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Catering

Welcome to our new catering partner Thomas Franks who were appointed in January 2026.

Here’s an introduction from the company’s founder, Frank Bothwell.

“Thomas Franks is proud to have been appointed as the new catering partner of Thornton College and we look forward to working closely with the School in the years ahead.

Founded in 2004, Thomas Franks is a family-owned contract catering partner with a global reputation for serving exceptional food made from locally sourced produce. We work with many of the world’s leading schools, but we also have an extensive presence in business and industry with clients such as Autotrader, Barings, Britvic, Burberry, Cushman & Wakefield, Dentons, Edinburgh Airport, PZ Cussons, Somerset County Cricket Club and Withers.

We produce exceptional food that is bursting with flavour. Our ingredients are fresh, seasonal and sourced from local, family-owned suppliers in line with our commitment to support small businesses. Our chefs work in partnership with an in-house Nutrition Team to curate menus that meet rigorous standards of quality and nutritional value. The Thornton College team has access to an extensive support network, which includes development chefs, culinary directors, nutritionists, and sustainability experts. We know that some children don’t find eating easy and we will work collaboratively with the School to help them make positive food choices.

In 2022, Thomas Franks won the Best Employer Award and the Foodservice Caterer Award at The Cateys, and followed this up with the Health and Nutrition Award in 2023. Investors in People awarded us platinum accreditation in 2025 and The Sunday Times named us in the Top 10 of their Best Places to Work in 2025. In 2019, we launched The Thomas Franks Foundation with the ambition of eradicating food poverty. Since its inception, the Foundation has partnered with 300 charities to deliver more than three and a half million meals to people in need across the UK and around the world.

We are delighted to be working alongside Thornton College and I feel privileged to be part of the school community.”

FOOD AT THORNTON

For breakfast, boarders can choose from a hot buffet, a wide range of cereals, yoghurts, pastries and fruit.

Lunch is served to all, where students can expect three or four hot options, a selection of side dishes and an extensive salad bar. We offer three or four choices for pudding, including fresh fruit.

The range is slightly smaller for dinner, but we aim to serve pupils’ favourite dishes, ensuring they are well-fuelled for their co-curricular commitments.

In addition to the core menu, the Thomas Franks chef team will host regular pop-ups so girls can explore the foods of the world. These could include sushi-making workshops, pasta bars, mezze nights, Mexican fiestas and the much-loved smoothie bike.

MENUS

WEEK 1 – BREAKFAST MENU

WEEK 1 – LUNCH MENU

WEEK 1 – SUPPER MENU

WEEK 2 – BREAKFAST MENU

WEEK 2 – LUNCH MENU

WEEK 2 – SUPPER MENU

WEEK 3 – BREAKFAST MENU

WEEK 3 – LUNCH MENU

Week 3 – SUPPER MENU

ALLERGIES & SPECIAL DIETS

The health and safety of Thornton College students is our number one priority. Our comprehensive food allergy and special diet policy will provide clear procedures for the identification and management of allergies and dietary requirements. All our schools have a ‘nut-aware’ policy.

TRAINING

The Thornton College team will receive comprehensive and up-to-date training on current legislation, and clear instructions on how to carry out allergen management procedures.

ALLERGEN TRACKER

The catering team completes a detailed allergen tracker for every service. This is used by the Head Chef during the pre-service briefing to ensure each member of staff is aware of the allergens present in each dish.

SUPPLIER AUDITS

Our approved suppliers have all been audited to ensure we have comprehensive records of the ingredients on offer to our location teams.

ALLERGEN SEGREGATION

Dishes containing allergens are segregated from other dishes in the kitchen and on the counters, preventing cross-contamination wherever possible.

COMMUNICATIONS

We work closely with Thornton College parents to fully understand the needs of each pupil. The parents of pupils with life-threatening allergies will be invited to meet with the catering manager to agree on a bespoke allergy management plan.

SERVICE COUNTER ENGAGEMENT

A member of the Thornton College catering team will be selected as an Allergy Champion. They will act as an additional level of due diligence in the allergy management process, overseeing and encouraging correct working practice. This will rotate amongst the staff to build positive habits in the team.