Western Academy of Beijing


Founded in 1994 Western Academy of Beijing is an international school located in Beijing. The school provides education from Early Years 3 to Grade 12. WAB uses the IB PYP until Grade 5, IB MYP up to and including Grade 10, and the IB DP for Grades 11 and 12.
WAB was an Olympic Educational Model School for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Out of the 500 schools across China, who were awarded by Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games as an Olympic Educational Model School, WAB was among the top 120 schools.
In 2013 Mike Embley, the headmaster of the British School of Beijing, stated that along with BSB and the International School of Beijing, WAB was one of the top three English-language international schools in Beijing, all having long waiting lists. Citing Embley's definition of two lower tiers of Beijing Anglophone international schools which have vacant student spaces, Tristan Bunnell, the author of The Changing Landscape of International Schooling: Implications for Theory and Practice, stated that this was an instance of the idea of " 'superior' and 'inferior' schools" shared by teachers and parents.
In 2017 Western Academy of Beijing was named Best International School at the Diplomats' Choice Awards hosted by Global Times.

Facilities

WAB has an Early Childhood Center, Elementary School, Middle School and High School. Each school section has a dedicated building, and the HUB Sports, Arts & Technology Center is a shared facility in the center of the campus. The school has three libraries: the Sabina Brady Library, the Red Scroll Library, and the Green Sky Studio. Other facilities include:
WAB offers a 1:1 laptop environment with wireless access across the school. Students in grade 6 and up are required by the school to own their own Apple Macbook. The school utilizes a number of IT systems for education, including but not limited to Moodle, PowerSchool, and blogs. Drupal-powered public news sites and community portals are also integrated into regular school life.
The high school's Tiger Sports Network also provides a livestream to watch most sporting matches, performances, parent meetings and assemblies.

WABX

WABX is WAB's extra-curricular program, offer more than 400 athletic, art, service, academic and social options to students school-wide. WAB participates in multiple interscholastic sporting competitions, including the ACAMIS, ISAC, Tri-Cities, China Cup, EARCOS and APAC. Sports include: rugby, football, tennis, badminton, cross country, track and field, volleyball, basketball, swimming, baseball, table tennis, and softball.
YearTeamCompetitionFinal Position
2011Boys soccerAPAC1st
2012Boys soccerAPAC1st
2013Boys soccerAPAC1st
2014Boys soccerAPAC1st
2014Boys volleyballAPAC3rd
2015Boys soccerAPAC1st
2015Boys rugbyAPAC2nd
2015Boys volleyballAPAC1st
2016Boys rugbyAPAC1st
2016Boys SoccerAPAC1st
2017Girls footballChina Cup2nd
2017Boys basketballISAC3rd
2017Girls basketballISAC2nd

The arts

WAB has an extensive arts program that engages students of all grade levels and levels of experience. WAB offers options for chorus, band and orchestra, drama options including original and classic musicals and plays; as well as visual arts. All are available as part of the IB curriculum, electives, or as after-school activities.

Student life

The school has many global citizenship projects, which are actively involved in the local, national and the international community. Each division has its own student government, known as the "Student Council" or "StuCo" for short.
WAB also has many extra-curricular clubs such as:
WAB is accredited by many associations, such as: