Campus and Surrounding Areas
The school was converted from a 17th century manor. Hence, the Coach House buildings were the coach houses of the manor. Dr James Lander, a history teacher at the school, wrote an extensive history of the school and surrounding area in The Heart of Thorpe.
The school is divided into North and South campuses, separated by Coldharbour Lane. The Lower and Middle Schools are completely located on the North side of campus. Several dorms, Thorpe House, the Admissions building, cafeteria and Student Center are located on the South side of campus.
With the help of a $745,000 grant from the US embassy, TASIS augmented its campus security with the addition of an extensive infra-red CCTV network and a new public address system. The campus is secured by security personnel who routinely patrol campus. In the event of campus invasion or any incident that should require swift evacuation from the campus, TASIS is served by a comprehensive emergency plan by which students and staff are transported via a protected route to a safe haven. It is important that on hearing about an evacuation, no TASIS parents attempt to return to campus or attempt to pick up their child. When it is safe for students to be released, parents will be contacted by phone.
The school is currently undergoing rebuilding under a ten-year Master Plan. Thus far, extensions have been built to provide more classroom space, and the gyms have been expanded. There is a new fitness center, concessions booth, four new changing rooms, two dance studios and a new PE department office. These new changes were financed on a one-off surcharge to tuition which families are expected to pay during their first year at TASIS.
The school is located near Staines, which has a cinema, shops, as well as a train station. The school runs shuttles on the weekend allowing boarding students easier access to the town. The school is not immediately accessible by public transport.
The school is located 30 minutes away from Heathrow Airport and 45 minutes away from London by train. The nearest train stations are in Virginia Water and Staines.
Read more about this topic: The American School In England
Famous quotes containing the words surrounding and/or areas:
“Every winter the liquid and trembling surface of the pond, which was so sensitive to every breath, and reflected every light and shadow, becomes solid to the depth of a foot or a foot and a half, so that it will support the heaviest teams, and perchance the snow covers it to an equal depth, and it is not to be distinguished from any level field. Like the marmots in the surrounding hills, it closes its eyelids and becomes dormant for three months or more.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“The ambiguous, gray areas of authority and responsibility between parents and teachers exacerbate the distrust between them. The distrust is further complicated by the fact that it is rarely articulated, but usually remains smoldering and silent.”
—Sara Lawrence Lightfoot (20th century)