Broomwood Road, Battersea, London SW11 6JZ
10 reasons to choose Thomas's Clapham
Main point of differentiation
Thomas’s Clapham has a Schoolsmith Score® of 85, and is the joint 2nd highest scoring Battersea and Clapham prep school. It has the most interesting curriculum (with Thomas’s Battersea), is one of the best for arts (including dance) and sports, and has the most comprehensive outdoor learning programme.
School fundamentals
Thomas’s Clapham is an independent prep day school for boys and girls (50%/50%) between the ages of 4 and 13 years. It is a Christian school, open to all faiths and none. The school has an academically selective admissions policy from Year 1. It is a standalone prep school, not tied to any one senior school. Thomas’s Clapham fees range from £8,984 (Rec) to £10,247 per term (2025/26). Fees include VAT and lunches.
Average class size
Thomas’s Clapham has four classes per year, and an average class size of 18 pupils.
Leavers' destinations
Destinations for the 50% of Thomas’s Clapham pupils who leave after Year 6 are one of 30 London or Surrey day schools. Alleyn’s, Emanuel, JAGS, Whitgift and Woldingham account for 50-60% of 11+ leavers. The 50% who leave after Year 8 go on to one of 50 different independent day and boarding schools. However, 80% of these leavers to on to Wellington, Marlborough, Brighton College, King’s College School, Epsom College, Dulwich College, or Alleyn’s. 30% of pupils win awards and scholarships. Thomas’s College (11-18) in Richmond opens in September 2025 replacing Thomas’s Putney Vale (11-16).
The Thomas's Clapham curriculum
School curriculum is based on the National Curriculum with some additions and variations, and also includes PSHE, reasoning, French, Latin. School seeks to blend traditional knowledge acquisition with developing pupil enquiry skills, self-awareness of learning habits, as well as character education. The ‘Enquiry Mindset’ curriculum features cross-curricular learning, particularly for humanities subjects (history, geography, religion, philosophy), and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, maths). It is an Apple Distinguished School to reflect the high degree of integration of digital learning in the curriculum. The school offers each pupil between 5 and 10 different extra-curricular academic activities or hobby clubs.
More on the curriculum
There are regular educational trips for all year groups, visiting speakers and residential trips from Year 4. Thomas’s Outdoor programme (Woodland Adventure/Young Explorers) for all pupils.
Specialist teaching
Specialist teachers for sport, music, art, dance, drama, computing and languages throughout, and for all subjects from Year 6.
Sport at Thomas's Clapham
School offers over 15 different sports through the year, through both the curriculum and extra-curriculum. Competitive teams in major sports from Year 3.
The Arts at Thomas's Clapham
Art, music, drama, and dance (to Year 4) are taught as discrete curricular subjects to all pupils. All pupils learn an instrument in class and two-thirds take extra-curricular instrument lessons from Year 3. Three choirs, 3 orchestra and several instrument ensembles. The school offers each pupil over 5 different extra-curricular creative and performing arts clubs.
Wraparound care
School hours are from 9.00am to 3.20/4.00pm according to pupil age. Clubs can extend the school day to 5.00pm.
Find another school near Thomas's Clapham
Broomwood Prep Boys (0.5 miles); Broomwood Prep Girls & Pre-Prep (0.5 miles); Dolphin School, Battersea (0.6 miles).
Honeywell Infant & Junior Schools (0.2 miles); Belleville Primary School (0.5 miles); Holy Ghost Catholic Primary School, Balham (0.7 miles).
Emanuel School (1.1 miles); Thames Christian School (1.5 miles); Streatham and Clapham High School (2.4 miles); Thomas’s College (7.6 miles).
Chestnut Grove School (1 mile); La Retraite Roman Catholic Girls’ School (1.2 miles); Ernest Bevin College (1.4 miles).