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Thomas
Paul Wild
Head of Thomas's Outdoors Welcome

Paul Wild

We provide pupils with regular, challenging, enjoyable and safe opportunities to learn outdoors. These have a positive impact on pupils’ wellbeing, making Thomas’s a happier and stronger community. The Thomas’s Outdoors & Sustainability Department are outdoor education specialists, based within the schools and at our Walton Firs site in Surrey. The department aims to integrate sustainability meaningfully into teaching and ensure every child develops a strong, lasting connection with the environment. We aim to equip pupils with essential life skills which they will need to succeed in our rapidly changing world. We hope that they will also have fun, make memories and build friendships which will last a lifetime.

Thomas’s Outdoor Education

Thomas’s Outdoor Education

All students from Kindy - Year 4 will have outdoor sessions at our Walton Firs site in Surrey, once a term, three times a year led by The Thomas’s Outdoor & Sustainability Department. Each session is designed to reinforce and develop the following interwoven themes: 

  • The Academic Curriculum: The learning intentions will stem from the school’s academic curriculum and by taking the classroom outdoors the children will consolidate and deepen their learning in a new environment with sustainability as a theme throughout all activities.

  • The Great Outdoors: The sessions will also be dedicated to the appreciation of nature and the abundant life lessons that can be learnt by working collaboratively or independently in a known outdoor environment. The Thomas’s values and the children’s learning attitudes will be reinforced and developed through experiencing challenges in the great outdoors.
Thomas’s Daheim

Thomas’s Daheim

Thomas’s Daheim (which means Thomas’s At Home) is a hotel in the Austrian ski area of Wurzeralm near the Kalkalpen National Park. Thomas’s has been visiting the ski area of Wurzeralm for over 30 years and has developed a strong relationship and close bond with the people and area.  

During the first half of the Lent term, Year 5 spend five nights at Thomas’s Daheim. In Year 6 pupils return to Daheim for a week in the second half of the Lent term.  Revisiting a familiar environment enhances their learning ability and the programme of outdoor activities allows them to access the curriculum with greater confidence and independence. Time is split between outdoor pursuits, ski lessons and a rich evening programme with the Thomas’s Outdoor vision at the heart of their learning.  Our teaching staff and outdoor team lead these exciting trips and care for our pupils where they explore the spectacular scenery, discover ancient rock formations and observe local flora and fauna. Trips to Thomas’s Daheim are an unforgettable part of a Thomas’s education for Years 5 and 6.

Thomas’s Adventure

Thomas’s Adventure

Thomas’s Adventure is an exciting extra-curricular program designed to take students beyond the classroom and into the outdoors. This is a unique opportunity for students from all Thomas’s schools to meet, forge new friendships, and develop new skills like bushcraft, proficiency in water sports, and the challenge of climbing. We are committed to continuing their outdoor education outside of school time, offering a diverse list of skill-building activities. Opportunities are offered on a sign-up basis, with enrollment links released promptly at the start of each term, so be sure to sign up fast! 

Click here to see the list of adventure days available this year.

The Outdoor Team

The Outdoor Team

Head of Thomas’s Outdoors - Paul Wild

Head of Thomas’s Outdoors & Sustainability Department - Emily Lewis

Senior Outdoor Specialist: Battersea - Will Ellice

Outdoor Specialist: Kensington - Gray Morris

Outdoor Specialist: Fulham - Gus KJ

Outdoor Specialist: Clapham - Louise Chadwick

Get in Touch

Get in Touch

Head of Department
Tel:
07557 830782
Email: elewis@thomas-s.co.uk

Thomas’s Daheim
Tel: 07557 830782
Email: daheim@thomas-s.co.uk

Thomas’s Adventure
Tel: 07557 830782
Email: adventure@thomas-s.co.uk