Thomas Tallis School
Encyclopedia
Thomas Tallis School is a large mixed comprehensive school
for pupils aged 11-19, located in Kidbrooke
in the Borough of Greenwich
, London
, United Kingdom
. The school is a specialist Arts College, Leading Edge School and national School of Creativity.
Occupancy of the new school scheduled to take place in 7 November 2011.
The School was built in 1971, originally for 850 pupils. It now has nearly 2000 pupils. It is built on the site of a former RAF
airfield. A blue plaque
to recognise this has been put up on one of the corridors connecting the school's buildings.
, also known as "The Shoe Bomber," attended Tallis. In 1997, one of the school's pupils, fifteen year old Nathan Brown, a member of a gang called the Golden Snakes, murdered CJ Rickard, 14, a pupil from the neighbouring Kidbrooke School
with a 17-inch machete. Six other pupils of the school were jailed for a total of 20 years after admitting conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm with intent.
. The school has belonged to the Creative Partnerships network of schools since 2005.In May 2008, the school became one of only thirty schools in the country to be awarded the status of School of Creativity.The school is also acknowledged for its Deaf and Hearing unit (to which several rooms are dedicated), in which deaf and hearing impaired students can interact more socially and achieve good results.
The school has also recently been in the news for being involved in TV chef Jamie Oliver
's campaign to improve school dinners in Britain. It features in his TV series Jamie's School Dinners
. Since then the menu has changed and a new healthy panini and fair trade cafe has opened.
A text book designed by German publisher Ernst Klett Verlag uses pictures of the school and, as a consequence, German students frequently contact Thomas Tallis in search of pen pals.
In 2007, the school was featured in the Channel 4
documentary Make Me a Tory
, directed by former pupil Daniel Cormack.
The interior design utilises colour coding and clear signage for greater accessibility. The majority of the teaching spaces are housed in three blocks to the west of the site. Rooms will benefit from full height windows and a mixture of natural ventilation and air management, providing superior levels of comfort and excellent learning conditions. Significantly enhanced sports facilities, a student cafe, performing arts spaces and other classrooms make up the other blocks. We have paid close attention to the dining area and toilets, areas which are of particular interest to students and which deserve to be of the highest standards.
However, the new school will have significant additional specialist spaces providing the whole community with state of the art facilities and enabling us to deliver an exciting curriculum for students of all abilities and talents. Access to community facilities has been made easier and circulation around the building will be enhanced by multi-level walkways. There is a close connection between indoor and outdoor learning facilities. We plan to extend the exisiting market garden, making it more visible at the front of the site. There are also designated outdoor classroom areas.
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
for pupils aged 11-19, located in Kidbrooke
Kidbrooke
Kidbrooke is a district of South East London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.The district takes its name from the Kyd Brook, a watercourse which runs from Orpington to Lewisham, by which point it is part of the River Quaggy...
in the Borough of Greenwich
London Borough of Greenwich
The London Borough of Greenwich is an Inner London borough in south-east London, England. Taking its name from the historic town of Greenwich, the present borough was formed in 1965 by the amalgamation of the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Greenwich with part of the Metropolitan...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The school is a specialist Arts College, Leading Edge School and national School of Creativity.
Occupancy of the new school scheduled to take place in 7 November 2011.
The School was built in 1971, originally for 850 pupils. It now has nearly 2000 pupils. It is built on the site of a former RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
airfield. A blue plaque
Blue plaque
A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person or event, serving as a historical marker....
to recognise this has been put up on one of the corridors connecting the school's buildings.
The school and its facilities
Thomas Tallis currently has two main buildings, which are joined together by two 'links'. In between the two buildings is a concourse area. The school opened in 1973. The school has expanded with a series of temporary schoolrooms being built around the two main buildings. The school currently uses the front fields while the re-build of the school is taking place. In 2004 an obstacle course including climbing facilities was constructed behind one of the school buildings on the opposite side of the school to the main field. This was demolished as part of the new school programme as well as reported cases of Asbestos. The school itself has one sports hall, gym hall, general rooms, science labs, I.C.T rooms a specialised deaf support centre and other on-site facilities. Now preparing for demolition.Criminal incidents
Richard ReidRichard Reid (shoe bomber)
Richard Colvin Reid , also known as the Shoe Bomber, is a self-admitted member of al-Qaeda who pled guilty in 2002 in U.S. federal court to eight criminal counts of terrorism stemming from his attempt to destroy a commercial aircraft in-flight by detonating explosives hidden in his shoes...
, also known as "The Shoe Bomber," attended Tallis. In 1997, one of the school's pupils, fifteen year old Nathan Brown, a member of a gang called the Golden Snakes, murdered CJ Rickard, 14, a pupil from the neighbouring Kidbrooke School
Kidbrooke School
Kidbrooke School opened in 1954 as the first purpose-built comprehensive school in Britain. The school is located on Corelli road and near the Kidbrooke area of the London Borough of Greenwich...
with a 17-inch machete. Six other pupils of the school were jailed for a total of 20 years after admitting conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm with intent.
The present
In 1998, the school was awarded Specialist Arts College status and has successfully been re-designated twice. In 2005 the school was awarded Leading EdgeLeading Edge Partnership
The Leading Edge Partnership programme is an educational scheme organised by the Department for Children, Schools and Families in the United Kingdom. It was introduced in 2005 as a programme for High Performing Specialist Schools, a designation launched in 2004....
. The school has belonged to the Creative Partnerships network of schools since 2005.In May 2008, the school became one of only thirty schools in the country to be awarded the status of School of Creativity.The school is also acknowledged for its Deaf and Hearing unit (to which several rooms are dedicated), in which deaf and hearing impaired students can interact more socially and achieve good results.
The school has also recently been in the news for being involved in TV chef Jamie Oliver
Jamie Oliver
James "Jamie" Trevor Oliver, MBE , sometimes known as The Naked Chef, is an English chef, restaurateur and media personality, known for his food-focused television shows, cookbooks and more recently his campaign against the use of processed foods in national schools...
's campaign to improve school dinners in Britain. It features in his TV series Jamie's School Dinners
Jamie's School Dinners
Jamie's School Dinners is a landmark four-episode documentary series broadcast on Channel 4 in the UK from 23 February to 16 March 2005. The series was recorded between Spring to Winter 2004, in which it featured TV chef Jamie Oliver attempting to improve the quality and nutritional value of school...
. Since then the menu has changed and a new healthy panini and fair trade cafe has opened.
A text book designed by German publisher Ernst Klett Verlag uses pictures of the school and, as a consequence, German students frequently contact Thomas Tallis in search of pen pals.
In 2007, the school was featured in the Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
documentary Make Me a Tory
Make Me a Tory
Make Me a Tory is a 2007 British authored documentary film directed by Daniel Cormack for Channel 4.-Synopsis:The film opens with Daniel Cormack returning to the area of South London in which he grew up and reflecting on how the influence of that predominantly left-wing environment formed his...
, directed by former pupil Daniel Cormack.
The future
The school is part of the Greenwich Building Schools for the Future programme. Building work on a new school adjacent to the current site began in 12 October 2009 with occupancy of the new school scheduled to take place in 7th November 2011.The interior design utilises colour coding and clear signage for greater accessibility. The majority of the teaching spaces are housed in three blocks to the west of the site. Rooms will benefit from full height windows and a mixture of natural ventilation and air management, providing superior levels of comfort and excellent learning conditions. Significantly enhanced sports facilities, a student cafe, performing arts spaces and other classrooms make up the other blocks. We have paid close attention to the dining area and toilets, areas which are of particular interest to students and which deserve to be of the highest standards.
However, the new school will have significant additional specialist spaces providing the whole community with state of the art facilities and enabling us to deliver an exciting curriculum for students of all abilities and talents. Access to community facilities has been made easier and circulation around the building will be enhanced by multi-level walkways. There is a close connection between indoor and outdoor learning facilities. We plan to extend the exisiting market garden, making it more visible at the front of the site. There are also designated outdoor classroom areas.
Notable alumni
- Richard Colvin Reid - terrorist
- Charley Kazim Uchea - Reality TV Contestant in Big Brother 2007 (UK)Big Brother 2007 (UK)Big Brother 2007 was the eighth series of the United Kingdom reality television programme Big Brother, airing on Channel 4, with a number of closely associated programmes also airing on E4....
- Alex Slater - Reality TV Contestant in Beauty and the Geek (UK TV series)Beauty and the Geek (UK TV series)Beauty and the Geek is a reality television show, first aired in the United Kingdom on E4 on February 7, 2006, following the success of the format in the United States, and was advertised similarly as "the Ultimate Social Experiment". The first series ended on 14 March, and was repeated on...
- Dominic CooperDominic CooperDominic Edward Cooper is an English actor. He has worked in TV, film, theatre and radio, in productions including Mamma Mia!, The Duchess, The History Boys, and The Devil's Double.- Early life :...
- Actor - Patrick van den HauwePat Van Den HauwePatrick William Roger "Pat" Van Den Hauwe is a former professional footballer who made 401 appearances in the Football League playing for Birmingham City, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and Millwall...
, professional footballer, attended from 1972-1977 - Matthew Collins Matthew CollinsMatthew Jeffrey "Matty" Collins is a Welsh footballer who plays for Welsh Premier League side Neath. He has represented Wales at Under-17, Under-19 and Under-21 levels, and plays as a central midfielder and also as a right back.-Career:...
ex-NF leader and now renowned antifascist campaigner and writer - Jude LawJude LawDavid Jude Heyworth Law , known professionally as Jude Law, is an English actor, film producer and director.He began acting with the National Youth Music Theatre in 1987, and had his first television role in 1989...
Actor - Vincent Mong - Graduate of the London School of Economics