Welcome
Welcome to our Lent Term digital newsletter. It has been a busy and exciting period here at Thomas’s Kensington, and I’m very pleased to share the latest updates on our progress.
We are delighted to publish the outcome of this year’s 11+ and 13+ results. The Year 6 children rose to the considerable challenges of exams and interviews in spectacular fashion, worked extremely hard, and were justly rewarded with truly exceptional school offers.
Congratulations must go to the children for their hard work and commitment throughout their assessments and interviews. It has been an incredibly successful year, with the results reflecting the strong academic potential of our
remarkable pupils. Many thanks are due to the dedicated Thomas’s Kensington team for going above and beyond to support the cohort through the cycle. Thanks must also go to Mrs Croft, Head of Future Schools, who supported our children and parent body throughout the journey.
The children’s success is due to a strong home-school partnership, coupled with strong senior school relationships and academic, hard-working pupils.
We also have an update from our COO, Matt Nicholl, on our brand-new school site at 1 St Albans Grove. I am delighted to relay that the building is progressing well and remains on track—an important milestone as we look forward to the future of our
school in this incredible new space. On a sporting note, I am excited to announce that Kensington will have access to our new and beautiful sporting grounds at Dukes Meadows, which we will share with Thomas’s College. With nine high-quality pitches and a planned spacious pavilion, this incredible space will be a hub for sporting excellence and team spirit, certainly opening up new sporting vistas and opportunities for our pupils.
I am delighted that our incoming Head, Alex Matthews, has the opportunity within this newsletter to share his excitement for the school’s future. Alex brings a wealth of experience and a passion for education, and we look forward to welcoming him into our community with open hearts.
This issue also highlights some of the brilliant achievements across our departments this year. There, as always, myriad successes to share with you from across the school.
Thank you for your ongoing support as Thomas’s Kensington moves forward into an exciting new chapter.
Best wishes, Kelly
Miller
Dukes Meadows
A short ride in a Thomas’s minibus will take students to our own sports grounds at Dukes Meadows. We have committed to a significant investment in the site as well as the access road and the development of a pavilion. This investment will be shared alongside the senior school campus for Thomas’s College, giving students access to excellent and extensive sports facilities enabling year-round match play for weekend tournaments as well as team-play and PE during the week.
• 9 pitches, including two astros, suitable for hockey, rugby and football
• 4 cricket squares
• Athletics provision in summer
Matt Nicholl Chief Operating Officer
I have worked in Educational Operations, and have managed capital development projects for over twenty years. I have worked on numerous estate strategies’ master plans and developments, including The Royal College and St Paul’s School. Working on the delivery of Thomas’s Kensington is an exciting project that combines the heritage of the current buildings and educational history with the development of new facilities, delivering a new chapter for Thomas’s Kensington while importantly retaining the buildings and site’s historic purpose.
The Team
I work with a core team to deliver the project; Ackroyd Lowrie (Architects), Bidwells (Project managers) and MYCO (main contractor). The project is fast paced, so communication and progress tracking are essential. To maintain momentum, we hold weekly meetings primarily focused on critical path progress. There is a strong team commitment to delivering the project. The site is fully active with contractor activity, and weekly progress is clearly visible.
Update on the project
Significant progress has been made on-site since December. The link building frame connecting Atlantic and Lytham House is in place, and the stair structure is now being installed. Classroom partitions are progressing well, making the spacious rooms clearly visible. Mechanical and electrical installations remain on schedule, and the external façade restoration—preserving the heritage character of the buildings— is nearing completion, with window installations almost finished. Soon, the façade scaffolding will be removed, and the crane will be dismantled. The project is on schedule, and in some areas, ahead of schedule.
“Classroom partitions are progressing well, making the spacious rooms clearly visible.”
The school’s SLT team has been actively involved in room design, as well as selecting fixed and loose furniture. This process is now complete, and all furniture and fixtures have been ordered. Care has been taken to procure from suppliers who can meet our project timelines. We continue to work positively with the local authority and neighbours to implement our management plans for occupation.
Completion date
The expected completion date is August 2025, allowing the school time to install furniture and prepare for the start of term. Some external landscaping work may extend into late September, but this will be coordinated with the school to ensure playground spaces remain accessible. In the meantime, the school will continue to hire the courts at Heythrop College.
building to the school team so they can welcome you all in September.
We will keep you updated through newsletters and progress photos. However, due to ongoing construction activity across the site, we are unable to accommodate parent visits at this time. I look forward to handing over the
11+ Results & Preparation
At Thomas’s Kensington, we ensure that families are supported in preparing for the next steps of their school journey. We hold regular meetings to navigate the options and decisions in considering future schooling for your child at both 11+ and 13+. We provide a tailored approach to inform and guide parents through the wide-ranging options from day schools
to boarding, and co-ed to single sex schools in order to find the very best fit for your child. Our relationships with the senior schools are strong, and we have an excellent understanding of the entrance criteria.
Mrs Charlotte Croft Head of Future Schools
Preparations for the 11+/13+ process include:
• An experienced and dedicated teaching team
• Individual pupil reference interviews and regular parent meetings with the Head of Future Schools
• References are detailed, informative and personalised
• Group interview practice sessions with members of the Senior Leadership Team from Thomas’s Kensington and Thomas’s Battersea
• Individual practice interviews with members of the Senior Leadership Team
• Reasoning lessons
• Study skills workshops
• Focused extension Maths and English groups
• 11+ coffee mornings for parents
• Future School presentations
• Mock examinations
• A range of practice papers, ensuring that pupils are prepared for online and traditional written exam papers (with explicit targets given)
• All formats of 11+/13+ entry are catered for, including creative tasks and problem solving
Alleyn’s School
2025 Offers
American School in London
City of London School (Boys)
City of London School for Girls
Dulwich College
Emanuel School
Francis Holland School, Regent’s Park
Francis Holland School, Sloane Square
Godolphin & Latymer
Harrodian School
Highgate School
Ibstock Place School
James Allen’s Girls’ School
Kew House School
Latymer Upper School
Maida Vale School
North London Collegiate
Putney High School
Queen’s College
Queen’s Gate School
South Hampstead High School
St James Girls School
St Paul’s Girls’ School
Paul’s Juniors
Bradfield College
Brighton College
Charterhouse School
Dulwich College
King’s College School, Wimbledon
Marlborough College
St Edward’s School Oxford
St Paul’s School
College
Department Successes
Computing
The UK Bebras Challenge
The Bebras Challenge introduces computational thinking to students worldwide. This exciting challenge takes place in schools, under the supervision of teachers, over a two-week period every November. Last year, over 3 million students from more than 80 countries participated!
Over a quarter of Thomas’s Kensington pupils scored in the top 10% nationally for this computing competition. This is a significant achievement.
Christian, in Year 6, and Teddy and Mika in Year 5, all obtained perfect scores in their categories. Well done!
PE
Year 6 Girls attended a weekend residential football tournament at St George’s Park, England’s National Training grounds. The Year 6 girls performed exceptionally well in the tournament, securing an impressive 3rd place overall. Superb effort: Bella, Alexandra, Weston, Lia, Guilia, Ariana, Lyla, Aya, and Sophia.
Drama
Our keen drama pupils gained six distinctions and six merits in their recent Trinity Drama Exams in Grades 1 to 3. This outstanding achievement reflects their hard work, dedication, and passion for the performing arts.
Art
Young Art Competition - 27 pupils from Reception to Year 6 will have their work exhibited at The Oxo Tower in April as part of the Young Art Exhibition. Chloe, in Year 6, gained the 3rd prize overall in her age group. Congratulations, Chloe!
Ballet
The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) Graded Ballet exam results from prep school children achieved an impressive 100% success rate, with either distinction or High Merit achieved.
English
Alex, Year 3, was selected in the Top 100 entries in the BBC 500 Word Writing Competition. A staggering 44,000 children entered the competition this year, making Alex’s achievement even more impressive and a testament to his creativity and writing talent. Congratulations, Alex, on your story, ‘Chaos in the Kingdom of Harmonia.’
Online Safety
We are proud to announce we’ve earned the 360 Safe Online Safety Mark, recognising our exceptional commitment to online safety. Mr Rhodri Smith led the rigorous external assessment and we are proud to have achieved this award.
Alex Matthews
I am delighted to be preparing to take up the Headship of Thomas’s Kensington this September. From the very start, I have been struck by the warmth, energy, and kindness that define the school. The dedication and passion of the staff, the curiosity and enthusiasm of the children, and the strong sense of community make Thomas’s Kensington truly special. It is a privilege to be joining such a vibrant community, and I look forward to getting to know each of you in the months ahead as we embark on this exciting new chapter together.
This is a pivotal moment for Thomas’s Kensington as we prepare to move into our exceptional new home on St Alban’s Grove. With this next chapter comes fresh opportunities to build on the school’s
strong foundations and further cultivate an environment where every child can flourish, reach their full potential, and explore their passions across all areas of learning.
Walking through the site recently, I was struck by the scale of the vision and ambition that have gone into creating such an inspiring and well-equipped school. The beautiful, light-filled spaces have been thoughtfully designed to support both learning and wellbeing, fostering curiosity, creativity, and high expectations. The outdoor space, too, will be transformational, offering new opportunities for play, exploration, and discovery.
I have been working closely with Kelly and key members of the leadership team to ensure a smooth and seamless transition, and I am grateful for their insight, support, and commitment throughout this process. Their passion for the school and your children is evident in every conversation, and it has been invaluable to gain such an understanding of the day-to-day life of Thomas’s Kensington, as well as plan for the future. Together, we are committed to building on the school’s many strengths and making September the start of an inspiring new era. I cannot wait to embark on this journey with you all!
