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Original poster

Thoughts on Thomas's College Richmond - those with offers and those at the primaries!

131 replies

Nottoolongtogo · 15/02/2025 18:25

Interested to hear from anyone who is currently at Thomas's for primary and if they have any info on the College in Richmond and how many are seriously considering it for Year 7?

Also interested in thoughts of those with offers and whether you are seriously considering it. Has anyone's child been awarded a Founders Scholarship and if so, are you seriously considering it?

Thank you!

OP posts:
violetiris · 05/03/2025 13:13

Nottoolongtogo · 05/03/2025 13:09

Don’t worry about coming from state vs private, I don’t think children even consider this (at least mine wouldn’t!). Everyone will be keen to make friends as lots of children will be the only ones coming from their school.

hopefully we can PM once they get re-enabled!

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Thank you that's lovely to hear and very reassuring.

Original poster
Nottoolongtogo · 05/03/2025 13:09

violetiris · 05/03/2025 13:06

Yes year 7! Very keen to start making friends for her (one of our wobble points was that she might struggle to make friends since she's coming from a state rather than a prep school background), am hoping that school will share a list of contacts once the final decisions are all made.

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Don’t worry about coming from state vs private, I don’t think children even consider this (at least mine wouldn’t!). Everyone will be keen to make friends as lots of children will be the only ones coming from their school.

hopefully we can PM once they get re-enabled!

OP posts:
violetiris · 05/03/2025 13:06

Nottoolongtogo · 05/03/2025 13:04

Congrats! Is she going into year 7? We are very close the signing on the dotted line; for year 7 (boy).

Edited
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Yes year 7! Very keen to start making friends for her (one of our wobble points was that she might struggle to make friends since she's coming from a state rather than a prep school background), am hoping that school will share a list of contacts once the final decisions are all made.

Original poster
Nottoolongtogo · 05/03/2025 13:05

SamPoodle123 · 04/03/2025 22:15

I know a boy who has a founding scholarship, and he is taking it.

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Is he going into year 7?

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Original poster
Nottoolongtogo · 05/03/2025 13:04

violetiris · 05/03/2025 12:40

Our daughter will be going on a scholarship place. We're in that crunchy financial spot where there is no way we could afford full fees for an independent school but don't qualify for bursaries, so this was a totally unique opportunity for her. I imagine there may well be others in a similar position.

Edited
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Congrats! Is she going into year 7? We are very close the signing on the dotted line; for year 7 (boy).

OP posts:
violetiris · 05/03/2025 12:54

Nottoolongtogo · 04/03/2025 11:07

Thank you, is this the number that he expects to turn up or an indication of the number they offered?

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I'm not sure! Sorry, it wasn't entirely clear to me. Realise that's not very helpful.

violetiris · 05/03/2025 12:40

MoiraT · 04/03/2025 21:29

I only know one child who got a founding scholarship and she is going to St Paul’s Girls. I wonder how many of the few who were offered them will actually attend. Seems like very few and so it was a pretty futile marketing strategy, especially as the offer came with heavy suggestions that you should pay the entirely of the saving into the school’s bursary fund if you are able.

Our daughter will be going on a scholarship place. We're in that crunchy financial spot where there is no way we could afford full fees for an independent school but don't qualify for bursaries, so this was a totally unique opportunity for her. I imagine there may well be others in a similar position.

SailingCulprit · 05/03/2025 09:13

Busy77 · 04/03/2025 21:35

I understood the "third" coming from
Putney vale made up a third of the new college so all 100. I clearly misunderstood. We've accepted a place for 2027.

It was my mistake, speed reading! You are right!

SailingCulprit · 05/03/2025 09:12

HeavensToBetsy1 · 04/03/2025 21:36

I read this as a third of the entire cohort would be from the Putney Vale school- so if the entire cohort is the 300+ they are saying then it would be 100 from the Putney school- which is most of them? Seems more likellly than all those children finding a new school, some just joined into Y9 knowing they'd be going to the Richmond school.

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You are totally right, apologies! Read on the run and sometimes speed reading is not as efficient as one thinks! Just re-read the email properly!

TwoInARow2020 · 04/03/2025 22:17

SamPoodle123 · 04/03/2025 22:15

I know a boy who has a founding scholarship, and he is taking it.

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Good! I was worried there wasn’t going to be enough balance (I have a daughter)

SamPoodle123 · 04/03/2025 22:15

TwoInARow2020 · 04/03/2025 21:57

So far I have only heard of girls being offered the founding scholarships, and I also know two who have turned it down. I still think it was a good idea but I suppose if you have an offer from a very academic, established school then it is hard to take that leap?

I know a boy who has a founding scholarship, and he is taking it.

TwoInARow2020 · 04/03/2025 21:57

So far I have only heard of girls being offered the founding scholarships, and I also know two who have turned it down. I still think it was a good idea but I suppose if you have an offer from a very academic, established school then it is hard to take that leap?

HeavensToBetsy1 · 04/03/2025 21:36

SailingCulprit · 04/03/2025 20:49

So the FAQ email today said it was just a third coming from Putney Vale. That makes it about 30-35 pupils as Putney Vale only has 102 on its register. Maybe others will leave to bigger 6th Form, not sure how two thirds will get lost. Majority from Battersea and Clapham will head to boarding schools. So it will be a totally new mix!

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I read this as a third of the entire cohort would be from the Putney Vale school- so if the entire cohort is the 300+ they are saying then it would be 100 from the Putney school- which is most of them? Seems more likellly than all those children finding a new school, some just joined into Y9 knowing they'd be going to the Richmond school.

Busy77 · 04/03/2025 21:35

I understood the "third" coming from
Putney vale made up a third of the new college so all 100. I clearly misunderstood. We've accepted a place for 2027.

MoiraT · 04/03/2025 21:29

I only know one child who got a founding scholarship and she is going to St Paul’s Girls. I wonder how many of the few who were offered them will actually attend. Seems like very few and so it was a pretty futile marketing strategy, especially as the offer came with heavy suggestions that you should pay the entirely of the saving into the school’s bursary fund if you are able.

MoiraT · 04/03/2025 21:26

Surely Thomas’s prep pupils go to boarding schools for Year 9 - which is when Putney Vale starts. So the ones currently at Putney Vale aren’t heading to boarding school (because they’d be there by now) but to other non-Thomas’s schools. It’s quite odd.

SailingCulprit · 04/03/2025 20:49

ACV3 · 03/03/2025 11:47

Are there only 300 students to start? Does anyone know how many come across from Putney Vale?

So the FAQ email today said it was just a third coming from Putney Vale. That makes it about 30-35 pupils as Putney Vale only has 102 on its register. Maybe others will leave to bigger 6th Form, not sure how two thirds will get lost. Majority from Battersea and Clapham will head to boarding schools. So it will be a totally new mix!

SailingCulprit · 04/03/2025 11:46

I think there are just a handful of founding scholarships. As my daughter was shortlisted but didn’t get it, the email said ‘we were only able to offer a limited amount of founding scholarships’. It will have gone to kids who they would know would have had offers from top schools - a few mums are on this thread - and that’s a smart move to poach them and get high academic standard from the outset!

Original poster
Nottoolongtogo · 04/03/2025 11:07

violetiris · 04/03/2025 10:42

I asked the Head about this directly at the offer holder day and he said they're expecting the actual number of founder's scholars to be around 40-50.

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Thank you, is this the number that he expects to turn up or an indication of the number they offered?

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violetiris · 04/03/2025 10:42

Abrid · 03/03/2025 13:40

I don't think they have given out 100 full scholarships. Someone mentioned this in the open day and the headmaster was quick to say 'we said we would offer UP to 100'. We are fee paying and have 3 others from our school also fee paying that are going. I'm sure there will be teething issues but I don't believe it is as risky as some make out. They have a strong team in place with a strong brand to uphold and I think it's clear everyone is driven to make it a success.

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I asked the Head about this directly at the offer holder day and he said they're expecting the actual number of founder's scholars to be around 40-50.

Original poster
Nottoolongtogo · 03/03/2025 17:32

Abrid · 03/03/2025 13:40

I don't think they have given out 100 full scholarships. Someone mentioned this in the open day and the headmaster was quick to say 'we said we would offer UP to 100'. We are fee paying and have 3 others from our school also fee paying that are going. I'm sure there will be teething issues but I don't believe it is as risky as some make out. They have a strong team in place with a strong brand to uphold and I think it's clear everyone is driven to make it a success.

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Agreed, when I spoke to admissions, they emphasised this and said they gave out much fewer than this, carefully looked at the applications and only gave them to those they thought were worthy of it. And they said if people rejected them, they wouldn't go on to offer others - the list is the list and that is it...

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ACV3 · 03/03/2025 14:06

Abrid · 03/03/2025 13:40

I don't think they have given out 100 full scholarships. Someone mentioned this in the open day and the headmaster was quick to say 'we said we would offer UP to 100'. We are fee paying and have 3 others from our school also fee paying that are going. I'm sure there will be teething issues but I don't believe it is as risky as some make out. They have a strong team in place with a strong brand to uphold and I think it's clear everyone is driven to make it a success.

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That makes me feel better, thanks!

Abrid · 03/03/2025 13:40

ACV3 · 03/03/2025 13:05

Ah thanks, I'd forgotten about the other campuses. That probably doesn't leave many other families outside of the 100 Founders Scholarships then, to fill 300 places.

That would suggest most families will either have existing experience of the school, OR a scholarship – so very few would be needing to take a $$ risk. Smart!

But if that is the case, it makes me feel a bit wobbly about accepting a fee-paying offer as a new family. Can't quite put my finger on why! Ultimately I think it's going to be an excellent and unique school.

I don't think they have given out 100 full scholarships. Someone mentioned this in the open day and the headmaster was quick to say 'we said we would offer UP to 100'. We are fee paying and have 3 others from our school also fee paying that are going. I'm sure there will be teething issues but I don't believe it is as risky as some make out. They have a strong team in place with a strong brand to uphold and I think it's clear everyone is driven to make it a success.

ACV3 · 03/03/2025 13:05

Ah thanks, I'd forgotten about the other campuses. That probably doesn't leave many other families outside of the 100 Founders Scholarships then, to fill 300 places.

That would suggest most families will either have existing experience of the school, OR a scholarship – so very few would be needing to take a $$ risk. Smart!

But if that is the case, it makes me feel a bit wobbly about accepting a fee-paying offer as a new family. Can't quite put my finger on why! Ultimately I think it's going to be an excellent and unique school.

Original poster
Nottoolongtogo · 03/03/2025 12:23

ACV3 · 03/03/2025 11:47

Are there only 300 students to start? Does anyone know how many come across from Putney Vale?

I’m guessing 100-150 will come from Putney Vale.

As for the year 9 group, there will be some children coming over from Thomas’s Clapham and Thomas’s Battersea.

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