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Wellington College International Shanghai
The Pudong campus of the UK Wellington brand, operated by Wellington College International. Strong British curriculum offer with an IB Diploma sixth form, and the academic results to match, though parents disagree about whether the price tag matches the experience.
In brief
The Pudong campus of the UK Wellington brand, operated by Wellington College International. Strong British curriculum offer with an IB Diploma sixth form, and the academic results to match, though parents disagree about whether the price tag matches the experience.
Wellington Shanghai sits in Qiantan and runs from age 2 to 18, with around 1,660 students. The route is the English National Curriculum into IGCSE and the IB Diploma. Facilities are at the top end of what Shanghai offers, the houses-and-pastoral system imported from the UK is taken seriously, and academic results are consistently strong.
Parents who like Wellington love the breadth of co-curricular life, the focus on character through the Wellington Identity, and the IB results. The most consistent complaint is that growth came fast and teaching quality is uneven across departments, with some families saying their children fell behind peers when returning to UK schools. Fees sit at the top of the Shanghai market. Families wanting a recognisable British brand with IB at the end tend to be happy. Those wanting a tighter community prefer YCIS or Dulwich.
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Nursery / Nursery / Reception | 2 | CN¥292,400 |
| Years 1-5 | 6 | CN¥324,600 |
| Year 6 | 11 | CN¥341,800 |
| Years 7-9 | 12 | CN¥356,700 |
| Years 10-11 | 15 | CN¥380,300 |
| Years 12-13 | 17 | CN¥391,000 |
One-time fees
| Item | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Application Fee (non-refundable) | CN¥3,500 | |
| Resource Fee (on acceptance) | CN¥18,000 |
Reviews
- Parent-facing public signal is mixed: one family review praises the campus and marketing but says the school expanded too quickly and that teaching quality was uneven.
- Broader school-review coverage presents Wellington Shanghai as a large, premium British and IB school with strong facilities, substantial fees, and mainstream learning support rather than specialist provision.
- The useful public review pool is still small, so the negative family comment should be treated as a caution rather than a settled consensus.
Positives
- Facilities and brand polish. Public listings and family comments consistently acknowledge strong facilities and a polished school presentation.
Considerations
- Growth and teaching consistency. One family review says the school grew quickly and that teacher quality was uneven.
- Limited parent-review depth. There is not enough recent parent-review volume to separate isolated dissatisfaction from a wider pattern.
Leadership
Julian Jeffrey
Alastair Phillips is the new Head of Primary at Wellington College International Shanghai. With 16 years of experience as a headteacher in the UK, he is passionate about improving pupil outcomes and creating a safe, happy, and successful environment for children.
Accreditations
- Council of International Schools 01
- COBIS Patron's Accreditation and Compliance 02
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges (Accrediting Commission for Schools) 03
Academic results
- IB Diploma 2025 average 37.4 points
- A* / A at IGCSE 2025 33%