Thomas's London Day Schools: Difference between revisions

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{{Use British English|date=November 2011}}
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'''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=Thomas's London Day Schools |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 Senior School''' opened in September 2021 in Battersea. This will eventually extend the school's education to boys and girls up to the age of eighteen.<ref name="History">{{cite web|year=2021|title=Thomas's Schools: History, 2019|url=https://www.thomas-s.co.uk/thomas-history/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303020826/https://www.thomas-s.co.uk/thomas-history/|archive-date=3 March 2021|access-date=14 July 2021}} (Access date 14 July 2021)</ref>
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In September 1995, David and Joanna Thomas's two sons, Tobyn and Ben, were appointed Principals, having worked in the schools for a number of years. In June 1998, a charitable foundation was formed. The aims of the charity, Thomas's Schools Foundation, are to assist certain parents financially with the education of their children and to run local community projects. In 1999, David and Joanna Thomas retired from active management of the schools, which are now run by Tobyn and Ben. Ben is also Headmaster of Thomas's, Battersea. In 2000 and 2001, a £4m construction programme was carried out to enhance the facilities at Thomas's, Clapham and Thomas's, Battersea. In 2002, an opportunity arose to improve Thomas's, Kensington through the acquisition of a nearby school, Lady Eden's. Lady Eden's was closed in Summer 2002 and its buildings converted to become the Lower School of Thomas's, Kensington. The existing buildings in Cottesmore Gardens were extensively refurbished and now house the Preparatory School. The premises of Thomas's, Kensington are freehold.
 
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=About Thomas'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. 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" />
 
In April2020 2023,Thomas's theBattersea groupwas appointedrecognized Oakleyby Capital[[The Schools Index]] as anone investorof tothe financeworld's developments100 acrossleading itsschools sitesand one of top 10 prep schools in the UK.<ref name=":1">{{Cite newsweb |last=CahillGulliver |first=HelenBeth |date=2022-10-03 |title=Prince George’sGeorge oldand schoolPrincess getsCharlotte's financialschools backingnamed fromin privatelist equityof houseworld's Oakley |language=enbest |url=https://www.thetimesmylondon.co.uknews/articlenews/princeuk-georgesworld-oldnews/royal-schoolfamily-gets-financial-backing-from-privateprince-equitygeorge-houseprincess-hzfhntn3j25165736 |access-date=20232024-04-1905 |issnwebsite=0140-0460My London |language=en}}</ref> Oakley took a minority equity stake in the company.<ref name=":1" />
 
In April 2023, the group appointed Oakley Capital as an investor to finance developments across its sites.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Cahill |first=Helen |title=Prince George's old school gets financial backing from private equity house Oakley |newspaper=[[The Times]] |language=en |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/prince-georges-old-school-gets-financial-backing-from-private-equity-house-hzfhntn3j |access-date=2023-04-19 |issn=0140-0460}}</ref> Oakley took a minority equity stake in the company.<ref name=":1" />
 
== School culture ==
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 baked carrotpotato soupoption withavailable garlicfor doughevery 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's Snack, Lunch Menu At Thomas'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 |last1=Russell |first1=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>
 
They are moving the Putney Vale site to a new location in Richmond.<ref>{{Cite web |last=NappyValleyNet |first=Annabel |date=27 February 2024 |title=LOOKING FOR SOME ADVICE FOR THOMAS’STHOMAS'S PUTNEY VALE |url=https://nappyvalleynet.com/community/viewtopic.php?t=130947&sid=d09de5f009ae696e5993331196388b9e |url-status=live |access-date=26 February 2024 |website=NappyValleyNet}}</ref>
 
== Royal connections ==