A New Chapter for a Grade II Listed Campus
Thomas’s London Day Schools is one of the UK’s most respected independent school groups, known for its academic excellence and strong heritage identity. Their newest addition, Thomas’s College, is a co-educational secondary school offering day, weekly and flexi boarding places for students aged 11 to 18 — with capacity for 630 children and boarding accommodation for up to 58.
The school occupies a spectacular five-acre campus set atop Richmond Hill in West London, centred on a Grade II listed, Tudor Gothic main building. Synergy was appointed to provide Cost Consultancy on the refurbishment and reconfiguration of four key buildings across the site: College, the Sir Cyril Taylor Library, The Red House, and the building formerly known as Longley House.
A Site Rooted in Education
The campus has been dedicated to education since it was first built. It opened in 1842 as a Methodist training college, and from 1976 served as the American University of London until the university relocated its premises in 2021. The brief was to bring this long-standing educational site into its next era, adapting it for modern secondary schooling while respecting the architectural character that has defined it for close to two centuries.
Work to College (the main building) spanned every floor:
- Third and fourth floors received a full fit-out to create student boarding accommodation.
- Second floor alterations created a series of space-efficient classrooms.
- Ground floor works combined structural interventions with specialist conservation repairs, alongside the creation of a striking new entrance.
- Mezzanine floors added in the 1990s, were removed entirely — reopening the rooms and allowing the full-height windows onto the 5-acres of College Lawn to be appreciated as originally intended.
- Alongside learning spaces, the building also houses an Assembly Hall, offices, two refectories, kitchens and a Library.
The Sir Cyril Taylor Library underwent a complete transformation into a three-storey Maths, Science and Drama wing, with an assembly space located in the basement.
The Red House was refurbished to form a new three-storey building dedicated to the Sixth Form. The building comprises study areas, a cafe, common room and offices, giving older students a dedicated space of their own.
The building formerly known as Longley House was converted into the School of Design & Engineering with workshops and learning spaces, adding further flexible teaching and collaboration space to the campus.
Balancing Heritage and Function
The design team selected soft, natural finishes and timeless materials that sit comfortably within the leafy setting and period architecture while meeting the practical demands of a modern school. The result is a sensitive balance between heritage and function: buildings that retain their distinctive character while providing adaptable teaching spaces for generations of pupils to come.
Architects: IID Architects
Photographer: Andy Stagg
