Raft of new contract wins and retentions for Chartwells Independent

Chartwells Independent, part of the education catering sector of Compass Group UK & Ireland, is continuing its growth trajectory having successfully won two new three-year contracts with South Hampstead High School and Wimbledon High School, to help evolve their catering and hospitality offering.

Based in the capital, 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 the company’s expertise, sustainability values, and ambition to provide nutritional education to pupils, Chartwells Independent 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.

Chartwells Independent will also support both schools with their health and nutrition mission through the delivery of its 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 Chartwells’ 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 also 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, Chartwells Independent 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. Additionally, Chartwells Independent is working closely with St Faith’s School and The Leys School to redesign their dining halls and catering facilities.

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.”