Thomas's London Day Schools: Difference between revisions

'''Thomas's London Day Schools''' (also known as '''Thomas's Preparatory Schools''' and '''Thomas's''') are four [[co-educational]] independent[[Private schools in the United Kingdom|private]] [[Preparatory school (United Kingdom)|preparatory schools]] in London, UK. They are located in [[Kensington]], [[Battersea]], [[Clapham]] and [[Fulham]], as well as a [[kindergarten]] in Battersea.<ref>School Locations {{cite web |url=http://www.thomas-s.co.uk/today.html |title=ArchivedThomas's London Day copySchools |accessdate=18 December 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207000827/http://www.thomas-s.co.uk/today.html |archivedate=7 December 2008}}</ref> They are a family-run establishment, and have come to be seen as a feeder for major [[Independent School (UK)|British public schools]] such as [[Eton College|Eton]], [[Harrow School|Harrow]], [[Brighton College]], [[Marlborough College|Marlborough]], [[Westminster School|Westminster]], [[Alleyn's School]], [[City of London School|City of London]], [[Dulwich College|Dulwich]], [[Radley College|Radley]], and [[King's College School]].<ref>The Independent – Join the Queue http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20020406/ai_n12621083/pg_2</ref>

Thomas's was founded in 1971 when Joanna Thomas, an actress and mother of three young children, started the Ranelagh Kindergarten in a Pimlico church hall (now Thomas's Kindergarten, [[Pimlico]]). Six years later, the success of the Kindergarten and the strong demand for London day schools of quality encouraged David Thomas, a former [[Brigade of Gurkhas|Gurkha Regiment]] officer, to join his wife in founding a school for older children. Following the acquisition of a building in [[Cadogan Gardens]] in 1977, the "Kensington Court Lower School" came into being with two teachers and 11 pupils. In less than four years the school, now named "Thomas's", had over 200 children. Demand for places continued to increase and, in response, Thomas's expanded in 1981 into two buildings in Cottesmore Gardens, just south of Kensington Gardens, to create Thomas's, Kensington. The buildings are of the Victorian era.

In 2004, Thomas's acquired a long lease on the buildings formerly owned by the London Institute for the Chelsea College of Art and Design in Hugon Road, Fulham. The school, which overlooks [[South Park, Fulham]], was built from 1892 and could educate 1,200 children. The buildings have {{convert|35000|sqft|m2}} and are set on a {{convert|1|acre|m2|adj=on}} site. A £1.3m refurbishment programme by the landlords commenced in January 2005 and Thomas's, Fulham opened in September 2005 as a co-educational preparatory school for children from 4 to 11 years old.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thomas-s.co.uk/history.html |title=ArchivedAbout copyThomas's |accessdate=18 December 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20010310110554/http://www.thomas-s.co.uk/history.html |archivedate=10 March 2001}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Thomas's Battersea|url=http://www.thomas-s.co.uk/Battersea-Home|publisher=2017 © Copyright Thomas's London Day Schools|accessdate=16 September 2017|archive-date=24 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180424043007/http://www.thomas-s.co.uk/Battersea-Home|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2019 Thomas’s acquired a school site in [[Putney Vale]] from [[Hall School Wimbledon]] to provide further teaching space for all four Thomas’s preparatory schools. The same year, the school agreed to the purchase of the [[Royal Academy of Dance]] building in Battersea Square. Opening in September 2021, this will house Thomas’s Senior School, which will eventually extend the school's education to boys and girls up to the age of 18.<ref name="History" />

The school is known for its music and arts programme. The school employs a team of chefs who prepare a diverse menu of [[Vegan school meal|vegan]], vegetarian, fish, gluten-free and dairy options.<ref>{{Cite web|last=King|first=Lorraine|date=2019-09-21|title=Inside George and Charlotte's school - with private chauffeurs and vegan menus|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/inside-george-charlottes-royal-school-20136211|access-date=2021-11-15|website=mirror|language=en}}</ref> The meals are nut-free and minimise salt and sugar. Examples of lunches include chicken and chorizo jambalaya, pepperchicken crustedkatsu salmoncurry, withcrushed garlicpotato chickpeasand sausages, and lentila carrotbaked souppotato withoption garlicavailable doughfor every ballslunchtime.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Culture of Wellbeing|url=https://www.thomas-s.co.uk/wellbeing/|access-date=2022-02-26|website=Thomas's}}</ref> The school participates in meat-free Fridays part of the [[Meatless Monday]] campaign. The school's menus change every three weeks to reflect the seasons.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Heimbrod|first=Camille|date=2020-01-05|title=Why Prince George, Princess Charlotte’sCharlotte's Snack, Lunch Menu At Thomas’sThomas's Battersea Changes Every Season|url=https://www.ibtimes.com/why-prince-george-princess-charlottes-snack-lunch-menu-thomass-battersea-changes-2896514|access-date=2022-02-26|website=International Business Times}}</ref> In 2022, dishes served at the school by the catering company Radish were reported to include cheddar and caramelized red onion quiche, vegetable and bean jambalaya, and roast chicken served with stuffing.<ref>{{Cite web |lastlast1=Russell |firstfirst1=Rebecca |last2=Gibbons |first2=Lottie |date=2022-06-03 |title=Posh lunch menu at Prince George and Princess Charlotte's school |url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/prince-george-princess-charlottes-school-24137715 |access-date=2022-06-05 |website=Liverpool Echo |language=en}}</ref>

A few days before Prince George began attending the school, local resident Sarah Burnett-Moore pointed out security concerns by filming herself walking into and around the school without being challenged.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Flood|first=Rebecca|date=4 September 2017|title=Security scare at Prince George's Thomas’sThomas's Battersea school – 'I could have had a bomb'|url=https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/849699/Prince-George-new-school-bomb-security-threat-Thomas-Battersa|access-date=18 January 2021|website=Express.co.uk|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Ward|first=Victoria|date=3 September 2017|title=Prince George's new school in security breach days before term starts|language=en-GB|work=The Telegraph|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/09/03/prince-georges-new-school-security-breach-days-term-starts/|access-date=18 January 2021|issn=0307-1235}}</ref>

[[Category:IndependentPrivate co-educational schools in London]]

[[Category:IndependentPrivate schools in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea]]

[[Category:IndependentPrivate schools in the London Borough of Wandsworth]]

[[Category:IndependentPrivate schools in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham]]