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Dukes Meadows and Thomas’s College TENNIS PARTNER SHIP

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Timeline Applicants will follow a dual process, applying for both a place on the Tennis program and a place at Thomas’s College.

11 May 2026

Registration Opens

Saturday 19 September 2026 and Saturday 3 October 2026

Open Days at Thomas’s College

Monday 21 September 2026

Tennis Pathway Open Evening at Dukes Meadows

Monday 12 October 2026

Tennis Pathway Assessment at Dukes Meadows

Mid October

Tennis Pathway Assessment Outcome decision emailed

Monday 2 November 2026

Deadline to Register at Thomas’s College

Thursday 26 November

Thomas’s College Assessment Day

Wednesday 6 January 2027

Thomas’s College Interview

Friday 12 February 2027

Thomas’s College Decisions emailed

Early March 2027

Deadline to accept

We recommend that families attend the open events at both Thomas’s College and Dukes Meadows Tennis Centre.

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Welcome to the Dukes Meadows and Thomas’s College Tennis Partnership The Thomas’s College Tennis Programme, delivered in partnership with Dukes Meadows, offers a highquality, structured pathway for students to develop their tennis alongside their school career. Designed for ambitious players in Years 7 to 13, the programme seamlessly combines elite coaching, regular competitive opportunities, a clear performance pathway with the academic rigour and excellence of Thomas’s College. With the two sites just 15 minutes apart, students benefit from maximised training time, increased coach contact, and an efficient, flexible structure that supports tournament schedules and performance commitments. Underpinned by shared values of excellence, ambition and innovation, the partnership creates a focused and supportive environment where student-athletes can truly thrive.

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The best of both worlds for the aspiring tennis star

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By combining the educational strengths of Thomas’s College with the specialist expertise of Dukes Meadows, the programme develops not only skilful players but also resilient, disciplined and conﬁdent young people. Together, we provide a leading tennis and education pathway, equipping students with the tools to succeed on court, in the classroom and beyond.

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Thomas’s College Tennis Pathway Dukes Meadows and Thomas’s College began their partnership in 2025 to deliver a fully integrated tennis and academic programme for students joining in Year 7. As we enter the second year of this collaboration, we look forward to welcoming our first cohort of pathway students in September 2026. The pathway, designed to offer elite-level tennis training alongside an outstanding academic education, was developed in direct response to parental feedback. Families of aspiring tennis players often found it challenging to find a programme that seamlessly blended elite athletic training with the standards of a leading academic school. This programme bridges that gap. Students benefit from the full spectrum of academic, co-curricular and pastoral opportunities that a traditional school environment affords, while maintaining a rigorous training schedule. By aligning term dates, learning schedules and daily routines, we ensure that both education and sport fit together within a standard day, offering families the best of both worlds without compromise. The ideal proximity of the two sites, located just 15 minutes apart, maximises training time and coaching contact, ensuring peak efﬁciency within demanding player schedules. This framework offers the necessary ﬂexibility to support national tournaments, international trips and competitive commitments, all without compromising academic progress. Grounded in a culture of commitment, ambition and a desire to excel, the programme provides a comprehensive platform that equips students for longterm success in elite tennis, higher education and life beyond the court.

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Weekly Schedule

INDICATIVE TIMETABLE

Session Time

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Parent Drop-off

Duke’s

Thomas’s

Duke’s

Thomas’s

Saturday

Sunday

Rest/ Tournaments/ AD HOC Tennis

07.00 07.30

DMTC Squad

DMTC BUS

DMTC Bus

08.00 08.30 09.00 09.30 10.00 10.30 School

11.00 11.30 12.00 12.30

School

13.00 13.30

DMTC Bus

14.00 14.30

DMTC Squad

15.00 15.30 16.00

DMTC Bus

DMTC Squad

Pick Up TC

DMTC Bus

16.30

DMTC S&C

17.00 17.30 18.00

Home

18.30 19.00

DMTC Squad Home

19.30

DMTC S&C

20.00

Home

Hours

3.5

1.5

Tennis

S&C

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The Tennis Programme BESPOKE PATHWAYS Our tailored timetables balance highperformance athletic training with rigorous academic provision. The programme allocates approximately 15 hours per week to a comprehensive tennis schedule, which includes: • Individual & Group Training: Tailored court sessions delivered by elite coaches. • Integrated Strength & Conditioning: Elite-standard S&C programmes aligned with academy scheduling and supported by regular athletic development testing.

INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS (IDP) The Individual Development Plan sits at the heart of our performance philosophy, supporting the long-term growth of the athlete. Rather than viewing a student’s development in isolation, the IDP combines every aspect of their journey, uniting technical tennis coaching, strength and conditioning, academic aspirations and personal wellbeing into a cohesive framework. This holistic approach ensures we cultivate not just elite players, but well-rounded individuals.

• Player Welfare & Support: A holistic approach to wellbeing, including precise workload monitoring and dedicated individual support. • Streamlined Logistics: Fully aligned training and competition calendars with the academy to ensure seamless transitions throughout the school day. • World-Class Facilities: Full access to Dukes Meadows’ exceptional amenities, including indoor and outdoor tennis courts, a fully equipped gym, a golf course, a driving range and indoor skiing. • Competitive Opportunities: Full preparation and support for school fixtures, LTA tournaments and major team competitions.

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TH O M A S’ S CO LLEG E

THOMAS’S COLLEGE Thomas’s College is a selective, coeducational day and weekly boarding school for students aged 11 to 18, with main entry points at 11+, 13+ and 16+. Having opened its doors in 2025 with 300 students, the College is experiencing purposeful, planned growth. For the academic year 2027–28, Thomas’s College will reach a total of approximately 600 students, reaching its full capacity of 650 students from 2028 onwards. The College’s vision is bold, progressive and future-facing. We deliver a genuinely unique curriculum that seamlessly combines the academic rigour of GCSEs and A-Levels with our own innovative, bespoke qualifications. This distinct educational approach is designed to foster independence, creativity and critical thinking, equipping students to thrive in an ever-evolving world. Crucially, students and families have the autonomy to choose the qualifications that best suit them, fully guided by our expert academic advice. We offer far more than conventional academic excellence; we cultivate futureready creativity, celebrating a diversity of intelligence and embracing radical new ways of learning. Our promise is a broader, richer education, one that is deeply personal, grounded in real-world experience, and meticulously tailored to the individual strengths and passions of each student.

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DUKES MEADOWS Dukes Meadows, located in the heart of West London, is recognised as one of the UK’s leading tennis performance centres and proudly serves as an LTA Regional Player Development Centre. The Dukes Meadows and Thomas’s College partnership was established to provide students from Year 7 and above with the opportunity to combine a highperformance tennis programme alongside an outstanding academic education. Dukes Meadows take pride in the achievements of their academy players, with multiple athletes representing Great Britain across U10 to U18 age groups, including participation in both winter and summer cups. The programme has produced a wealth of talent, with alumni including Ranah Stoiber, Flora Johnson, Gabia Paskauskas, Isabella Lacy, Oliver Bonding and Kai Luca Ampaw, all of which have gone on to compete at an international level. The academy provides a pathway to scholarships at renowned universities in the USA.

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The Team

THOMAS’S COLLEGE

Jamie attended the University of Birmingham, where he earned a BSc Hons in Sports and Exercise Science while playing National League Hockey. After three successful years, he completed his PGCE in Secondary Physical Education, and joined Gordon’s School in 2010 as a Physical Education teacher.

JAMIE HARRISON DIRECTOR OF SPORT

Jamie took over the department at the end of his second year, and led it until 2018, when he took up the role as Director of Sport. In this role, he concentrated on enhancing the delivery, engagement and reputation of the sports programme. Additionally, Jamie has held several key positions, including Deputy Housemaster for both a boarding and day house, Educational Visits Co-ordinator, and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Ofﬁcer. A passionate advocate for sports, he ﬁrmly believes in the essential role physical activity plays in a child’s education, while also fostering valuable life experiences and transferable skills.

Andrew is Director of Fifth Form at Thomas’s College, where he leads the pastoral care and academic progress of students in Years 9 and 10. At the heart of his work is a commitment to ensuring every student feels known, supported and challenged to achieve their best, both in and beyond the classroom.

ANDREW NORTON DIRECTOR OF FIF TH FORM AND OPTIONS

TENNIS COACH

Alongside his pastoral leadership, Andrew brings a strong background in high-performance sport, particularly in tennis. A graduate of the University of Exeter, where he studied Sport and Exercise Science, he represented the university’s ﬁrst team and served as Tennis Captain. Competing at national standard and representing his county, he developed a deep understanding of the demands of elite performance. Andrew is a qualiﬁed tennis coach and has coached a number of high-performance players in both the UK and South Africa. His coaching philosophy combines technical excellence with a strong focus on mindset, resilience and personal development, helping players to thrive in competitive environments.

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DUKES MEADOWS

Neil has been Director of Tennis at Dukes Meadows since 2018, leading the centre’s tennis programme and overseeing the development pathway for more than 600 young players. A former professional player, Neil competed at Wimbledon in 2006, 2007 and 2008 and the French Open, achieving career-high ATP rankings of 555 in singles (2006) and 271 in doubles. His success was built upon an outstanding junior career, including a top four European ranking at age 14 and representation for Great Britain at U12, U14 and U18 level.

NEIL BAMFORD DIRECTOR OF TENNIS

Following his playing career, Neil transitioned into coaching and programme leadership, working with elite junior athletes who have gone on to achieve international success. His experience spans player development, performance coaching and the creation of structured pathways that help young athletes reach their potential. Alongside his leadership responsibilities, Neil remains actively involved in coaching squads and individual player development. His coaching philosophy is centred on a simple principle: develop the person first, then the player.

Donlan is Head Coach on the Future Stars performance programme at Dukes Meadows, where he leads the progression of ambitious players aged 9-10 years. He also works alongside the coaching team on the highly competitive RPDC programme. As an experienced LTA Level 4 coach, he has spent the past eight years coaching junior players full-time, guiding them from their first tennis experience through to county, national and international level competition. Having worked closely with high-performance players, Donlan understands the demands young athletes face as they progress both on and off court.

DONLAN TATTERSFIELD HEAD COACH OF FUTURE STARS

His coaching philosophy centres on developing the individual first, with a strong focus on confidence, mental resilience and a genuine love for the game. With strong technical foundations and tactical understanding at the core, Donlan helps players achieve meaningful progress that translates into stronger and more confident matchplay.

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DUKES MEADOWS

JAMES WOOLTORTON ATHLETIC DEVELOPMENT COACH

James is an Athletic Development Coach at Dukes Meadows, supporting players across the centre’s performance pathway. A graduate from Coventry University, James earned a BSc in Sport and Exercise Science before completing an MSc in Applied Strength and Conditioning Science at St Mary’s University, Twickenham. He first joined Dukes Meadows in 2023 through an internship during his postgraduate studies and has since developed his role within the programme. Now working with players across the RPDC and wider performance programme, James supports those competing on the Tennis Europe and ITF tours. James’ approach to athletic development places equal importance on movement quality, consistency and enjoyment, helping junior players to build strong physical foundations for the future. Combined with evidence-based strength and conditioning principles, his coaching supports players in becoming stronger, faster and more explosive athletes, whilst also developing the physical confidence needed to perform on court.

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Fees Tennis partnership families enter into a contract with Dukes Meadows for the tennis partnership and Thomas’s College for the educational offering.

TENNIS PROGR AMME FEES

2027-2028 Programme 1 (includes VAT)

£10,800 per term

THOMA S’S COLLEGE FEES

2026-2027 Tuition Fees are below for reference Fourth Form (Years 7-8)

£10,912 per term

Fifth and Sixth Forms (Years 9-13)

£11,404 per term

Lunch (compulsory)

£425 per term

Next Steps?

CLICK HERE

TENNIS PARTNERSHIP PRESENTATION & ASSESSMENT NIGHT

THOMAS’S COLLEGE ADMISSIONS GUIDE

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@thomasscollege college@thomas-s.co.uk 16

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