Presented by Stephen Keown, Executive Principal, the theme of the event is “Welcome to Our Learning Community”. Representatives from the school’s leadership team will cover topics such as the pursuit of academic excellence, professional development, and what it’s really like to live and work in Hangzhou, the jewel of the Yangtse delta.

The event promises to be a great opportunity for you get direct insights about teaching and learning at Hangzhou DSAS, while also having the chance to speak directly with key representatives from the school.

Speakers at the event include the following:

Stephen Keown, Executive Principal

Stephen, who has worked in education for over 20 years, knows that the effectiveness of any school is related to the quality of its teachers.

In his keynote address, Stephen will share his belief that to truly unlock the potential of every student they must feel valued individually. High quality teachers embody this belief.

Celia Zhang, Head of Finance and Administration

Celia and Harry bring a wealth of international and Chinese education experience to their respective roles.

Harry Roberts, Head of International School, Student Support, and Pastoral Care

In a presentation on professional life at King’s They will share a fascinating overview on how the school supports the professional development of staff, including orientation, well-being and continuing professional development.

Thomas Merchant, Head of Mathematics

Tom and Jasmine are experienced members of our learning community.

Jasmine Wilkinson, Head of Grade 5,

 They will share their experience of living in Hangzhou, the jewel of the Yangtse delta. They will also share their perspectives on working in Dipont Hangzhou School of Arts and Science.

School Leadership Q & A

After the presentations, you will have the chance to ask questions about employment at our school. These will be answered directly by the school leadership group. Led by Stephen Keown, Executive Principal, representatives from the executive committee welcome the chance to communicate directly with quality teachers who are interested in joining their team.

Meet the Subject Leaders

Subject Leaders from a range of disciplines, including English, Maths, and Science, and specialist courses such as drama, will attend. They will be available to field your queries about joining our learning community that aspires to excellence.

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Hangzhou Dipont School of Arts and Science was founded through partnership between world class schools. These include the RDFZ group, The High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China (commonly known as RDFZ) and King’s College School, Wimbledon (KCS). The mission of Dipont Hangzhou School of Arts and Science is to create a learning community which integrates the best of international and Chinese education.

We welcome education professional across all disciplines and grade levels. Join us in the great work we are doing In education in China.

To register for the Hangzhou Dipont School Online Teacher Recruitment Open Day, click here.

Places are limited. Register soon to avoid disappointment!

Learn more about Hangzhou Dipont School of Arts and Science here.

The post Welcome to our learning community. appeared first on Dipont Education.

Here she talks about living in and traveling around China, and about her experience of working in a truly international learning community.

You have worked as a teacher in a few different countries around Asia. In which country have you enjoyed working the most?

“I’ve actually enjoyed China the most. I think Thailand is brilliant for a holiday, but probably not so great for working. Japan was great. I mean, Japan is an amazing country, but the cost of living is quite expensive. But China has been great, because I’ve been able to save a lot, and I’ve also been able to travel a lot. Even with COVID, not being able to travel outside of China so easily, but being able to travel around China itself, has been incredible. So I’ve definitely enjoyed China.”

What qualities do you think you need to succeed as a teacher in China?

“Open-mindedness. Acceptance. Communication. Humor. Just to be aware of the fact that you are stepping into a different culture. As a teacher at RDFZ you just need to talk to people. Communicate. Get to know people. Work hard. No-one likes a shirker!”

Visible learning in a wall of words

Is it hard work?

“Yes, it is. We have quite a few classes. There are high expectations. This is fine, there should be high expectations if you are teaching children anyway. It’s nothing that you wouldn’t expect from a school that really values positive student outcomes.”

Are there any teachers or educators who have influenced your teaching style?

“I think I’m probably influenced by a great range of people. We have quite a few really good teachers here, and when I’ve gone in and observed them I’ve picked up some really good teaching tips.

“Thinking back to my own primary school teachers I remember a couple of teachers that were really horrible to me. You always remember the horrible ones. But then I remember another one who was really funny, and he was kind, and he was a good teacher.”

How would you describe your students?

“They are great! They are really good. I wouldn’t say that I’ve got any naughty students. I’ve got some that can get a bit hyperactive sometimes. In my experience, most of my students are quite hardworking, and they enjoy studying, and they enjoy succeeding, so it’s not hard to get them to do their homework. Every now and then someone forgets, but it’s never on a consistent basis of not doing the work.”

You can tell how much the students love Rebecca’s classes by the smiles on their faces

How do you interact with your Chinese colleagues in your daily work life?

“We have tutor group every morning, and so my co-tutor is Chinese. Some of our English teachers are Chinese as well. So we work together quite closely. We have a teacher from Singapore. We have teachers from all over the place. America, UK, Turkey, Serbia, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa. It’s interesting, to get to learn about different countries, different cultures.”

What would you say to someone to encourage them to come to RDFZ Hangzhou to work?

“I would say that you will never be bored here. It’s a really stimulating environment. You will learn a lot. You will develop as a teacher. And there are always opportunities for leadership so, if you want to develop in that area, there will be opportunities for that. The school has got a really great professional development program. Also, if you start doing some post-grad studies, they will also help you out with the cost of that as well depending on how long you have been working for the school. It’s a really good salary. All in all, it’s a great place to work.”

Can you give an example of some kind of professional development training that you’ve taken?

“We have regular PD days. For a whole day, there won’t be any students here, and there will be a series of PD sessions that we can choose from. For some of them, we get Dipont instructors to come in, and others are from our internal teachers who want to develop their training skills and share their ideas. The last PD session I went to was about Socratic Questioning. It was really good. That was led by Leanne Grundy, from Dipont HQ.”

What do you like to do in your free time?

“I love walking around where I’m living. There are little tea plantations, and I went for a long walk one day, just roamed endlessly, and I ended up in this tiny little village surrounded by tea plantations. And there was a big reservoir, and I almost stepped on a snake. It was great.”

What is a special memory that you have of traveling around China?

“Last summer I went on an Amdo art tour, that’s a place on the Tibetan plateau. It was with a very small group. We started off in Xining, and we ended up going to a far-off Tibetan city that is basically considered the home of Tibetan art. We went there, and we did a two-day workshop on how to paint in the style of Tibetan art. That was really special. And then we did a little hike in Ganan, so we were up quite high.

“I also went to Shangri La. I did a great hike into Yubeng village. That was pretty special as well. Just to see a small place like that. It was amazing.”

Yubeng village in Yunnan province with Meili Snow Mountain in the distance

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We have positions available for qualified and energetic teachers at RDFZ King’s College School Hangzhou for an August 2022 start. Visit our independent schools jobs section to review these and other open positions across our broad network of exceptional schools in China.

The post An English teacher in China: “You will never be bored here!” appeared first on Dipont Education.

Executive Principal, Stuart Walker, and students introduce RDFZ King’s College School in the dynamic city of Hangzhou:

We’re seeking inspiring educators to join RDFZ King’s College School Hangzhou for August 2021. If you’re interested in joining this exciting new venture, visit the independent school jobs pages to browse the current vacancies. 

The post [VIDEO] RDFZ King’s College School in its third year appeared first on Dipont Education.

Highly experienced educator and school leader, Stuart Walker, will join RDFZ King’s College Hangzhou as its new executive principal.

Stuart, who will take up the role in August 2020, joins RDFZ King’s from GEMS World Academy in Dubai, where he has been head of school since 2015.

An international career

Stuart’s career has taken him across the world. Prior to working at GEMS World Academy, he was the principal of Garden International School in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, one of the leading British curriculum schools in South East Asia. Before that, he was the senior policy advisor to the Minister of Education in Sydney, Australia, and served as executive director at the United Nations International School in New York. From 2006 to 2009 he was the headmaster of Blue Mountains Grammar School near Sydney, while from 2000 to 2006 he was the director of Pearson College of the Pacific, the United World College of Canada in Victoria British Columbia.

Although this will be Stuart’s first posting in China, he already has extensive experience of working in the country, having developed sister school agreements with two leading institutions, Suzhou High School and Suzhou No.10 School. Stuart traveled regularly to Suzhou for around a decade, working closely with teachers, students and families, as well as education professionals.

“My interest in China really stemmed from there,” he said. “I got to know the area around Suzhou very well and enjoyed working with a range of different people, learning much about Chinese culture. I’m delighted to be coming to live in China and I’m looking forward to getting to know Hangzhou equally well.”

When visiting the school’s campus for the first time, Stuart was impressed by the start-of-the-art facilities and the huge potential of the school to develop into one of the best in the city. His plans include introducing the International Baccalaureate Program and ensuring the school continues to grow and build its reputation.

“The school is still very young, but there is real opportunity to achieve something special,” he said. “Ultimately, I want to ensure we’re getting the highest possible results so that students can have the pick of which university around the world they go to.”

A life of adventure

Born in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA to British and South African parents, Stuart moved first to South Africa and then to Australia for high school and post-secondary training. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of New South Wales, gained at the Royal Military College, Duntroon, a Diploma of Education from Monash University, and a Master’s in Educational Administration from Deakin University.

He has lived and traveled all over the world – travels in Europe, Japan and Africa, scientific expeditions in Australia, and scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef, Fiji, Mexico and Vanuatu. In addition, he is an experienced sailor who has participated in ocean racing, a rugby enthusiast and referee, an accomplished cook and photographer. He has also completed numerous marathons in different parts of the world.

Stuart has grown-up children and will be joined in Hangzhou by his wife, Victoria.

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Jeff Zhu, vice president at Dipont, responsible for the development of the schools, looks back over the first year and where the schools will go from here.

Dipont: Where are the schools now, in comparison to when they opened last year?

Jeff: When the schools opened in September 2018, they each had around 800 pupils. Now, in their second academic year, they have increased their enrolment figures to around 1,300 pupils each. This is remarkable because when we opened we weren’t sure whether parents in smaller cities like Hangzhou and Wuxi would respond to our hybrid model of internationalized education – there simply hadn’t been any schools like ours operating in those cities. Parents have been really enthusiastic about our educational approach and enrolment figures look healthy for next academic year too.

D: But the success of a school isn’t solely measured on enrolment figures, is it?

J: No, absolutely not. What’s been really heartening to hear is how our schools are having a transformative effect on pupils. Our model is very student-centered and responsive. We’re aiming to create a challenging – but supportive – environment. We’ve a lot of students who have transferred from other schools and many of their parents have told us that their child used to have to be dragged to school but that they now can’t wait to get to school because they enjoy it so much. That’s so encouraging to hear. We’ve heard the schools referred to as ‘smiling campuses’ because everyone, from pupils to teachers to visiting parents, is happy and enjoying their time there.

D: How do you plan to evaluate the schools’ ongoing success?

J: As well as ensuring that we’re creating nurturing, respectful and happy environments for everyone in our school community, ultimately success will be measured on where our pupils go after they graduate from us. We need to wait a few years before they are taking A-levels (and eventually the I.B.) but we’re hoping that by the time they are, having gone through our immersive bilingual system, that their English levels will be high or near-native. We would hope that they’ll achieve results that are on a par with pupils studying at the very best schools internationally. These results will enable them to study at the very best higher education institutions around the world.

D: What have been some of the challenges of the past year or so?

J: Language is an ongoing challenge – we’re trying to create an immersive bilingual environment, not just a Chinese school with some English classes added on. We’re teaching subjects and lessons in a mix of both Chinese and English. Obviously, Chinese is the first language of the vast majority of our pupils, so we need to ensure that they are learning what they need to while taking into account the difficulties of studying in another language. Some parents have expressed concern that their children are picking up subject content at a slower pace, especially in comparison to pupils studying in an all-Chinese environment, so we need to make sure we’re doing all we can to support students in their language learning. This includes increased English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction and adapting our curriculum model to reflect students’ learning pace. But, it’s early days yet and research shows that pupils in dual-language immersion programs can actually outperform peers who only study in one language. Our students will pick up their pace dramatically in the coming years and be extremely adept at working in the two languages – skills that will stand them in very good stead in the future.

D: How important is it that parents are supportive of what the schools are trying to do?

J: It’s absolutely crucial. By sending their children to our schools, parents are indicating that they’re supportive of our model. Indeed, many say that they love our vibrant, diverse and bilingual campus cultures. But, of course, we’re doing something very different and at times parents might struggle with that process, especially as it involves their children’s education. As we progress, working more closely with parents to explain what’s happening and to ensure their buy-in is going to be really important.

D: What’s next for the schools?

J: Well, there’s really such a lot still to do, it’s a journey of evolution for everyone involved. We’ll keep reacting and responding to challenges and opportunities as we move into a new phase of development, after our crucial first year. Each of the schools will continue to develop their own cultures and identities, staff will become more settled and experienced, and students more comfortable in the learning approach. We’ll continue to expand our provision and open up grade levels. Away from Hangzhou and Wuxi, we’re in the process of opening new schools in partnership with King’s College School, Wimbledon, in Chengdu and Changzhou. In addition, we’re well on our way to opening Shanghai Huaer College School Kunshan, which combines Chinese and American education. The demand for internationalized education in China is huge, we’re really just scratching the surface. There’s plenty to keep us busy for the next few years!

Please note that since January 2022, Shanghai Huaer Collegiate School Kunshan has been known as Dipont Huayao Collegiate School Kunshan.

Are you a teacher or education professional? Check out our vacancies page for the latest teaching jobs in China.

The post Two schools, one year in: a journey of evolution appeared first on Dipont Education.

King’s College School, Wimbledon, invites talented teachers to join the event and find out more about working within the growing family of King’s schools overseas.

The King’s College Schools overseas family includes RDFZ King’s College School Hangzhou and Nanwai King’s College School Wuxi, both developed in partnership with Dipont and opened in 2018. Both schools will be recruiting for kindergarten, junior and senior school teaching, heads of department and leadership posts beginning in August 2020.

Members of the schools’ senior leadership teams will be available on stalls to speak to attendees about working at our overseas schools. Speakers will include Andrew Halls, Headmaster of King’s College School, Wimbledon.

Event details

Date: Saturday, Dec. 14 2019
Time: 8.30am – 5pm
Venue: New Hall, King’s College School, Wimbledon, UK

To find out more information or to register for the recruitment event (deadline Dec. 6 2019), please email Oliver Knapman, recruitment manager, on oliver.knapman@dipont.com.

The post Recruitment event: King’s College Schools overseas appeared first on Dipont Education.

William Thomson, Marketing and Admissions Officer, tell us about how the school’s learning goes beyond the curriculum to produce happy, well-rounded young adults:

“Every one of the students at King’s College Hangzhou completes a wide range of sporting, creative, academic and service co-curricular activities (CCA), four days a week. On top of this, they have clubs at lunchtimes and after school that lead to competitions and tournaments against other schools. This is one of the ways in which we produce happy, well-rounded young adults who, when they leave us, are ready for higher education and the wider world.

“The co-curricular program at King’s College School Hangzhou is one of the main ways in which we bring our pupils together in one community. The huge range of activities and inter-house events creates an inclusive culture, allowing pupils to make friends, form relationships that help them feel secure within their school, take risks, and face new challenges.

These attributes are essential in our pupils becoming curious explorers and innovators, able to tackle problems in new, creative ways, and to succeed in their lives. Sport is one of the key aspects of our co-curricular program as we believe it plays a vital role in the development of our students.

“As we approach the exam season, sport can be a hugely beneficial tool to relieve stress, particularly for our older students. Whilst Mark Culverhouse, our Director of Sport, always strives to provide excellent training sessions for our elite-level athletes, his primary objective is to provide opportunities for all students, irrespective of age and ability. Staff in our physical education department are therefore delighted about the number of clubs, sessions and fixtures we have been able to run for our students this semester.

“Perhaps a highlight of the semester thus far has been the visit of James Goddard, the decorated British Olympic swimmer. After he spoke to our students about how he became a world-class swimmer (and showed off his Commonwealth Games Gold medals!), he led our Grade 5 International and Bilingual School students in a backstroke masterclass. Following this, he was able to provide valuable advice to our elite-level Grade 7 and 10 swimmers during their CCA session. Our students thoroughly enjoyed James’ classes and were inspired to continue their hard work in the pool.

“Another sports highlight of semester two has been the number of fixtures we have played against other schools in both Hangzhou and Shanghai. Our International School students have played in both the U11 and U13 football teams while the dance squad proved victorious at the Shanghai Schools Sports Association Dance Festival.

“In a short time, we have established a culture in which everyone feels able to try their hardest, and enjoy sport and co-curricular activities. In the next few years, our programs will grow as we add more options for students and push them to find success in many different ways. If you would like to find out more please do not hesitate to get in touch and visit our beautiful campus.”

If you’re a teacher or education professional, visit the school website for information on available vacancies.

The post Learning beyond the curriculum appeared first on Dipont Education.

“Dipont Education opened two new schools in September 2018 that were set up in a unique partnership model with local government, two highly regarded Chinese schools (Nanjing Foreign Language School and The High School Affiliated to Renmin University), and King’s College School, Wimbledon.

“Nanwai King’s College School in Wuxi and RDFZ King’s College School in Hangzhou have opened with over 800 students and 700 students respectively and will each grow to over 3,000 students at capacity. Opening two large schools at the same time was certainly challenging, but it allowed the management team to combine efforts across the two campuses and collaborate on all the intricacies of set-up. The Founding Heads were in post 12 months before opening, with other senior team members joining throughout the year, which ensured a well-planned and strategic start to both schools for recruitment, student admissions and policy development. In terms of recruitment, the original plan was well laid out, but tweaked as necessary as the year progressed. We appointed over 260 expatriate teachers, Chinese bilingual teachers, and teacher trainees to start in August 2018.

“There is considerable demand from Chinese families for internationalized schooling and the opportunity for their children to become bilingual through this. This is tempered, however, with concern that their abilities in their first language are still well developed, that the rigors of the Chinese curriculum are maintained, and that they retain a strong sense of cultural identity. Government policy, particularly in the compulsory phase for Chinese curriculum education between 6 and 15 years of age, will obviously continue to affect how schools and education groups operate.”

Read the full article in International School Leader Magazine’s February 2019 edition.

The post “Considerable demand for internationalized schooling” appeared first on Dipont Education.

The occasion was marked by two formal ceremonies, one at each campus. The events brought together the school partners, including the UK’s King’s College School, Wimbledon, leaders at the new schools and representatives of local government.

The new schools, RDFZ King’s College School Hangzhou and Nanwai King’s College School Wuxi, have been founded through partnership between Dipont and King’s College School. Chinese school partners are The High School Affiliated to Renmin University and Nanjing Foreign Languages School respectively.

The formal openings of the two schools mark Dipont Education’s crossover from education management group to education provider. The company is focused on exploring new models for the integration of Chinese and international education. The schools’ curriculum models set a precedent for the management of new schools in China, with government, Chinese and British schools, private education providers working together to develop new institutions.

Nearly 1,500 new students and 400 Chinese and international staff joined the two schools at the start of the school year in early September.

RDFZ King’s College School Hangzhou

RDFZ King’s College School Hangzhou held its opening ceremony on Sept. 18 at its campus in the Yuhang district of Hangzhou. Bruce Thompson, executive principal of the school, welcomed students and guests on behalf of the school and introduced the school’s concept, characteristics and vision.

Two student representatives, Yiteng Xu and Jiayi He, gave a speech in both Chinese and English, calling RDFZ King’s College School Hangzhou their “ideal school”. They thanked the school for the excellent resources provided to each student and said they were proud to be among the first students admitted.

Hailing Wang, Honorary Principal at the school, thanked the various partners for their contributions and encouraged the new students to “work hard, broaden your horizons, develop your character and cultivate your inquiring, independent and critical thinking skills.”

Andrew Halls, Headmaster at King’s College School in the UK, traveled specially to China to attend the opening ceremonies. In his speech, he spoke of his confidence and hope in the future development of the schools, adding that King’s 200-year history and special characteristics were incorporated in the schools’ curricula.

Mr. Halls also spoke highly of Dipont: “From our first meeting in 2014, everyone from Dipont was very welcoming, open and trusting and there was a genuine interest in finding out what makes the education at King’s so unique. This wonderful new school would not have been possible without the vision of one man. Benson’s [Zhang, Dipont CEO] drive to provide a different form of education for students has been fundamental to this project.”

Other speakers at the ceremony included Lianming Yang, Deputy Principal at RDFZ United Schools, Tony Clemson, Deputy Consul General in Shanghai, and Jianhua Zhou, Deputy District Head, Yuhang District Government, who all spoke highly of the school’s establishment (pictured above, left to right).

Representatives from government went on a tour of the school.

Nanwai King’s College School Wuxi

The morning of Sept. 19 saw the opening ceremony for Nanwai King’s College School Wuxi, where guests wrote messages of congratulations on a giant poster board.

Executive principal Craig Monaghan gave a brief introduction to the school, saying that staff were committed to working with families and the local community to provide high-quality academic courses, rich extracurricular activities and a robust student care system in order to support student growth and all-round development.

The school’s other principals, Moade Shen and Zhengjing Dong, both spoke of their earnest anticipation of the start of the new school year. As key figures in the school’s partnership, Andrew Halls, and Zou Zheng, Principal of Nanjing Foreign Languages School, expressed their keen support for the school (pictured above, clockwise from top left).

Finally, representatives from local government, including Xia Liu (above, right), Wuxi Vice Mayor, expressed their delight in the new school. Yang Jianping, from the Management Committee of the Economic Development District in Wuxi, added that the school was a significant step in developing international education in Wuxi: “In recent years, a batch of high-end education institutions…have been constructed and opened in our district. Today the latest one joins their ranks, one that is bound to integrate the best of western and eastern education…It is safe to say that, with the backing of [its two partner] schools, Nanwai King’s College School Wuxi is set to grow exponentially and bear wonderful fruit,” he said.

During the ceremony, several students gave wonderful musical performances, while the event came to a close with the unveiling of a ceremonial plague, marking the significant date.

Please note that since January 2022, Nanwai King’s College School Wuxi has been known as Wuxi Dipont School of Arts and Science.

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