From lunch spread that will put restaurants to shame to optional homework, all about Prince George's fancy school

While Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton stayed home with morning sickness on Thursday, September 7, her husband and Duke of Cambridge Prince William plunged into school duty as he dropped Prince George off to school on his first day. The little royal started school at Thomas's Battersea in South West London today, and looked smart in his uniform – blue shorts, blue school jumper, blue socks and black shoes.

George was seen shaking hands with Helen Haslem, head of the lower school, but looked like he was having quite some jitters. The little one may be a prince to the world, but to his classmates he will be George Cambridge. However, he may not really miss his royal ways of life as the £17,604 per year school has facilities fit for the blue blood.

George will have a desk with his name on it and even his own coat peg, reported the Daily Mail. Each day will start and end with a handshake and eye contact with the teacher as the school places "a greater emphasis on a set of core values, which include kindness, courtesy, confidence, humility and learning to be givers, not takers," says Thomas's Battersea's website.

While ballet is compulsory as a part of the curriculum – it reportedly comes with a live pianist – the four-year-old will also be able to choose from array of activities such as fencing, pottery, winter sports, golf, gymnastics, karate, song writing, and many more. And in case George turns out to be the talkative kind, he can also join the debate club.

And while children George's age are often hooked on to junk foods like burgers and chips, Thomas's Battersea has quite a spread to offer its students for lunch. And when we say spread, we don't just mean variety; it sounds like a gastronome's delight. The menu includes pork stroganoff with red peppers, lamb ragout with garlic and herbs and smoked mackerel on a bed of puy lentils among other healthy things. 

"Each term the catering team develop a range of ideas and dishes with an emphasis on healthy cooking, full flavour and presentation. Our goal is to not only persuade pupils to eat but, more importantly, to enjoy a balanced diet whilst at school," the website says.

Not just that, the school also owns a ski chalet in the Wurzeralm region of the Austrian Alps, where students of years five and six go on school trips. And if none of this makes you wish that you could go back to school, this may change your mind. At Thomas's Battersea homework is not mandatory until one reaches the fourth year. The school believes that children must be allowed to "flop, relax and do nothing" and that "like everything else in moderation, boredom is good."