Trinity School, Croydon - opinions please

[Maarias]

Hi all,
Just for background : my son sat the SET Grammars for Sutton but and passed for some but not others.
He is very bright, but also very musical and quite a sensitive, caring boy. We would really like him to be somewhere which allows him to grow into the areas he's good at and not be in a pressure cooker school.
We really liked Trinity and went to see it for an open day last autumn. It's not that close to us though. I'm just looking for opinions on those who have boys there. Or any other schools in Surrey, south west London that are worth considering. KCS is a not for me, and we've just missed Emmanuel. KGS also not right as it felt too cramped. But open to other suggestions.

There are threads each year covering Trinity and other schools - this is last years

My DS is at Trinity and we, and he, are very happy. If your DS is musical, the music department is excellent, providing huge opportunities for extra-curricular events.
The school encourages all boys to fulfil their potential, and expect them to work hard, but I wouldn't call it pressurised. The pastoral care is good, with form tutors and heads of year taking important roles.
Sport is equally important, and whilst all boys are encouraged to try new things, it is not forced onto boys beyond PE if they are not keen.
There are plenty of non-Alpha boys at the school. Sensitive, caring boys will be fine.
Obviously a new Headmaster has just started, but so far, he seems keen to carry on steering he school in the same direction in terms of ethos. The open day is on 1 October if you want another look round.

Thanks that's really helpful.

Yes, he's definitely not an alpha male...neither of mine are...not quite sure where I've gone wrong there! :))

Good idea to go to another open day - I didn't realise the head had now changed - old head seemed fab!

The two boys we know who have moved there are both proper 'rugger' boys - the one sport my DS hates! Although he's really into footie, tennis and swimming so not completely averse to sport.

Thanks again for your help.

My Ds had never played rugby when he started and wasn't remotely sporty, but with gentle encouragement he ended up playing for the school (in lower sides) for 3 years!
Although rugby is probably the main sport, football is very popular, as are tennis and swimming, so no problems there.
As I said music plays a major role, so if that is what your DS likes there are loads of opportunities.
The old Head was brilliant - big shoes to fill.

withdrew my msg as was a bit revealing but it was all good about Trinity! Best school I saw across all sectors.

Well Whitgift would be the obvious one - bigger and ostensibly sportier than Trinity but they really are much more alike than people would have you believe

It's known for its sport but music and drama are also fantastic and ime pastoral care is excellent - ds spent eight mostly very happy years there...

Agreed, my totally non-sporty but musical child has just started at Whitgift. So far he's been invited to join the choir, first form orchestra and a string quartet. Not to mention also getting involved in science club, maths club and robotics club. The sheer size of the school means that the range of opportunities is mind-bogglingly huge even for the totally non sporty ones.

Depending on where you live you might find that the journey is easier too as it's walking distance to South Croydon station, whereas Trinity is a bus journey from East Croydon.

Are you set on single sex? If not Alleyns might suit as it tends to attract more arty/musical types rather than the alpha males. Very good academically too.

Thanks for all the responses.

I actually wouldn't mind co-ed. My son is at a boys' prep at the moment but can see him liking being co-ed.

Alleyns is quite far. Having said that I am going to a Dulwich open day next week, as I really liked the look at it.

My big concern with Trinity is it would take about an hour get there as as we are in Wimbledon and there are no school buses. Only the tram and then a 15 min walk. So not ideal.

I am going to register for the exam though.

Would appreciate thoughts on the 11plus there, and how it compares in difficulty to others. The maths problems look very wordy - something I know DS struggles with...i.e. deciphering and applying the right Maths

Whitgift looked amazing, but obviously results not as good as Trinity, and also more expensive!

DS loved it and tells everyone that's where he wants to go - I blame the peacocks!

It may be on the list especially as it actually has a bus from Wimbledon!

It just looks really initimidating on open days! Or is that just me?!

I'm not sure what results you are looking at! Whitgift don't publish in league tables and do a mixture of exams/IB.

There is a school bus but maybe it doesn't come out as far as Wimbledon? Loads of boys come in from Clapham Junction and then hop on the bus 4/5 stops from East Croydon. Could he join that line? Or get the tram to east croydon rather than go all the way to Sandiland then get on the bus that goes to the school (there are 4 every few minutes from next to the tram stop) lots of boys appear to do that. We were worried about the transport so I recently spent a week hanging round East Croydon at 8 am and it is school child central for about 15 mins either side. The public buses going to Trinity are virtually Trinity buses at that time. My ds come in from the south to East Croydon and gets the bus, hes at school before I get to London Bridge, its actually amazingly smooth and easy, despite it being a worry for us.

I think ds found the maths harder than Whitgift but not quite as hard as third school he sat for and he got offers from all three, despite being a general all rounder rather than a maths geek. The English was quite tough I thought, and the verbal reasoning, but all fine on the day. Definitely for bright boys but not impossible. It's a real all rounder school imo and perfectly acceptable to be sporty, musical, into drama, or a mixture, all encouraged and lots of non-Rugby/Football sports as well if they're not into that.

you need to start the 2016 one of these btw, enormously helpful [http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/education/2481562-ALL-NEW-WHITGIFT-TRINITY-DULWICH-ALLEYNS-10-11-2016]

sorry I seem to have forgotten how to do links

If you live in Wimbledon then sorry but you'd be mad to even consider sending your child to Trinity and frankly even Whitgift would be pushing it

IMO no school however good is worth a long and/or difficult journey especially when you'd be passing several equally good schools on the way ...

Have you considered St Paul's and Hampton?

Thanks ladies. Very helpful. There's quite a bit cohort from Wimbledon that get the tram together for the Croydon and Sutton grammars - and we are close to the tram so not a completely mad idea :). The boys' prep is in Sutton and has close links with Trinity - especially in music.

I would prefer a school bus while he is younger that's all.

I work in Croydon at the moment, and so know the tram and Croydon well.

St. Paul's is not really on our list. I would prefer he travels out than in. Yes, am looking at Hampton in November. Again, it's not that close.

schbittery - I know, I really do!

schbittery - sorry forgot to say - weirdly there is a bus from Sutton as well, and just not from Wimbledon. Most of the other schools do including Dulwich would you believe - which stops on 4 roads close to me. It's completely crazy.

Ots worth contacting trinity about that because I found them incredibility helpful.and flexible about transport concerns, but it's not never advertised on their website. I think they decide the bus routes in the summer before term starts in September when they see how much interest there is from each location. You have to fill out a form in July ish saying where you live and whether you'd be interested in using the school bus. They also do a chaperone service from Clapham.Junction and East Croydon for the first few weeks where a 6th former meets the new boys and takes them through to the school on the bus. Within a week or two they are all fine doing it on their own though I have to say from recent experience, you'd be amazed.

Are you going to the open morning tommorow? The new boys who just started this September are doing tours etc i believe so you could quiz them about transport and exams (they can probably just about remember :) )

Yes, I'll be popping along tomorrow.

Fab re. the new boys- we know of one or two who started this year.

I am sure there would be interest in a Wimbledon bus, so thanks for the tip.

I am sure there will be some more informal chaperoning going on on the tram too!

There are lots of boys that come in from Wimbledon to Trinity - don't know the route they use but it is doable.

Just seen you are close to the tram so it would be relatively easy. Probably get off at E Croydon, and get one of the 4 buses that stop outside the school gate. Or it's not far to walk from the Sandilands tram stop if he wants to stay on the tram.

If anyone has a genuine recommendation of someone who's references I can follow up then please let me know.
Thanks,