The School was founded by Archbishop John Whitgift in 1596. The full title of the school is Trinity School of John Whitgift.
One of the three governed by the Whitgift Foundation, the School is an Independent Day School for boys aged 10–18 with a co-educational Sixth Form. The School aims to give a wide education to students of academic promise, irrespective of their parents’ income.
Buildings and grounds. Trinity School has been in its present position since 1965, when it moved out from the middle of Croydon (its old site is now the Whitgift Centre) to a completely new complex of buildings and playing fields on the site of the Shirley Park Hotel. The grounds are some 27 acres in extent, and a feeling of openness is increased by the surrounding Shirley Park Golf Club and the extensive views to the south up to the Addington Hills. There are additional playing fields in Sandilands, ten minutes’ walk from the School.
The resources of the Whitgift Foundation enable the School to provide outstanding facilities. All departments have excellent and fully equipped teaching areas.
Admission. The main ages of admission are at 10, 11 and 13. Entry is by competitive examination and interview. A reference from the feeder school will also be required. The School attracts applications from over 150 schools, with approximately 60% entering from state primaries. Entries of boys and girls into the Sixth Form are also welcomed.
Fees per term (2023-2024). £7,561 covering tuition, books, stationery and games.
Bursaries. Whitgift Foundation Bursaries (means-tested) are available providing exceptionally generous help with fees.
Scholarships. Academic, Art, Design Technology, Drama, Music and Sport Scholarships are available annually to boys applying for entry at 10+, 11+ or 13+. Boys must be the relevant age on 1 September of the year of entry. Awards are based on the results of the Entrance Examination, interview and current school reference. They are awarded without regard to parental income and are worth a percentage (maximum 50%) of the school fees throughout a pupil’s career.
Academic, Art, Music and Sport Scholarships are also available for entry to the Sixth Form, based on GCSE results.
Scholarships may be supplemented up to the value of full fees if there is financial need.
Music Scholarships of up to 50% fee remission include free tuition in two instruments. Applicants are required to play two pieces on principal instrument and show academic potential in the Entrance Examination. Awards are available for all instruments and singing ability can be taken into consideration. Further details from the Director of Music.
Organisation and counselling. The School is divided into the Lower School (National Curriculum Years 6–9) and the Upper School (Years 10–13). The Pastoral Leader in charge of each section works with the team of Form Tutors to encourage the academic and personal development of each boy. There is frequent formal and informal contact with parents.
A counselling service is provided to pupils as part of the pastoral provision and a fully qualified School Counsellor is on hand to help students with their individual needs. Pupils can refer themselves to the Counsellor or they may be referred by staff.
There is a structured and thorough Careers service, which advises boys at all levels of the School and arranges work experience and work shadowing.
While the academic curriculum is taught from Monday to Friday, there is a very active programme of sports fixtures and other activities at the weekend, and all boys are expected to put their commitment to the School before other activities.
Curriculum and staffing. The School is generously staffed with well qualified specialists. The organisation of the teaching programme is traditionally departmental based. The syllabus is designed to reflect the general spirit of the National Curriculum while allowing a suitable degree of specialisation in the Upper School.
The normal pattern is for pupils to take 9 or 10 GCSE subjects, and to proceed to the Sixth Form to study an appropriate mixture of AS and A2 level subjects, complemented by a wide-ranging General Studies programme, before proceeding to university.
Games and activities. The main school games are Rugby, Football, Hockey, Cricket and Athletics, with the addition of Netball for girls in the Sixth Form. Many other sports become options as a boy progresses up the School. Games are timetabled, each pupil having one games afternoon a week.
At the appropriate stage, most boys take part in one or more of the following activities: Community Service, CCF, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, Outdoor Activities. There are many organised expeditions during the holidays.
Music. Music at Trinity has an international reputation, and every year Trinity Boys Choir is involved in a varied programme of demanding professional work. The Choir has performed at the BBC Proms for the past seven years and sings at the Royal Opera House, the English National Opera, Glyndebourne or Garsington 3–4 times each year. Recently the choristers have travelled to Vienna, Brussels, Venice, Dusseldorf and Wachock Abbey, Poland. They also appear regularly on radio and television. Trinity Choristers, who specialise in religious music, hold an annual residential Easter Course at a British cathedral. Choral Scholarships are awarded annually and enable boys to receive additional professional voice training without charge.
Many boys learn at least one musical instrument, and a large visiting music staff teach all orchestral instruments, piano, organ and classical guitar. There are numerous orchestras, bands and other instrumental groups for which boys are selected according to their ability. Musicians recently travelled to Canada and instrumentalists are regular finalists in the Pro Corda National Chamber Music competition.
Drama. There are two excellently equipped stages in the school and a lively and developing programme of formal and informal productions directed by pupils, staff and members of the Old Boys Theatre Company. Drama forms part of the formal curriculum in Years 6–9 and can be studied for GCSE and A Level.
Art and Design Technology. As well as the formal curriculum, which has led to 70% of the School taking a GCSE in art or design technology, pupils are encouraged to make use of the excellent facilities to develop their own interests.
Charitable status. The Whitgift Foundation is a Registered Charity, number 312612. The Foundation now comprises the Whitgift Almshouse Charity for the care of the elderly and the Education Charity which administers three schools.
Governors & Staff:
Visitor: His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury
Chairman of the Court of Governors: Mr C J Houlding
Court Governors:
Revd Canon Dr Andrew Bishop
Mr P Cornforth
Mr N Edwards, BA Dunelm, ACA
Ms S Fisher
Mr C J Houlding
Mr W Jones
Mr M Long
Ms J MacKenzie
Revd Dr Rosemary Mallett
Dr A Mehta, FRCP
Mr D A Metha
Mr A Patel, ACA, MSc
Ms D Payne, MA
Mr D Seymour, CB
Ms A Wright
Chief Executive of the Whitgift Foundation: Mr M C Corney
School Committee:
Chairman of the Trinity School Committee: Mr D Seymour, CB
Revd Canon Dr Andrew Bishop
Chris Butler
Marcie Buxton
Mr J Crozier
Mr S Jetha
Mr W Jones
Dr B MacEvoy
Mr A Patel
Mr T Perrin
Headmaster: Mr A J S Kennedy, MA Cantab
Senior Deputy Head: Mr T T Rounds, BA Birmingham
Deputy Head, Pastoral, Designated Safeguarding Lead: Miss S Ward, BSc Birmingham
Deputy Head, Academic: Mr A J Corstorphine, MA, MBA, MPhil Cantab
Deputy Head, Head of Lower and Middle Schools: Mr J Munnery
Director of Co-Curricular Activities: Mr M D Richbell, BSc Liverpool
Bursar: Mr D Navarro, BCom Hons/LLB Auckland
Director of Teaching and Learning: Mr R Hardman, BA, MA Leeds
Head of Sixth Form: Mr J Pietersen, BA Cantab
Teaching Staff:
* Head of Department
Mr M I Aldridge, BEd London (Design Technology, Head of UCAS)
Mr S R Allison, BA Durham (Spanish*)
Dr M S Asquith, BA, MA, PhD London (English)
Miss C Atkinson, BA, UCL (French*)
Miss R C Bainbridge, MA Durham (Mathematics)
Ms D S Bala, BDS Chennai (Biology)
Mr R Barlow, BSc Bristol (Mathematics)
Mr E Beesley (Saturday School Teacher)
Mrs S Baulf, BA Reading (Economics & Business)
Ms N M Beaumont, MA, MSc Oxon (Mathematics*)
Mr D Beavan, MA UCL, MSc Cantab, PhD Woolongong (Mathematics)
Mr O J Benjamin, BA Durham (German*, Spanish, Junior Languages Co-ordinator)
Mrs I M Bennett, BEd Leeds Beckett (Biology, Head of Netball)
Ms H A Benzinski, BSc London (Mathematics, DofE Co-ordinator)
Mr G C Beresford-Miller, BA Rhodes (Physical Education, Head of High Performance and Head of Games)
Mrs K A Beresford-Miller, BA King’s London (Religious Studies*)
Mr R M Biggs, BSc Cardiff (Design Technology)
Mrs N Blamire-Marin, BA Granada (Spanish)
Mr P J Blanchard, BSc Exeter, MBA Warwick (Chemistry)
Miss E Bodinier, BA Hons, Worcester, MA Angers, France (German, French)
Miss V J Boorman, BA King’s London (Classics, Head of Upper Sixth)
Mr N D Borley, BSc Manchester (Chemistry)
Mrs N Boyce, BA Rhodes (Religious Studies, Head of Lower School)
Mr M Brennan, BA Hons Warwick, MA Oxon (History*)
Mr M M Bright, MSc Bristol (Physics)
Mrs M Bromberg, MSc Imperial (Biology MFB)
Ms Q Cao (Mandarin)
Mrs H C Carey, BSc Durham (Religious Studies, Deputy Head of Lower School)
Mr C S Chambers, BA Cantab (Drama Productions*)
Mr S W Christian, BA Liverpool (French, Spanish)
Mr W A Coma, BA Leeds (Art, Assistant Head of Mentoring, Head of Junior Year)
Ms A Costello, BA Roehampton (Learning Support)
Mr D W G Currigan, BA Chelsea, MA Kingston (Design Technology*)
Miss A E Davis, BA Manchester (Maths)
Mr T J Desbos, LCE Lille (French, i/c DLL)
Ms A Donkin, MChem Durham (Chemistry*)
Mr A B Doyle, MA Glasgow, MA Open (English*)
Mrs R Doyle, BEd Glasgow (SEN)
Mrs Z Dungerwalla, MSc, BSc Nottingham (Chemistry)
Mr M El Moudden, BSc London (Computer Science)
Miss J S Eminsang, BA Manchester (Mathematics, Head of Junior Maths)
Mr R E Evans, Dip Perf RCM (Head of Piano)
Mr L M Flanagan, BA Cantab (Physics*, Head of Science)
Mrs K Fuge, BSc City (Music, Head of Singing)
Mrs A A Fulker, BA Oxford Brookes (Art, Head of Personal Development)
Mr N A Giles, BA Liverpool John Moores (Head of Hockey*)
Ms A E Gilmour, BSc, Loughborough (Physics, Head of Diploma)
Miss R M Goddard, Portsmouth (Biology, Head of Diving, Head of Third Year)
Mr B Goode, BA London (English)
Mrs E Gornall, BA, MA Durham (Spanish)
Mr T Guise-Brown (Physical Education)
Mr M Hammond, BSc Hons Sussex (Maths)
Mr R D G Haythorne, BA, MA Oxon (Maths, Physics & Computer Science)
Mr T Heath, BSc Sheffield, MSc Bristol (Biology, Junior Science*, MDV Assistant)
Mr T Heaton, BA Essex (Psychology)
Miss C Herdman, BSc Manchester (Business)
Mr S M Hodge, BA Exeter (Religious Studies, Head of Fifth Year)
Mr R M Holdsworth, BA, MA Oxon (Music*)
Mr O J Hutchings, BA, MA York, MA London (History, Politics & i/c Politics, Head of EPQ & SFP)
Mr I Kench, BSc Loughborough, MSc Oxon (Physical Education, Director of Sport)
Mr G Kimmins, Exeter (Physical Education, Head of Rackets, Head of Second Year)
Mr S D King, BA Manchester Metropolitan (Physical Education, Head of Performance Sport & Head of Aquatics)
Mrs R E Lattery-Lee, BA SOAS (History, Head of Fourth Year)
Ms A Long (Physical Education, Head of Girls Games)
Mr D J P Lydon, BA, MA Dublin (English, Head of Mentoring)
Mr R Malde, BSc Bristol (Economics)
Mr A E Magee, MA St Andrews (English)
Dr J Manchester, PhD Birmingham (Chemistry)
Miss K J Manisier, MSc Imperial (Physics, ITT Lead, STEM Engagement Coordinator)
Dr M Mariani, BSc Kent, PhD UCL (Physics)
Mr O Marriott, BSc Exeter, MSc Buckingham (Physical Education*)
Mr P Mazur, BA Wales, MA London (Drama, Contingent Commander CCF)
Mrs S J McDonald, MA St Andrews (*Learning Support)
Mr S A McIntosh, MA Oxon (German, Timetabler)
Mrs K Molteni, BA Hull, MA UCL (History)
Mr R D Moralee, BSc Johannesburg (Biology*)
Miss E Moreno (Spanish)
Mr N Mulroy (Music)
Mr J C Munnery, BSc Nottingham (Geography, Deputy Head Middle School)
Mr S Orungbamade, BEd Nigeria (Economics and Business*)
Mr S D Page, BSc Sussex (Computer Science*)
Mr T D Parkins, BA (English)
Miss C A Parkinson, BSc Sussex, MSc UCL (Psychology*, Science)
Mr B J Patel, MA Cantab (Mathematics, Physics)
Mr B Patel, MSc UCL (Mathematics)
Mr J A Paterson, BA Cantab (Classics, Assistant to Head of Sixth Form)
Mr F Peronius (Mathematics)
Mr C P Persinaru, DipRAM, LRAM RAM (Music, Head of Strings)
Mr J Pettitt, BMus Trinity (Music, Head of Jazz, Rock and Pop)
Mr H P Petty, BA Bristol (English, MAT and Enrichment Coordinator)
Mrs R J Petty, MA Oxon (English, Drama, Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead)
Mrs X L Phasey, MA Schiller International (Chinese)
Ms E Poole, BA Exeter (History)
Mrs A Prestney, BA Durham (Geography)
Mr D K Price, BA Wimbledon School of Art (Design Technology, Director of Admissions)
Mrs S J Rapoport, BEd Twickenham (Academic Mentor)
Mr S Reck, BMus Perf Hons, MMus, DipLCM, ALCM (Music, Head of Guitar)
Mrs L Regan, BMus, LRAM (Music, Assistant Director of Music)
Mr S H Richards (Head of Cricket)
Mr T M G Richmond, BSc Manchester (Biology, Head of S&C)
Mr P J Roberts, BSc Bath (Physical Education, Economics & Business, Head of Rugby)
Mr J Robertson, BA Hons UCL, PGDip Royal Academy (Director of Art*)
Miss L P Robinson, BA Birmingham (Drama*)
Miss S Rossitter, BA Manchester (Economics)
Mr C P Ruck, BSc Southampton (Geography*)
Mr N Russell, MA St. Andrews (History)
Mr R M Salmanpour, BSc London (Chemistry)
Mr J B Savile, BSc Durham (Geography, Head of Sailing, Head of First Year)
Ms I S Sher, MA Edinburgh (English)
Mr A E Smith, BA, MA York, MSc London (Religious Studies)
Mr M Stacpoole, BA Twickenham (PE)
Dr E W Steer, PhD, MA Oxon (Chemistry)
Mrs B J Steven, BA Cape Town (English)
Ms T Stevens-Lewis, BA, MA Goldsmiths (Art, i/c Photography)
Mr J E Stone, BA Cantab (Classics)
Ms C S Story, BA Durham (English)
Ms E M Suarez, BA Juan Carlos 1 (German, Spanish)
Mr D J Swinson, MA, FRCO, ARCM, LRAM (Director of Music*)
Mr P G Tattersall, BMus Hons RNCM (Music)
Mrs S Z Taylor, BSc Exeter (Mathematics, Professional Co-ordinating Mentor)
Mr J G Timm, BA Cantab (History, Politics)
Mr C H Todd, BMus, MMus, LRAM, ALCM (Music, Head of Brass*)
Mr J Townsend, (Design Technology)
Mr W S Tucker, BSc Exeter (Physics)
Mrs T A Upton, BSc Warwick (Mathematics)
Miss S T Van Dal, BA Cantab, MA UCL (Classics*)
Mr R van Graan, BA Canterbury Christchurch (Director of Digital Strategy*)
Mr M D Waller, MA St Andrews (Religious Studies)
Mrs Q Wang, BA Henan Institute of Finance (Chinese)
Mrs C E Webb, BSc Bath (Mathematics)
Miss G E Webber, BA, MA Nottingham (Economics & Business, Head of Lower Sixth)
Mrs C-J Wilkinson, BSc Glasgow (Biology)
Miss N Wiltshire (Chemistry, Mental Health Lead)
Miss J Wiskow, MA Wuppertal, Berlin (German)
Admissions Registrar: Ms M-A Costart
Sixth Form Admissions: Ms S Redican
Headmaster’s PA: Mrs K Walsh