Western Academy of Beijing

4.4  / 5
( 5Reviews)
Ranking:
Country:# 5
|
Region:# 16
|
Overall:# 29
Located:
Beijing, China
Region:
Asia
Website:
www.wab.edu
Score Over Time:

Curriculum:

IB
PYP
MYP
DP

Grade Levels:

Nursery
Lower ES
Upper ES
MS
HS

Type:

Non-profit
Independent
Private

Enrollment:

1500

Category Scores:

9.4
School
8.8
Students
9.4
Administration
9.8
Salary
8.8
Benefits
9.2
Housing
9.1
Colleagues
7.4
Place
8.7
Professional Development
9.6
Settling In
9.3
After Arrival
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Review Summary:

School:

Question 1:

The facilities of the school adequately provide for a positive learning/working experience.

9.6 / 10
Question 2:

School provides adequate access to teaching materials without any extra expense by the teacher (books, lab supplies, art supplies, materials, copying, etc.

10 / 10
Question 3:

School is well funded to provide students and faculty with adequate materials to support their course offering.

9.8 / 10
Question 4:

Parent community is actively involved in supporting the school's mission and their child's education endeavors.

9 / 10
Question 5:

Classroom student to teacher ratios are kept low.

8.8 / 10

Students:

Question 6:

Students are generally of high aptitude.

7.6 / 10
Question 7:

Student interactions with faculty are primarily characterized by respectability.

9 / 10
Question 8:

Students are of diverse ethnicity.

9.8 / 10

Administration:

Question 9:

Administration positively supports faculty in a professional manner.

9.2 / 10
Question 10:

Administration actively encourages a dialogue concerning school related issues.

9.6 / 10
Question 11:

Administration is actively engaged in developing/supporting/maintaining a clear school vision.

9.2 / 10
Question 12:

Administration makes sure that the financial stability and integrity of the school is well maintained.

9.2 / 10
Question 13:

Administration/Ownership uses school funds to support the well being of the school.

9.6 / 10

Salary:

Question 14:

Salary scale is competitive.

9.8 / 10
Question 15:

Salary provides the opportunity to save appropriately.

9.6 / 10
Question 16:

Salary provides the opportunity to travel during vacation.

9.8 / 10
Question 17:

Salary scale provides for vertical and horizontal movement based on years of experience and/or units/degree's earned.

10 / 10

Benefits:

Question 18:

School provides a quality health insurance plan that covers all major medical (health, vision, dental.

8 / 10
Question 19:

School provides retirement benefits that are competitive.

8.6 / 10
Question 20:

School provides a health insurance plan that covers international travel/coverage.

7.4 / 10
Question 21:

School provides for faculty child tuition benefits.

10 / 10
Question 22:

School provides strong support for maternity benefits.

9.2 / 10
Question 23:

School provides an adequate amount for end of contract airfare cost.

9.6 / 10
Question 24:

School provides an adequate shipping allowance.

8.8 / 10

Housing:

Question 25:

School provides quality available housing or a housing stipend that affords quality housing.

9 / 10
Question 26:

The proximity of housing in relation to school location is within an acceptable distance of travel.

9 / 10
Question 27:

Options of moving housing during the course of contract is acceptable.

9.6 / 10

Colleagues:

Question 28:

Colleagues foster a welcoming environment to new faculty.

8.8 / 10
Question 29:

School hires a diversity of family structures (Singles, couples, families.

9.6 / 10
Question 30:

Colleagues foster a professional environment that supports growth.

9.2 / 10
Question 31:

Colleagues foster a personal support structure in place of family.

8.8 / 10

Place:

Question 32:

City the school resides in provides opportunities for things to do without having to travel

9 / 10
Question 33:

City the school resides in provides easy opportunities to travel to other places.

9.2 / 10
Question 34:

Local culture is apparent in the city/country in which the school resides.

9.6 / 10
Question 35:

Local culture of in which the school resides is open to integrating expats into local customs and traditions.

7.6 / 10
Question 36:

City/Country in which the school resides does not exact personal restrictions on lifestyle choices.

7.8 / 10
Question 37:

City/Country in which school resides provides for potential tax benefits.

6.2 / 10
Question 38:

Quality of local health care is excellent.

4.6 / 10
Question 39:

Cost of living in the city/country where school resides is reasonable.

6 / 10
Question 40:

City the school resides in has excellent infrastructure for mass transportation (e.g. - is a car required.

6 / 10
Question 41:

City/Country in which the school resides provides for adequate personal safety.

8.2 / 10

Professional Development:

Question 42:

School makes available a variety of professional development opportunities.

9 / 10
Question 43:

School makes available funds to support continued development.

8 / 10
Question 44:

Time is specifically set aside in the calendar for faculty and staff formation.

8.6 / 10
Question 45:

Faculty and Staff are encouraged to professionally grow by the school.

9 / 10
Question 46:

Faculty and Staff are encouraged to experiment, implement, and bring up new ideas for classroom innovation.

8.8 / 10

Settling In:

Question 47:

School meets you on arrival and escorts you to accommodations.

9.8 / 10
Question 48:

School provides an adequate orientation to the school and local culture upon arrival.

9.6 / 10
Question 49:

School provides an allowance to support the transition.

9.4 / 10

After Arrival:

Question 50:

Facilities of the school were well represented during the hiring process.

9.6 / 10
Question 51:

Contract is honored based on what was agreed upon during the hiring process.

9.6 / 10
Question 52:

School actively maintains a dialogue and support structure to make sure basic needs are being met.

8.8 / 10

Review Narratives:

5 reviews

8.8

Reviewed:

09/16/2019

No written review provided.

9

Reviewed:

03/25/2014

No written review provided.

9.1

Reviewed:

02/28/2014

I really love working at WAB. It's one of the only schools where I've really felt respected as a professional and am treated as such. In fact, sometimes I think WAB listens TOO much to teachers, and decisions are delayed because admin is busy getting teacher feedback instead of just doing something. But that is a minor complaint. The facilities are lovely, budget is good and students enjoyable. WAB actually walks the walk of teaching to the whole student, not just academics or sports. We have vibrant arts, theatre, music and film programs. WAB takes good care of its faculty, but it is a fast-paced school. You will need to hit the ground running and the pace never slackens. Days can be long because there is so much going on and expectations are high, but there is also the support you need and the freedom to innovate. Colleagues are...well...collegial and work well together. It's a very positive place to be (I can only speak to the HS here), and most staff are in it for the good of the students. Beijing is a better place to live than I thought it would be. Public transportation is easy and cheap. There's lots to do if you take the initiative to find it, and the school offers some lovely trips during the holidays. It's not cheap, but the salary and benefits allow a good standard of living. As to the air, well...it's not as bad as I thought it was going to be. Don't get me wrong. When it's bad, it's headache and nausea inducingly bad. Sometimes for days on end. Having said that, it is not a daily or even weekly thing. Most days are fine, if not great, but there are frequent beautiful days, too. The worst months are winter, but it hasn't been bad at all this winter, until the past few weeks. Still, if you have respiratory issues, you should probably avoid China!

8.2

Reviewed:

10/03/2013

Good school with some great colleagues, and some that are difficult to work with but who are good teachers. Facilities are good except for Middle school building. The main drawback to working here is breathing the air in Beijing. It is as bad (or worse) than you have heard. Orientation is good, administration is honest and the students are generally keen. The school fosters diversity and encourages non-academic talents to shine.

9.2

Reviewed:

08/09/2013

Excellent school. Too bad it's in Beijing.

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