Dear parents

I was saddened this week to learn of the death of His Royal Highness, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. He was, of course, consort to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as well as a regular visitor to our sister school in England. His passing has seen an outpouring of national sympathy for the royal family, not unsurprisingly, but what was so notable for me in the reporting was the heavy emphasis placed on the Duke of Edinburgh's long years of service to the country and family. He championed conservation issues well before they became fashionable and was known as the hardest-working member of the royal family in terms of the number of engagements and patronages he maintained until well into his later years.

Parents will know that I do not usually veer into world affairs in a column dedicated to the week ahead. Still, I made an exception in this edition simply because, among all the commitments His Royal Highness was associated with throughout his life as consort to the Queen, none was as lasting as his championing of young people. The eponymous award, which takes his title, has become an internationally recognized marque of quality education in service-learning. The International Duke of Edinburgh's award scheme is thriving here at Wellington, and in over 140 countries across the world. Since its creation in 1956, the scheme has benefitted more than 8 million young people.

Service lies at the heart of education in Wellington. Pupils in our school are privileged to study here. As a part of that privilege, we work to help them recognize the importance of serving others, giving back to the communities that have raised them, and building international and intercultural bridges between people. I firmly believe that schools such as Wellington have a responsibility to educate young people beyond the textbook and classroom. They will be citizens of the world soon enough, and they need to understand both their place in that world, but also that they have the capacity to make things better. Our own Duke of Edinburgh award scheme and the innovative Eric Liddell project are formal ways in which our pupils can get involved in practical service work, seeing a direct link between their hard work and improvements in the lives of those around them.

I have written many times about the benefits of service-learning, and it will continue to be significant focus of the holistic education we offer in the school. If you would like to learn more about the International Duke of Edinburgh Award, the Eric Liddell project or any other way in which your child can engage more deeply in helping others, then please do not hesitate to contact me. 

His Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh, embodied a life of service to others. His example can serve as an inspiration to the generations of young Wellingtons here in Tianjin as they seek ways to make a difference to the world around them.

Best wishes

Julian Jeffrey
MASTER