Click the link to view the full version: To the Extraordinary, A Journey of Becoming–WASCZ Class of 2026 Graduation Ceremony
As the gentle breeze of June carried the season forward and the familiar strains of graduation echoed across campus, the Class of 2026 gathered on 13 June to celebrate a significant milestone in their journey. After years of growth, learning and self-discovery, WASCZ’s 12th graduating cohort now leaves behind the uncertainties of youth, equipped with knowledge, confidence, purpose and resilience, ready to embark on the next chapter of their lives.
We are proud to celebrate a cohort whose university admissions achievements have been truly exceptional, bringing their secondary school journey to a fitting conclusion. To date, the Class of 2026 has secured more than 350 offers from 119 leading universities worldwide, achieving both Oxford and Cambridge offers, as well as a complete sweep of the UK’s G5 Group universities, with total scholarship awards exceeding RMB 10 million.
Among students applying to comprehensive universities: 91% received offers from universities ranked in the QS World University Rankings Top 100; 74% received offers from universities ranked in the QS World University Rankings Top 50; 35% received offers from universities ranked in the QS World University Rankings Top 20. Offers were received from many of the world’s most prestigious institutions, including Imperial College London, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, UCL, LSE, The University of Melbourne, The University of Sydney, University of Toronto, KCL, The University of Manchester, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University……
The creative and performing arts pathways were equally impressive. 86% of students pursuing Art and Design received offers from institutions ranked within the QS Top 15 worldwide for Art & Design, while 75% of students applying for Music and Performing Arts secured offers from institutions ranked within the QS Top 10 globally for Music and Performing Arts. Students received offers and substantial scholarship awards from internationally renowned institutions including University of the Arts London, Parsons School of Design, Royal Northern College of Music and Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
From the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong SAR, New Zealand and Japan, to disciplines spanning Natural Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, Aerospace Engineering, Media and Communications, Art and Design, and Music Performance, this cohort has embraced opportunities across the globe and across an extraordinary breadth of academic fields. Within WASCZ’s inclusive and diverse educational environment, we have once again witnessed students discovering their strengths, developing their individuality, pursuing their passions and moving forward with confidence and purpose.
As the ceremony unfolded, words of encouragement and reflection accompanied this milestone moment.
Both Mr Matthew Jamieson, Executive Headmaster of WASCZ, and Ms Fanny Fang, Chinese Principal of WASCZ, shared their heartfelt congratulations and best wishes, offering guidance and inspiration to the graduating Class of 2026 as they prepare to embark on the next stage of their journey; Ms Zhang, mother of M. Shi and parent representative for the Class of 2026, also offered a warm and heartfelt message of hope from a parent’s perspective.
Mr Matthew Jamieson
WASCZ Executive Headmaster
“Today is a day of celebration. It’s also a day of movement. You’re moving from one stage of life to another. If I’m to offer you one thought this morning, it would be this: Pack lightly. Begin bravely.
……
As you leave Wycombe Abbey, there are things I hope you’ll carry with you:
Carry your friendships. Carry the habits that have helped you succeed. Carry the values that I hope have shaped you: integrity, growth, curiosity, service, and care. Carry gratitude for the people who’ve supported you. Carry the confidence that comes from knowing you’ve already overcome difficult things.
Those are the essentials. But don’t carry everything. Don’t carry every disappointment. Don’t carry every mistake, every anxiety, or every exam question you wish had answered differently. Learn from those things, certainly. But don’t let them become unnecessary weight.
……
Very soon, many of you will arrive at university, in a new country, a new city, and you’ll discover that you’re a beginner again. That’s not failure. That’s life.
At university, in work, in friendships, in new cultures and new places, there’ll be moments when you don’t understand immediately. A concept won’t make sense. A conversation will move too quickly.
In those moments, be brave enough to be a beginner. Put your hand up. Ask the question. Admit that you don’t yet know. Most of the time, others will be grateful that someone else asked first. And even if the’re not, ask anyway.
Remember: you’re not there to perform understanding. You’re there to gain it……Most things worth mastering take longer than we first imagine. They take patience and humility. They take the willingness to keep beginning again.
Learning doesn’t stop because school stops. Beginning again isn’t something you do once. It’s something you learn to do throughout your life.
So, Grade 12, as you leave us, pack lightly. Carry what matters: your friendships, your values, your habits of work, your sense of humour. Carry the knowledge that you’ve been part of this community, and that this community is proud of you.
But leave room. Leave room for new places, new people, new ideas, new questions and new beginnings.
Pack lightly. Begin bravely.
And wherever you go next, go with our admiration, our affection and our very best wishes.”
Ms Fanny Fang
WASCZ Chinese Principal
“First, please allow me to offer my most sincere congratulations to every one of our graduates. Your presence here today means that you have completed a significant journey. This is not just the end of a period of study. It is a complete process of growth, of making choices, of taking responsibility, and of shaping who you are.
Over the past several years, you have learned inside the classroom, and you have also grown outside of it. You have learned to cooperate through group life. You have learned to persevere through challenges and activities. You have learned to adjust your course through failure and reflection. And through repeated efforts, you have gradually formed your own judgment and values.
These experiences — far more than any report card — define, in a deeper and truer way, who you are.
Today, I want to make one point very clear: graduation is never an end.
Rather, it is the opening of a door. When you walk out of here, you will enter a wider, more complex, and more promising world.
The road ahead will not always be clear. It will not always be easy. But I hope you will remember this: what Wycombe Abbey has given you is not just knowledge — it is a framework of abilities. The ability to think independently. The ability to face uncertainty. The ability to work with others. And the ability to keep your judgment under pressure.
These abilities will stay with you far longer than any test score or certificate.
As you begin this new journey, I would like to leave you with three simple but important expectations.
First, stay curious.
The world is changing all the time. What truly enables you to keep growing is the ability to keep learning — and the courage to ask questions, not just to look for standard answers.
Second, stay resilient.
You will face difficult moments. You may even fail. But remember: what really matters is not avoiding failure, but how you get back up and keep moving forward.
Third, stay kind and responsible.
No matter where you go in the future, always remember to respect others, to understand different views, and to make a positive difference — in your own way, in your own place.
Today, you will leave here and go in many different directions. Some of you will go to universities in different countries. Some will enter new academic stages or make new life choices. But no matter how different your paths may be, you share one thing in common: you all started from the same place. And that place is WASCZ.
From today onward, you are not only graduates — you also officially become members of the Wycombe Abbey alumni network. As you spread out across the world — to different cities, different universities, different fields — your connection will not disappear. Instead, it will continue in a new form.
You will become a truly global alumni network — a community that stays connected, supports each other, and grows together. This is not just a brief school friendship. It is a long‑term identity, a lasting bond.
One day in the future, you may meet in some city somewhere in the world. You may collaborate across different fields. Or you may offer each other help at a critical moment. That is what being an alumnus means.
……
Finally, please allow me to say once again, from the bottom of my heart:
Congratulations on completing this important stage of your lives.
But more importantly — congratulations on officially beginning your own new journey.
The road ahead is already unfolding. It is not fully predictable — but it is full of possibilities. Go forward with courage. And go forward with kindness, with thought, and with connection. Wycombe Abbey will always be here — waiting for you to come back, and also waiting for you to go even further.”
Ms Zhang
Class of 2026 Parent Representative
“Looking back, our parents once drove their young child to Wycombe Abbey, they missed us far more than we could ever imagine.
They do this because they hope that Wycombe Abbey, the school rooted in holistic education, can help us discover our unique talents. It shapes us to be confident, positive and grateful for life, and equips us with strong resilience to face the real world bravely.
Certainly, Wycombe Abbey’s education is incredibly successful.
……
The surest way to become extraordinary is to keep reading, travelling and exercising throughout life.
Let us read. Reading lets you see your own life reflected in timeless Chinese classics. You will never feel lonely or lost along the way.
Let us travel. What impresses us most is the thought of wandering the grassy slopes of the Tianshan Mountains and strolling through the English rose gardens beside Yunnan. Our photos will be stunning — we’ll look like graceful fairies, totally unretouched.
Finally, let us keep fit. My dear classmate, In this uncertain and changing world, good health is our strongest support. It is also the greatest kindness we can give to our families.
My dear classmates, Go flying with our wings.”
Time rewards dedication, and aspirations shape the future. As our graduates look back on their years at WASCZ, they do so with a profound sense of accomplishment. The late nights spent studying, the determination shown on sports fields, and the passion displayed on stage have all become defining moments of their journey—moments that will remain treasured memories for years to come.
“WASCZ provides tremendous encouragement and emotional support for students. Whether in sporting competitions or academic contests, teachers always recognise and celebrate our achievements during weekly assemblies. I hope the Class of 2026 continues to shine.”
— F. Wu, Class of 2026
“I have been at WASCZ for seven years, and it is an incredibly caring community. During my time here, I gained confidence.”
— K. Wang, Class of 2026
“My daughter received an offer from the University of Cambridge, which exceeded our expectations. The school has provided tremendous support, and we are incredibly grateful. We hope she enjoys every moment of her university experience.”
— Parent of S. Wu, Class of 2026 & International Scholar
“During her three years at WASCZ, she formed lasting friendships and received tremendous support from the school. Her independence and leadership skills have grown significantly. I hope she embraces her university years, welcomes new challenges, and enjoys every moment of the journey ahead.”
— Parent of E. Xu, Class of 2026
“My time at WASCZ has made me more independent and more open-minded.”
— A. Ren, Class of 2026
“Today, I see in her the qualities we always hoped she would develop: confidence, gratitude and a positive outlook on life.”
— Parent of M. Shi, Class of 2026
“The word that best describes my growth at WASCZ is happiness. I hope that one day I can help change the world.”
— L. Wang, Class of 2026
“We have been part of the WASCZ community for twelve years. We have witnessed not only our child’s growth, but also the school’s development. The world beyond is vast, and we hope he will continue exploring it while discovering more about himself.”
— Parent of L. Wang, Class of 2026
“I had the opportunity to connect with people from all over the world and successfully adapt to a variety of challenging environments. It is an experience I will never forget.”
— R. Kaliuta, Class of 2026 & International Scholar
Congratulations to all members of the WASCZ Class of 2026. As you embark upon the next chapter of your lives, may you remain true to your values, embrace new opportunities with courage and enthusiasm, and pursue your ambitions with confidence and purpose. May you continue to grow, explore and flourish, creating a future that is uniquely your own. We look forward to seeing all that you will achieve in the years ahead.
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