A message from the Head

What sets Thames apart is a genuine commitment to each and every individual.

I believe that every child is a story waiting to be told. Having around 200 pupils enables us to treat each student as an individual as we get to know them well. Whether pupils join Thames in Year 7 or later, we are dedicated to recognising and nurturing their unique gifts and helping them grow. Our students graduate with excellent academic results, resilience, confidence and a sense of purpose.

Our strong staff retention, genuinely small classes and supportive pastoral care are underpinned by our founding ethos based on Christian values of compassion, respect and humility. In combination, they enable young people to understand their inherent value and grow in confidence. Our long-standing phone-free day policy and, more recently, smartphone free school, has proven invaluable in supporting focus, mental health and interpersonal connection.

Pupils at our school choose from a broad, flexible curriculum of GCSEs including separate sciences, computer science, further maths, performing and visual arts, languages and humanities. At A Level, they choose from a wide range of subjects that will open doors to their future career choices.

Our excellent inclusion of neurodiverse pupils in a mainstream setting is overseen by a highly qualified team of specialist teachers and is recognised by the Council for the Registration of Teaching Dyslexic Pupils (CReSTeD). Our most academically able pupils achieve top grades across many subjects while others who are more gifted visually or in performance may take multiple arts based GCSEs to hone the skills that will open the doors to their aspirations. Most then join our Sixth Form to take their A Levels and usually progress to Russell Group Universities or highly sought after arts colleges.

Pupils need to be prepared for a world that is changing fast. At Thames, technological understanding is taught alongside timeless traditional skills. Artificial intelligence is a helpful tool for those with the creativity and emotional intelligence to utilise it well, but we also ensure that critical thinking and problem solving, along with the ability to lead and be part of a team, are embedded in teaching to enable our pupils to become masters of technology rather than dependent on it.

Our central and easily accessible location means we can provide our students with ample opportunity to understand and use the city that we live in. Our Arts, 3D Design, Drama and History departments flourish not only because of the excellent teaching staff, but also because of the connection that can be made between learning in the classroom and experiencing art, design, history and live performances in the many museums, galleries, theatres and open spaces in London. A vibrant sports programme makes excellent use of specialist indoor and outdoor sports facilities a few minutes walk away, and students are also able to travel easily to school fixtures across the city.

The curriculum is further enriched by a varied co-curricular programme of clubs, societies, camps and overseas trips, including our award-winning trip to rural Tanzania, ensuring pupils develop not only academically, but personally and socially too.

I am immensely pleased with what we have achieved in our first 26 years, and I would like to personally invite you to come and view what we do here. We have grown from being a small independent school with a mission to truly nurture children into a school of around 200 pupils in new, purpose-built premises that provide a truly artisanal education with a strong focus on pastoral care and helping to develop every child to meet their full potential.

Stephen Holsgrove PhD
Head