 5) and Whole School Assemblies (Early Years-Grade 12) occur usually at the end of most semesters and include farewells, leaving certificates, and the WAB band and choir. These assemblies are usually held in the Elementary gymnasium.

Elementary Assemblies and Whole School Assemblies

Special Event Assemblies are scheduled at various times throughout the school year to feature guest artists and performers who provide entertainment, education, and cultural exchange. 

Parents are always welcome to attend Elementary and Whole School Assemblies, but because of the number of families at WAB, space at Whole School Assemblies is very limited.

Play Times - Indoor and Outdoor

All students are encouraged to be outside at break times unless they are participating in an indoor activity or the Inclement Weather Bell has rung. Students who do not wish to go outside can participate in a range of activities indoors, including library (which is open at all break times), as well as the gymnasium, the music suites, and art rooms, which are open as advertised. Students may also be indoors if they are using the toilets, are visiting the school nurse, or meeting with one of our counselors.

Playgrounds and Supervision

WAB prides itself on giving choice of spaces for students to spend their free time during breaks. Playground areas for student use:

Area A:
Lower Elementary Playground 
Junior and Senior Grade 1 

Area B:
Upper Elementary Playground 
Grade 2-Grade 5 

Area C:
Secret Garden 

Grade 2-Grade 5

Area D:
Tiger Field, Library, Visual and Performing Arts Rooms

Junior/Senior Grade 1-5 students

An Elementary Staff Supervision Schedule is in operation at all times in all playground areas. The Early Years Courtyard and Tiger L’Air are also supervised play areas. 
The Founders’ Theatre and Tiger L’Air are used as spaces for students to play during inclement weather.

Inclement Weather

WAB has a world-class air filtration system inside all buildings with air quality ranging between 1-5. The ES reception publishes the AQI reading on WAB’s Parent Portal hourly and will use the reading to determine when to implement our inclement weather procedures.

When the air quality reaches unacceptable levels, bells will sound instructing students to remain indoors. The following procedures and spaces are allocated:

Early Years
  • Between 0-180 AQI – All outside areas open.
  • Between 181-299 AQI – Outside areas are closed, and inside areas, including classrooms, are open. Students continue to move between the ECC and ES Building for PE, swimming, and library.
  • 300+ AQI – The students will remain in the ECC building and not access the main building.
JG1 – Grade 5
  • Between 0-199 AQI – All outside areas are open for students.
  • Between 200-299 AQI – All outside areas are closed. The Founders’ Theatre and Tiger L’Air are open for student use.
  • 300+ AQI – All outside areas are closed. Students may not leave the building. The Tiger L’Air is closed. The Founders’ Theatre, studio rooms, and library are open.

Clothing Recomendations

WAB does not require a school uniform, however many Elementary students find it comfortable to wear the WAB physical education (PE) kit. As our students are highly physically active during the day, we ask parents to send students to school in shoes that are appropriate for running and ball games, even on non-PE days. For this reason, students should not come to school wearing crocs or flip-flops. For students playing soccer/football, closed toed shoes are essential. Please also ensure that open-toed shoes or sandals are not worn on a Personal-Social-Physical Education (PSPE) day unless your child has swimming.

WAB recommends the following clothing choices for single subject-lessons:

Physical Education

We recommend that they wear the PE kit to school, which is popular with many students who often wear it throughout the week as well. Specific sports shoes for PE should be sent or worn to school on these days. Open sandals, boots, and jewelry are not suitable for PE lessons. Additional items of PE clothing, such as tracksuit tops and pants, long sleeved tops, and swimwear are available to purchase through the Parent Link outlet known as the Tiger’s Den in the Elementary School. All PSPE clothing should be clearly marked with child’s name for quick return if lost.

Swimming

Swimming is a part of the educational program at WAB, and all students are expected to participate. When swimming is scheduled, students need to bring a towel and swimwear. Goggles are optional. Generally, if students are not feeling well enough to swim we recommend they not attend school that day. If a student cannot swim, a note is required from the parent on that day.

Visual Arts

All students wear supplied art smocks or aprons during visual arts lessons. However, students are encouraged not to wear ‘good’ clothes on art days, as accidents can and often do happen.

Arrival at School

Students should not arrive at school before 8:00am. We supervise indoor and outdoor areas after 8am. When the bell rings at 8:30am, students go to their homerooms.

Absence from School or Late Arrival

Parents are asked to notify the school via the Parent Portal, telephone, email, or send a note of explanation to the homeroom teacher if their child is absent for any reason. 

If arriving late (after 8:30am bell) students are to report to the Elementary Reception to sign in. Administrative staff will adjust the official school records accordingly.

Early Departure

Occasionally, a student may need to leave campus before the end of the school day. Elementary students can leave when prior communication has been received from a parent. Prior to departure, the parent and student are asked to report to Elementary Reception and sign-out with the receptionist. Elementary students are not permitted to leave the campus during the school day without being accompanied by a parent (or nominated adult) and an exit/sign-out pass.

Attendance and Punctuality

To ensure students optimize learning and achievement, attendance and punctuality at school is essential. WAB is committed to maximizing school attendance. Students are expected to attend school every day unless they are sick or have extenuating circumstances explaining their absence.

Expectations of Parents

While we appreciate that some school absence is inevitable, we ask families to support us by:
  • Ensuring that your children attend school and arrive punctually every school day.
  • Providing the school with notification in the event that your child will be absent or late. This can be done via the WAB Parent Portal.
  • Communicating with your children about the importance of daily attendance and punctuality and their effects on learning and achievement.
  • Informing the school principal or assistant principal of any special circumstances that may have an effect on their child’s attendance.

Excused Absence

Parents are requested to advise homeroom and single-subject teachers if their child will be absent from school for an extended period of time (more than three consecutive days). The nature of the PYP and learning at WAB is inquiry-based. As such, class activities and assignments are organized in such a way that they cannot always be replicated at a later date. Because it is not possible to replicate the school’s learning environment, teachers are unable to provide schoolwork for a student who is absent from class except in the case of a student who has a documented acute or chronic medical condition requiring extended time away from school. Regular daily attendance, therefore, is necessary and expected.

We urge parents to exercise discretion and avoid absences due to convenience, travel, or vacation during regularly scheduled school days, including days adjacent to weekends and school holidays.

Field Trips

China is considered a key platform for learning, providing opportunities for real-life investigations, and experiences that cannot be replicated in the classroom. 

Field trips and in-school visits are woven through transdisciplinary and single-subject Units of Inquiry with an emphasis on students developing connections to people and issues in a richer and more meaningful way than they might do as tourists. These opportunities are planned to be developmentally appropriate and responsive to the needs identified through students’ inquiries.

When students go on WAB field trips:

  • Parents receive written communication about the field trip which outlines the date, mode of transport, student’s needs, a description and reason for field trip, and permission slip for parents to sign;
  • At least one Chinese-speaking adult will attend;
  • Written permission from the parent/guardian must be given, otherwise the student cannot attend;
  • Students not attending the field trip will be placed in another class for the duration of the field trip.
 

WAB uses recommended adult/student ratios when going on field trips. Teachers may request parental help for field trips, depending on the field trip.

Use of School Facilities after School Hours

Elementary students must be supervised by an adult when using the outdoor facilities after school hours. Elementary students participating in ASAs in Grades 3-5 can independently use the library after school for home learning, research, and recreational reading until 5:00pm. Early Years-Grade 2 students must be accompanied by an adult. 

Parents are welcome to use public areas after school hours, however some of these spaces may not be available if they are being used for After-school Activities. Please refrain from using these areas during After-school Activities.

Overseas or Alumni Student Visitors

Requests should be made to the homeroom teacher and a member of the ES Administrative Team. Please note that current regulations restrict campus access for visitors, but when we are permitted to again welcome visitors to our campus the following procedures should be followed:

  • The family should make the request to the homeroom teacher who has the right to decline if it will adversely interrupt their teaching for that day.
  • The guest should be approximately the same age as the student attending WAB.
  • The homeroom teacher will inform all single-subject teachers if the guest will be attending school for the day.

All visitors to the school must report to the Main Gate. Each visitor will be given a visitor’s badge and be asked to sign the Visitor’s Registration Form. Visitors may then proceed to their destination if the visit has been prearranged. If unsure, please proceed to Elementary Reception.