Thames House

Thames House was originally built as a substantial private residence in the early 19th century but in the late 1940s it was considerably extended and used as a home for trainee teachers.  The House was opened to boarders on 9th September 1980 and renamed after the premier river of England.

Today, the House provides large, elegant common rooms with feature fireplaces and exposed beams, where boarders can relax and socialize.  Recreational facilities include a gym, television, DVD player, a piano, a table tennis table and table football, and there is a wireless House intranet providing e-mail and Internet access.  Thames has a modern fitted kitchen equipped with fridge, microwave, kettles, crockery and cutlery for students’ use.  It is here that afternoon and evening snacks and drinks are served and where students often congregate to chat with friends.

The original and larger bedrooms have considerable character and serve the needs of younger boys, whilst most senior students have modern study bedrooms.  Up-to-date shower and toilet facilities are provided and there is a well-equipped laundry on site.  The House is administratively split into four areas named after famous Thames locations – Greenwich, Henley, Kingston and Windsor.

A wide and varied range of sporting and cultural activities are organised by the House throughout the year.  These have included trips to Alton Towers, the Suffolk coast, West End musicals, classical concerts, international rugby matches and paintballing.  College boarders regularly perform plays (both comic and tragic), hold concerts and talent shows, organise quizzes and discos, as well as football, basketball and table tennis matches. 

The Head of House and House Tutors are committed to ensuring that boarders receive a high standard of pastoral care and maintain a continual overview of their progress in House and of their academic performance in College.