S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia

Celebrating 175 Years of Faith, Tradition & Excellence

STC@175 – Our Journey

S. Thomas' College, was founded in 1851 by the First Bishop of Colombo, the Rt. Rev'd James Chapman D.D. in Mutwal. Our Founder at the laying the foundation of the school (1849) is recorded to have said . . .

"In building for God, in working, in spending for God, we run no venture, we hazard no loss, we cherish no vague or uncertain hopes. Though unseen, when grounded on true faith, hope is never unreal. Enduring works are often of humble beginning."

The school continued in Mutwal for 66 years before it had to be transplanted by the then Warden, Rev'd William Arthur Stone in 1918 to Mount Lavinia, where it has stood to date.

Interestingly, Mount Lavinia had been Bishop Chapman’s first choice as a location for his School when he had been looking for a suitable location in 1849.

As we mark our 175th anniversary, we honour the past and look to the future through a year-long series of initiatives and celebrations. We strive to maintain the highest standards - preparing children into adulthood; to be strong, independent, responsible and future-ready citizens of our country.

Upcoming Events of STC@175

The 175th Anniversary Day

8.00am - Service of Thanksgiving
9.30am - Declaring open the Museum and issuing the commemorative stamp
10.00am - Laying of the Foundation Stone
10.30am - Assembly

175th Anniversary Publication - Book Launch

The commeorative publication will be launched on the 7th of February 2026
In the Vinodh Senadeera Performance Studio

Old Boy's Events

9th to 14th February - OBA vs Present Boys Sports Events
13th February - OBA Annual General Meeting (6.30pm) in the Main Hall
14th February - OBA Traditional Lunch (1.00pm) and Warden's Tea Party (5.00pm)
14th February - Interhouse English Drama Competition (6.30pm)
15th February - OBA Sunday Eucharist (7.30am)

Gala Banquet and Lifetime Achievement Awards

28th February at the Hilton Hotel

Full Events Calendar

Date	Event	Location
5 February 2025	Thanksgiving Choral Evensong	Christ Church Mutwal
22 - 24 April 2025	Three peak challenge (Summitting the 3 highest peaks in Sri Lanka in 3 consecutive days)	See Post
28 June 2025	All Island English Essay Competition	View Event
13–14 September 2025	English Oratory Competition - Finals	College Auditorium
November 2025	Innovations & Start-up Showcase	College Hall
3 February 2026	Anniversary Day – Chapel Service & Foundation Stone Laying	College Campus
7 February 2026	175 Anniversary Publication Launch	Vinodh Senadeera Performing Arts Studio
9-15 February 2026	Old Boy's Activities	College Campus
28 February 2026	Gala Banquet & Lifetime Achievement Awards	Hilton Hotel Colombo
12–14 March 2026	147th Royal–Thomian Cricket Match	SSC Grounds
28 March 2026	49th Mustang Trophy - Royal–Thomian Limited Over Cricket Match	SSC Grounds
13 June 2026	400 Voice Choral Celebration	Cathedral of Christ the Living Saviour
July 2026	Anniversary Oration - by Prof. Priyan Dias	College Main Hall
8-12 August 2026	Inter-school Leadership Training Camp	STC in Gurutalawa
August - Noveember 2026	Sports Carnival	College Grounds
10 October 2026	OBA Dinner Dance	TBC
6 December 2026	The Festival of Nine Lesson and Carols	Chapel of the Transfiguration
17-19 December 2026	Thomian Fair	College Campus

For all enquiries, contact 175years@stcmount.lk

The Senior Quadrangle Project

Designed by Deshamanya Ashley de Vos, the Senior Quadrangle Project was envisioned as a bold step forward, evolving the College into a university-style campus where all ALevel streams, local and international, converge in a single, collaborative space. With classrooms connected by a central access spine, reconfigurable learning areas, and a landscaped courtyard at its heart, the design fosters cross-disciplinary learning and daily interaction.

The 1st Phase - which currently houses the College Form Arts Section - became a reality thanks to the generous donation by the Gnanam brothers in memory of their father A.Y.S. Gnanam. The building was declared open in 2014 under the stewardship of Warden Indra de Soysa.

The 2nd and 3rd Phases - which comprise of the International A/Levels classrooms, an Auditorium, Laboratories for Physics, Chemistry, Biology and IT and a Performing Arts Studio in memory of the Late Mr. Vinodh Senadeera, were declared open in 2016 and 2022 respectively under the stewardship of the then Warden Rev'd Marc Billimoria.

Funds for these two phases were raised through donations by the OBA, Old Boys, various class groups and other well wishers.

The 4th and final phase of the project will be to connect with the Science section, thus completing the vision for the A/Level sections to be a collaborative space for all. This final phase comprises three transformational elements. Access Prospectus

1. Academic Core – Two upper floors (Levels 2 and 3) of the Phase IV building, will house purpose-built classrooms and laboratories for Technology, Vocational, Foundation, and Tertiary streams. Facilities include three AI- and robotics-ready labs, IT suites and flexible, open spaces with workstations designed to support hands-on, interdisciplinary learning for innovation.

2. Dining Hall – The ground floor of the Phase IV building, will feature a double-height dining hall with a modern kitchen and a shared service yard, providing elegant, efficient infrastructure for students and staff.

3. Student Life Hub – At the heart of the Senior Quadrangle, the fully landscaped courtyard will offer a vibrant space for student interaction, community gatherings, and special events.

DONOR

We are extremely happy to announce Eng. Nahil Wijesuriya's magnanimous donation to the College, the single highest donation the College has ever received, has made this dream a reality.