The History of Thomas’s London Day Schools and Thomas’s Academy
Thomas’s Academy, came into being as a Primary Academy converter on 1 st September 2015 at the initiative of the then Governing Body of New King’s Primary, a Hammersmith and Fulham Local Authority Primary School who sought to reimagine their school by taking direct control of it.
Thomas’s London Day Schools (TLDS) proudly agreed to act as their enabling partner as they possessed the knowledge, structure, ability and inclination to assist. Started in 1977, TLDS grew from one kindergarten by constantly seeking to improve each school by focussing on enhancing its independent education for the benefits of its own community.
Ben and Tobyn Thomas saw an opportunity to further invigorate their thriving cluster group of schools, by including an effective Private/State partnership by working together to raise its educational ambitions, by challenging existing thinking and dispelling notions of independent education being inward. This enabled Thomas’s Academy to rewrite its educational aims around its Four Cornerstones and deliver a truly vibrant and inclusive school community.
Throughout the process TLDS assisted in balancing a deficit budget, helped attract £3 million of capital funding to transform the building; funded specialist staff involvement in Music, Art, Outdoor Learning, Dance, Art and PE and supported the Financial Administration, IT, Operations and Health & Safety provisions. All of this enables the Academy to be able to spend more on each pupil at the school.
By supporting the school, sharing resources and maximising the reach of its funding, Thomas’s Academy became a school of choice within the local community which delivers daily on the hopes and aspirations of its community. TLDS continues with this approach today as better-never-ends, although it is increasingly pleasing to see the Academy stand on its own feet.
Thomas’s Academy was incorporated as a single-academy trust on 11 th June 2015, whose company number is 09635397. The academy is a charitable company limited by guarantee and is an exempt charity.
Today the members are Thomas’s London Day Schools, Stuart Ritchie KC, who was notified as a person with significant control on 27th September 2021 and Sarah Jane Bailes who took over from Reverend Tim Stilwell on 4th December 2023.