Chartwells Independent, our specialist provider of catering to the independent education sector, has successfully won two new three-year contracts with South Hampstead High School and Wimbledon High School, further evolving its catering and hospitality offering.
Based in London, both schools are members of the prestigious Girls' Day School Trust (GDST), the UK’s largest group of independent schools educating 20,000 girls each year.
With the successful tender attributed to Chartwells Independent’s expertise, sustainability values, and ambition to provide nutritional education to pupils, it has developed a tailored food offer for both schools, and will be helping develop their hospitality event capabilities, enabling the delivery of events outside of term time.
It will also support both schools with their health and nutrition mission through the delivery of their Beyond The Chartwells Kitchen (BTCK) workshops, empowering young people to make positive choices when it comes to food, nutrition, wellbeing, and sustainability through interactive culinary experiences led by their award-winning nutrition team.
The new wins signal a growth in the relationship between Chartwells Independent and GDST, with contracts already established with Brighton Girls in 2021 and more recently, with Sutton High in April 2023.
Alongside the success with GDST, Chartwells Independent is gaining momentum in Scotland, following a new partnership with Erskine Stewart's Melville Schools in Edinburgh, Europe’s largest family of independent schools, which will see a focus on improving their catering offering for both pupils and events. Other recent independent school wins include St Paul’s School, London, and St Edmund's College, Hertfordshire.
As well as five new contract wins, it has also secured a series of significant contract retentions. Cambridge-based independent schools St Faith’s School and The Leys School, along with Chigwell School, Essex, have all confirmed extensions, continuing an incredible 30, 40 and 53 years of partnership between Chartwells Independent and each school respectively.
Robert Jones, Director of Financial Operations at South Hampstead High School, said: “Food is a fundamental element of our pupils’ experience whilst at school, and we are delighted to be partnering with Chartwells Independent which shares our passion to fuel their learning. South Hampstead along with other GDST schools are centres of educational excellence, steeped in history and tradition, but we’re also keen to innovate and evolve and look forward enhancing the dining experience on offer to pupils.”
Kathryn Jones, Director of Financial Operations at Wimbledon High School, said: “Over the past decade, Wimbledon High School has invested in its campus to enhance the educational experience for our pupils. The dining experience is crucial, and we're thrilled to announce our partnership with Chartwells Independent. Their team aligns seamlessly with our vision with a strong commitment to high-quality, sustainable food. We look forward to a continued partnership, fostering a positive dining environment and engaging our pupils in nutritional education for many years to come.”
Barry C McMaster, Bursar, ESMS, said: “ESMS chose Chartwells Independent because they shared in our vision of where we wish to take our catering offer and their values and approach reflected our own.”
Noelle Jones, Managing Director, Chartwells Independent, said: “We are delighted to announce our partnership with South Hampstead High School and Wimbledon High School, which is testament to our growing relationship with the GDST. We understand the critical role that food plays in enhancing the overall educational experience and we strive to partner with schools that share these core values. Our commitment goes beyond providing delicious and nutritious meals; it extends to fostering a culture of sustainability, innovation, and nutritional education, values that are shared by the GDST.
“South Hampstead and Wimbledon join our portfolio of esteemed independent schools, which we are proud to say has grown significantly in recent years. We are excited to work with each of our new schools, as well as continue our strong relationships with St Faith’s, The Leys, and Chigwell School. Retaining these contracts for so long is a tremendous accomplishment, with Chigwell School in particular being our longest retained partnership at an incredible 53 years. These successes are testament to the hard work and commitment of our teams to delivering fantastic food and education to pupils across the UK every day.”