There is perhaps nothing more exciting and gratifying than helping to get a massive project off the ground, watching it progress and seeing it through to completion. For the past couple of years, we have been doing just that with our newest member of the Wellington College China Family: Hiba Academy Nantong. From commencing construction to holding our capping ceremony to opening our doors to our first visitors this summer, it has been a true labour of love.
With only a few short weeks to go before Hiba Academy Nantong begins its inaugural academic year, we sat down with the school’s Master, Simon Kenworthy, to talk about why education is his calling, the value of global citizenship and his vision for the year ahead.
Simon Kenworthy
Master
Hiba Academy Nantong
Q
What inspired you to pursue a career in education?
A
You could say that schools and teaching are part of my DNA. Both my parents worked at schools. My father was a head of science and my mother was a bursar at their school. So, perhaps it was inevitable that I would follow in my parents’ footsteps. 23 years later, I am still just as enthusiastic about education as when I first entered the classroom. Even on the most challenging days, children have a magical ability to put a smile on one’s face. It is an honour and a privilege to watch our pupils learn, grow and discover the world around them, knowing that you are having a profound and positive impact on their lives.
Q
Your double major in mathematics and sports science aligns nicely with Hiba’s holistic model of education. Why did you go this route in university?
A
I was a very active child who excelled at sport. However, I also loved doing puzzles and logic problems. I was fortunate that maths always came easily to me. Instead of choosing between these two passions, I decided to do both. This may seem like an unusual combination, but I believe that they complement each other remarkably well in the different skills they teach. Sport is excellent for developing leadership, teamwork and the ability to win with modesty and lose with grace. Maths, on the other hand, improves logic, reasoning and analysis. These are all qualities that I use daily and are especially important for a Master. I know it has been said in China that “if you are not good at maths, you were probably taught by your PE teacher”; well, I hope to be proof that it is not always a bad thing!
Q
How would you describe your educational philosophy?
A
One of the reasons I came to Hiba was that its five values of Courage, Kindness, Integrity, Respect and Responsibility align so closely with my own. These are the guiding principles that create a safe and positive environment in which pupils can thrive. Furthermore, I am a huge advocate of a broad and balanced curriculum that enables children to become well-rounded individuals.
Q
You have travelled extensively. What has this taught you about global citizenship?
A
I have worked as an educator in Britain, Kenya and the UAE, and I have visited over 100 countries in my holidays. Experiencing the world like this shifts our focus to the good in humanity rather than the negative. Throughout my travels, the most important thing I have learned is that people are more alike than they are different. They have hopes and fears. Most of them are kind, honest and hard-working. Like you and me, they want the best for their children and families. This is such an important lesson for our Hiba Academy Nantong pupils to learn, and it will serve them well when they graduate. They will go out into the world as ambassadors for China equipped with an understanding of Western culture and the ability to communicate in English. They will bridge the gaps in cross-cultural thinking, enabling businesses, and perhaps even countries, to share ideas and prosper. At Hiba, we are developing children to be global citizens, and the world will be better as a result of it.
Q
What are the biggest challenges and rewards of opening a new school?
A
There are many challenges to opening a new school. But the challenges are precisely what attracted me to the position. Having been part of the founding team of my two previous schools, I was always keen to be involved in setting the school up the year before it opened and forming my own team. This is key, and I am fortunate to have had an amazing founding team this year. We set a very high bar for all applicants. Only about 1 in 20 even got an interview. The ones who made the cut have proven themselves to be clear communicators who are passionate about their subject, love working with children and align with the Hiba Values. With our founding team established, we identified the jobs that needed doing and gave everyone clear expectations of when they needed to be done. At this point, I am delighted to say that, even though Covid tried its best to derail us, we are fully prepared for the arrival of our pupils at the end of this month.
Looking ahead to this academic year, another challenge is that, as a new school, we have no history. This means that our pupils and parents do not know what to expect from us. Communication will therefore be a priority. We must ensure that everyone - our pupils, parents and teachers - understands who we are, what we stand for and what we are trying to achieve. This is fundamental to building a thriving school community.
Q
What are the greatest benefits of a bilingual education at Hiba?
A
The benefits of a bilingual education are well documented and go far beyond language learning. They include enhanced cognitive skills, improved memory, more opportunities in the workplace and greater academic ability, not to mention dramatically broadened horizons. Being part of the Wellington College China Family affords Hiba several distinct advantages. We work closely with our Institute of Learning to share ideas, positive experiences, and successful pathways. We also have a strong connection with the Hiba campuses in Shanghai and Hangzhou. Both have been tremendously helpful, sharing their resources and insights with us. We are one large team doing all that we can for the pupils in our three cities.
Q
You will be Master at Wellington College China’s flagship boarding school, what are some of the advantages of a boarding school education?
A
I am the product of a boarding school education. Both my parents were working long hours in different schools that were two hours away from each other. They felt that a boarding environment would give me stability. Looking back on it, they were absolutely right. I started boarding at age 10 and, at first, I used to get upset about leaving my parents. But before long, I was asking my parents to take me back to school early, because it was more fun than being at home! It was an invaluable experience for me, and I am confident that it will be for our pupils as well. Boarding at Hiba, our pupils will benefit from a strong academic support network. They will have more opportunities to develop their English skills. They will have access to our excellent facilities. They will gain a greater sense of independence and personal responsibility. They will forge lifelong friendships. Most importantly, they will be in an environment where they feel secure, loved and nurtured.
Contact Us
Contacts：Sammi Gu
Hotline：0513-6807 8806
Telephone：177 1485 5368
Contacts：Jennifer Gu
Hotline：0513-6807 8807
Telephone：177 1485 4369
Email：admissions.hsn@huilieducation.cn
Website：nantong.hibaacademy.org.cn
School Address:
66 Haide Road, Su-Xi-Tong Science and Technology Industrial Park, Nantong, Jiangsu
