Team Thompson

'AIM HIGH'

Team Thompson is a proud and inclusive Team that has a very positive and friendly ethos.  Our inspiration and Team name comes from Tanni Grey Thompson the wheelchair athlete that has been one of the most successful wheelchair athletes of all time.  Born with spina bifida, she did not let her disability hold her back from making the most of life, and the members of our Team also recognise that despite barriers and difficulties - nothing will hold us back from achieving and aspiring.

Team Thompson was the winner of the first ever inter-team curriculum competition that ran for the year 2009/2010 which is an illustration of our enthusiasm, pride and team spirit.  Many of the Team Thompson members have been awarded with PRIDE cards which gives them privileges around the school.  PRIDE cards can be awarded when a student achieves 10 pride stickers with at least two from each sub category - Personal Excellence, Respect, Inspiration, Determination and Equity.  Although Team Thompson is a proud Team, we are also very aware that we are part of an even bigger Team - The Hayesbrook School Team and therefore we welcome many friends from the other excellent Teams in the School; Team Redgrave, Team Pele, Team MacArthur and Team Ali.

Amongst our Team we have sports players that represent the school and the county, we have expert musicians and many strong academics.  We also have peer mentors, students that attend the Tunbridge Wells Challenger Troop, we have students that attend college to broaden their qualifications and each year we have at least 20 students that are awarded with the unsung heroes award.

TEAM LEADER: MR TURNER
PASTORAL SUPPORT MANAGER: MRS WHITLOCK
SENIOR LEADER: MRS KANE

Tanni Grey Thompson

Carys Davina "Tanni" Grey-Thompson, Baroness Grey-Thompson, (born 26 July 1969 in Cardiff, Wales) graduated from Loughborough University in 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Social Administration.

She was christened Carys Davina Grey, but her sister referred to her as "tiny" when she first saw her, pronouncing it "tanni", and the name stuck.

Achiements

Tanni Grey-Thompson's Paralympic career started in the 100m at the Junior National Games for Wales in 1984.  Her international career began in 1988 in Seoul, where she won a bronze medal in the 400m. As a young athlete she also competed in wheelchair basketball. Her fifth and last Paralympic Games were in Athens (2004) where she won two gold medals in wheelchair racing in the 100m and 400m. In total in her Paralympic Games career she won 16 medals (11 gold, four silver and a bronze) and also 13 World Championship medals (six gold, five silver and two bronze).

On 28 February 2007 she announced her pending retirement, with her last appearance for Great Britain at May's Paralympic World Cup in Manchester.