Frequently Asked Questions

Trinity School

Academic

Q. How large are the classes?
Q. Are children assessed before entry?
Q. How often do parents receive reports?
Q. Are there scholarships or bursaries available to Trinity School?

General

Q. Do you accept children of any age?
Q. What is Trinity best known for?
Q. How will I be able to communicate with my child's teachers and carers?

Boarding

Q. What are the arrangements for weekends?
Q. Can I take my children out at weekends?
Q. Will my child be allowed out unsupervised?
Q. What do the children do in the evenings?
Q. How much pocket money do the children receive?
Q. What if my child needs equipment for school?
Q. How easy do the children find it to communicate with parents?
Q. How will I know what is going on at school?
Q. How often are the children's clothes laundered?
Q. Are the children allowed sweets in school during the week?
Q. How is the children's health monitored?
Q. Do children become homesick?

Q. How large are the classes?

A. In the Nursery, staffing levels are scrupulously maintained to meet or exceed the national legal requirements for staff to children ratio. In Nursery 1 children are cared for on a ratio of 1 to a maximum of 3 children. In Nursery 2 the ratio is 1 to 4 and in Nursery 3 the ratio is 1 to 8.

In the Preparatory Department class sizes usually do not exceed 20 pupils.

In the Senior Department , classes vary in size from 2 to 24 students depending upon the year group and subject, averaging 12-14 pupils per class. Sixth Form  sets often number 12 or fewer students and to ensure a wide range of choices private tuition on a one-to-one basis can be arranged.

Q. Are children assessed before entry?

A. In the Preparatory Department, entry is gained following a satisfactory assessment during a taster day. In addition, a previous school report will be taken into account before a place is offered. Entry into the Senior Department  also involves an assessment being carried out and reference to the most recent school report. The assessments include numeracy and literacy in the Preparatory Department, Mathematics, English and Verbal Reasoning in the Senior Department.

Q. How often do parents receive reports?

A. The Reporting system is slightly different for Prep & Senior students, they are as follows.

Senior Parents receive written reports at important stages of each year, generally on three occasions. The timing of these is carefully designed so as to offer maximum support and information at the right moments.

Prep Parents receive reports twice yearly, as well as invited to attend informal parents' evenings, which are carefully timed so as to offer maximum support and information.

Q. Are there scholarships or bursaries available to Trinity School?

A. Yes. A range of scholarships are available, awarded through open competition at the standard entry points. In addition, Bursarial support is offered for families who would not otherwise be able to afford full fees. Eligibility for Bursarial awards is assessed through a process which involves confidential disclosure of the family’s financial affairs followed by application of an objective analysis of family circumstances. Bursary awards are intended to be awarded equitably and to be demonstrably charitable. Their award is subject to the budgetary constraints of the School and they are reviewed annually. Contact the Registrar  for further details.

Q. Do you accept children of any age?

A. Yes! Babies may join Trinity Lodge  from the age of 3 months and we cater for students who may need three years to achieve a full range of Advanced Level  qualifications.

Q. What is Trinity best known for?

A. An approach based on the needs of each individual with first-rate pastoral care. We provide excellent value-added education through committed and high-quality staff and wide-ranging extra-curricular activities.

Q. How will I be able to communicate with my child's teachers and carers?

A. The first point of contact is generally the form teacher within the Preparatory Department, form tutor for senior pupils . They will be able to put you in contact with your child's subject teachers. For day to day issues, a written note in the child's homework diary is a good means of communication. The Key Stage Co-ordinators or Heads are also available for consultation over more important issues. For more serious matters, members of the Senior Management Team, including the Head, may be contacted through the School offices. The residential boarding team may be contacted in connection with boarding issues. Within Trinity Lodge all staff are trained to put you in touch with the appropriate nursery nurse or manager.

Q. What are the arrangements for weekends?

A. A wide variety of activities  are arranged for weekends. All teachers become involved in the boarding life of the School on various weekends throughout the year adding support to the residential team. The level of activity on Exeat weekends is reduced, providing an opportunity for boarders to relax and organise their own time.

Q. Can I take my children out at weekends?

A. Yes, you are always welcome to take your children out at weekends. Some parents are only able to make the occasional visit, perhaps midweek. In these cases, it is quite in order for parents/guardians to take their children out for an afternoon/evening by prior arrangement. Boarders may also stay with a friend's family provided that written permission is obtained in advance from both the friend's parents and the boarder's parents or guardians.

Q. Will my child be allowed out unsupervised?

A. It depends entirely upon the age of your child. Prep Department boarders are never allowed off-campus without adult supervision. Year 7 and 8 students may be given permission to visit nearby shops for a limited period of time and as part of a group, for example at 4pm on Fridays. Year 9 students may visit the centre of Teignmouth  at weekends and Year 10 and above may visit Exeter at weekends. Permission to visit other destinations is at the discretion of resident boarding staff who will consult the parents whenever in any doubt.

Q. What do the children do in the evenings?

A. All students spend time in supervised study, completing their homework during the week. However, boarders often choose to attend school events such as concerts and there are trips arranged to local cinemas and other places of interest. During the summer months, junior boarders often complete their homework then go out with a member of staff for an hour or so, perhaps a visit to the beach. (List of boarding activities) . At weekends, many more trips and events take place to keep students well occupied and entertained.

Q. How much pocket money do boarders receive?

A. Many parents choose to add £70 per term to the school account. Boarders are then able to withdraw amounts, at the discretion of the boarding staff, once a week. Other parents are happy for their children to have their own bank accounts.

Q. What if my child needs equipment for school?

A. The School Shop  supplies most clothing and equipment needed by students. There is also a good range of shops in Teignmouth, fifteen minutes walk from the School.

Q. How easy do the children find it to communicate with parents?

A. Every boarding corridor has a telephone for the use of boarding students. Calls are made using a PIN number, available at the request of parents. There is also a coinbox phone which ensures total confidentiality. Every boarding student has an e-mail account provided by the School and they are asked to use this rather than external webmail providers. Many boarders have mobile telephones, but they are certainly not a necessity.

Q. How will I know what is going on at School?

A. One of the best ways is through use of this website, but the School Diary of Events, Newsletters and other communications from the School will keep you in the picture.

Parents are also encouraged to subscribe FREE to a contact software program that allows the School to communicate both by e-mail and text message to mobile phones. To subscribe to this please register on www.contact.co.uk using 'trinity' as the pin number when requested.

Q. How often are the children's clothes laundered?

A. We have our own laundry staffed five days a week. Boarders may hand in laundry each morning and collect it each evening.

Q. Are the children allowed sweets in School during the week?

A. Boarders are encouraged to eat a healthy and balanced diet (Nutritional Policy). Resident boarding staff will use their discretion as to what to allow in the way of sweets, but it is closely monitored for junior boarders.

Q. How is the children's health monitored?

A. The School Medical Centre  is responsible for monitoring the health of all boarders with the close cooperation of all resident boarding staff. There are surgery times dedicated to boarders each weekday and one of the School Doctors visits each week. One is male, the other is female. Medicines needed by boarders during evenings and weekends are administered by the resident boarding staff under protocols laid down by the School Doctors and Nurses. Medical Centre staff and resident boarding staff liaise, at least twice, each weekday. (Further details available in the Boarding Handbook).

Q. Do children become homesick?

A. It is completely natural for children to experience periods of homesickness whilst away at School, particularly for the first week or so. The resident boarding staff are experienced at helping students overcome this. However, it is rare for homesickness to persist for more than a few days at any time and the vast majority of boarders are extremely happy to be at school.