In Trinity Magazine - Spring 2022

Spotlight on Culture Week / Page 4 A whole-school celebration of our culture of inclusion Midsummer in Malmö / Page 30 A return to the international stage In Trinity Magazine Issue 2: Spring 2022

A look inside Trinity School

A note from the Editor...

Welcome to our second issue of In Trinity magazine, through which we hope to give an accurate flavour of life in our school.

Antonia Geldeard Deputy Head

From a look back at Culture Week, organised by our Senior Prefects, and designed as a celebration of our diversity and culture of inclusion; to the benefits of outdoor learning, including the array of life-affirming experiences our students benefit from at our Boetius Centre in Wales – to first-hand anecdotes from the eleven boys who spent eleven weeks rehearsing and performing Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in Sweden, these pages are designed to reflect the huge range of experiences our students enjoy and learn from during their time here.

Read about our sports success and ethos, focused on building character, enjoyment and forming new relationships; and experience, once again, the sheer delight of taking part in a live production, whether on stage or behind the scenes.

Meet our new Director of Art, and discover the life-changing impacts of our fundraising efforts for the Trinity Malawi Project, over the past seven years – all based around the mission of helping to strengthen a community sustainably.

Of course, that is our mission here, too.

And we thank all those who help with that, day in, day out – and to all those who have contributed not only to these pages but also to our goal of offering extraordinary experiences to extraordinary individuals.

We hope you enjoy reading and we welcome suggestions for our next issue!

In this issue 2

Sustainability matters

4

Culture and Diversity

8

Outdoor learning

12

Modern languages

14

Enrichment

18

Sport

24

Drama

30

Music

34

Art and Design

40

Trips to Bath and Bristol

42

Combined Cadet Force

Feature Story

Page 4

A celebration of inclusion A whole-school mural formed the focal point for celebrations and learning during our inaugural Culture Week

4 In Trinity Magazine Page Contents

Culture

Trinity’s inaugural Culture Week brought our community together with a jam-packed line up of events.

A week of celebration Culture Week was born out of the Senior Prefects’ desire to enjoy a week-long celebration of the diversity within our community, writes Miss Boorman.

After a period of significant disruption, when we have been kept apart through a number of lockdowns, Culture Week aimed to bring everyone together by sharing something of our heritage and culture. We live in a diverse and multicultural community and this is something to be celebrated.

I was so proud of everything that the Senior Prefects put together. Thanks to James Duffy there were different sports available to try (‘kabbadi’ and ‘ki-o-rahi’);

44

Time Capsule project

46

Trinity Malawi Partnership

El Harrison worked with the catering team to ensure there was a range of food throughout the week; and

In Trinity Magazine Outdoor learning 9

Each September Trinity’s Lower Sixth Geographers visit the school’s Boetius Centre in Wales, to undertake pilot studies as part of their independent A Level coursework.

Mr Ruck, Head of Geography explains: “This enables the students to get a feel for the area. They formulate ideas, collect data, write notes and then come back in June. Topics include beach morphology, fieldwork techniques and investigations into the Welsh sense of identity.”

The Boetius Centre is located near a stunning area of coastline in South Wales including the Severn Estuary stretch, which has the second highest tidal range in the world.

Besides making the most of this fantastic school facility, in the younger years, boys have considered the legacy of the Olympics in Stratford; sense of place and identity via ‘mood mapping’ in Croydon; investigated rivers and the drainage basin in the Ashdown Forest and explored inequalities in our own society, and even along the tube map. Students also enjoy trips to the coast at Seaford and Cuckmere Haven. The accessibility of this area to Trinity students as well as its history of coastal defences makes it a prime location for fieldwork.

Fifth Year student, Alex Salama, says he particularly enjoyed the coastal fieldwork undertaken here: “The natural beauty of the cliffs was so special,” he says. “And learning outside certainly helps to bring a lot of our studies to life.” Alex adds that he particularly likes the way in which Geography ‘changes the way he looks at the world around him’.

Mr Ruck adds: “Outside learning is the bedrock of the subject. You can’t ‘geograph’ the world from behind a desk – you need to get out there and investigate processes and phenomena. It’s fantastic to see the results that students produce after seeing what they’ve been taught in the classroom come to life via phenomena in real life.”

The Lower Sixth are now working on a range of projects following their trip to Wales in the autumn term: From coastal management strategies, economic shifts, and the impacts of globalisation, to the ways in which Porthcawl’s built environment has changed over time, wider biodiversity changes, and the impact of coastal management and tourism.

Josh Binns (see profile on next page) says that he found his visit to the Boetius Centre in the Autumn term particularly useful: “It exposed us to different aspects of Geography, both physical and human,” he says “The Boetius Centre is such a valuable asset for the school... We’re going back to Wales in June to take final measurements for our coursework, where I’ll be measuring biodiversity and factors influencing this in a sand dune ecosystem.

This practical work is really useful as it lets us develop our understanding outside of the classroom, and apply the work done at school.”

Meanwhile Fifth year student Jachin Acquah believes that fieldwork represents a great opportunity to experience first-hand much of the human and physical ideas described in lessons. “The studentled nature of fieldwork trips mean that discoveries are meaningful and unique,” he adds. “I like that Geography provides an insight into a broad variety of topics.

He explains: “Kabaddi is a contact team sport, thought to hail from the Vedic period of ancient India. Played between two teams of seven players, the objective is for a single player on offence, known as the ‘raider’, to run into the opposing team’s half of the court and touch out as many defenders as possible before returning to their own half, all in a single breath. The defending team aims to tackle, restrain or push the attached out of bounds to gain the point for the raid.

There was a real buzz around the map every morning and lunchtime, as students across the year groups stood and discussed the wide range of cultures in our community. In addition, form groups were invited to write a short comment to explain what culture means to them.

These make up the sea on the map. My favourite moment of the whole week was walking past the map to see Mr Kennedy deep in conversation with a J Bug. The event has really has brought everyone together and sparked interest and curiosity.

“As part of Trinity’s Culture Week, India Society decided to host Trinity’s first Kabaddi match for Fourth Year students. As my Indian heritage is such a significant part of my identity and with sport being such an integral part of Trinity, it only felt natural to provide the opportunity for students to engage in the action-packed game.

My sincere thanks go to the Senior Prefects!

“The energy and atmosphere they created was incredible! Seeing students hopelessly attempt to claw their way to their half, shouting ‘I got this!’, even when being restrained by six of their peers were some of the funniest scenes I have ever witnessed.

“It was delightfully entertaining to see the students give their everything to take on their friends and the creative trash-talking was nothing short of hilarious. It was also satisfying to hear the positive reception from participants - with many asking for subsequent rematches to be held.”

In Trinity Magazine Page Contents 27

Jachin also says he benefitted from a trip to Stratford for his urban fieldwork: “Approaching and engaging people on the street as part of my questionnaire was quite difficult to begin with due to nerves and being turned away a few times.

However I quickly learnt a few phrases which minimised this and increased the chances of people engaging.”

Mr Ruck concludes: “Geography is only subject whereby fieldwork is a requirement of the exam syllabus. We can’t replicate this type of learning inside.”

Midsummer in Malmö Music

A return to the international stage When eleven members of Trinity Boys Choir arrived in Malmö, Sweden, at the end of August for eleven weeks of rehearsals and performances of Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, it heralded the return of international engagements for the choir, writes David Swinson, Director of Music

There was a sense of poignancy, too, as the first lockdown in March 2020 had necessitated the abrupt return of another

Outdoor learning GCSE and A Level students highlight the joy of fieldwork at our Boetius Centre

On the Friday, a non-uniform day, some Sixth Form students opted to wear their cultural dress. This was really special to see, with students really interested in the array of dress and what it meant to each individual.

Yash Shetty helped to host a ‘Kabaddi’ match.

26 In Trinity Magazine Page Contents

This was particularly special given that the preceding year and a half had witnessed the cancellation of exciting tours to China, Germany and Switzerland, among many other activities. It was also a notable project as the boys were performing the famous production of the opera by Sir Peter Hall, which Trinity boys have always presented at Glyndebourne.

Page 8

Barnaby Corry curated a brilliant languages fair which saw a range of different languages being spoken and games being played.

Kabbadi

The star of the show was the whole school mural, hand-drawn by Surya Vijayanand and co-ordinated

by Bilal Ismail, and which took pride of place in the TCH circus. Every student and member of staff was able to add a dot (or dots) to the country that they call home, or where they have roots.

For example as a Geographer I understood in greater depth the importance of a unified front against global warming at COP26 - because Co2 emissions in China were not just because of China but also the countries such as the UK relying on it for manufacture.”

Eleven members of Trinity Boys’ Choir arrived in Malmö, Sweden, late last Summer, where they spent eleven weeks rehearsing for performances of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. The performances concluded in early November, taking place in front of rapturous audiences.

Feature Story

We lost count of the number of entries we received for the creative competition, run

by Safi and Mr Petty; these ranged from huge posters and hand-written poems to carefully curated videos or fact-files, and they proved both incredibly fun and challenging to judge!

Safi Tiotto-Smith liaised with the library for a display of different books to view.

8 In Trinity Magazine Outdoor learning

Outdoor learning.

In Trinity Magazine Page Contents 5

group of Trinity boys from Malmö, just days before their first performance. This team of 2020 had left Sweden with many friends in the opera company, with the staff saying how much they had missed the cheery voices of the boys.

The task for the new group was both to perform brilliantly and to charm the company as well as their predecessors had. Many congratulations to the boys who grasped this opportunity and made such a success of the trip: From the First Year, Benjamin Gilbert, Victor Lanaspre, Freddie Balcombe and Ben Fletcher; in the Second Year, Albie Leslie, James Roberts, Arlo Dezille and Luke Thornton; and in the Third Year, Isaac Rogers, Harry Lamb and Leo Jemison.

The boys will undoubtedly have many fond memories of their stay. From an organisational perspective, matters were complicated as COVID was still prevalent in both the UK and Sweden and Brexit required the need for the boys to have work permits. The journey to Malmö is usually straightforward: fly to Copenhagen and then take a twenty-minute train journey over the famous Oresund Bridge to Malmö. At the end of August, however,

the border to Denmark was closed and the boys had to fly into Gothenburg. As the boys dutifully queued in the lengthy non-EU lane for passport control, a kindly Swedish policewoman bequeathed them honorary EU citizenship and ushered them to the front of the EU members queue; noting their age and that it was quite late in the evening. I was certain that we had the correct paperwork but I also knew that the Swedish police were at liberty to refuse entry. Having primed the boys to burst into tears if there were any problems, I also realised that facemasks might lessen the impact. After an engaging discussion with the passport control officer about operas, singing and Benjamin Britten - all of which she professed to love - she declined the boys’ entry to Sweden! Thankfully, a further conversation with another officer achieved success. The boys’ journey began in earnest.

If there was a sense of leaping into the unknown, this was also very much the case for the boys’ parents. When they said goodbye to their sons in August, they were not then permitted to visit Sweden and had no idea when it might become possible.

There had been plans for a few returns to the UK, not least to attend some school

at the start of the academic year, but the situation was so uncertain in August that all plans were provisional. As it happened the boys loved living in Sweden. They only returned twice: For the first time after seven weeks in Sweden and then during the school half term break.

At the end of the trip, the boys declared that they had made friends for life.

They had lived away from home, taken on domestic chores and developed considerable independence. COVID may have restricted sight-seeing but they had visited every part of Malmö, as well as nearby Lund and Copenhagen, including the famous Tivoli Gardens. They had also spent hours playing football and learnt intricate gymnastic moves at the many playgrounds along the coast.

Our boys also garnered considerable media praise and did the choir and the school proud. They were frequently complimented for their professionalism and courtesy. We are all looking forward to a return to more normal times, and 2022 offers professional engagements for the choir in France, Germany, Luxembourg and Spain.

Feature Story

Page 30

Midsummer in Malmö Eleven boys from The Trinity Boys’ Choir spend eleven weeks in Sweden

Reflections from the boys Ben says he had never done anything like this before: “I joined the boys’ choir and got asked if I would like to audition for the opera. A week later found out that I had got a part.”

Victor particularly enjoyed the trip to the Tivoli Gardens and describes the experience as being “like a holiday, going somewhere different and being able to try different foods and see cultures. It also means that you get to know boys who are older and younger than you and have a variety of friends across school years.”

Leo said that, despite missing his dog, he loved playing Cobweb, Titania’s head fairy.

His favourite part of the trip was “...seeing how well Sweden takes care of its streets and parks and public spaces”.

Meanwhile James, who had also never done any opera before, says: “I enjoyed seeing how all the machinery worked – I particularly enjoyed the flying machine as Puck gets to fly all around the stage.” He also really liked the coffee shops: “They sold fantastic cinnamon buns, chocolate coconut balls and my favourite, chocolate mud cake! It was also fun staying in an apartment with my friends and cooking and eating together.”

Isaac described the trip as one of the best experiences of my life, adding that he is still learning Swedish on his return home: “I would love to go again!”

Albie says that he surprised himself. “It was an amazing experience, it was incredible fun, and taught me many life lessons such as having to tidy and wash without someone telling you to”.

“My favourite part of the trip was opening night when the lights first came on and the music started playing, it felt so magical,” he adds.

2 In Trinity Magazine Sustainability matters

“The aim is that our students will leave us as well-informed young people who care about our environment, and that they will have confidence and motivation to be part of the change process that we will need on a global scale.”

Alasdair Kennedy Headmaster

In Trinity Magazine Sustainability matters 3

Forming part of the change process

Headmaster, Alasdair Kennedy, considers the next steps...

“Our world is extraordinarily beautiful and fragile… our young people must be both inspired and equipped to tackle the global challenges that lie ahead.”

Speaking in 2017, these are the words of Dr Francisco Diego, a Senior Teaching Fellow at UCL, who also spoke at Trinity recently on the origin and wonder of the universe as part of our Facets of Science lecture evening.

Sustainability matters to us and our students, and there is much we can do, now, to change the way we work for better environmental outcomes. We need to lead with action, but we want our students to see how they can be part of that leadership; there is an obvious and impressive appetite among them, as well as among staff and governors, to ensure Trinity is part of the solution.

Our student Green Council has been excellent in encouraging the community to think about paper, plastic, transport and our consumption of meat, for example, but as they know and tell us, the big difference globally will be made by making significant changes and investment on a large scale.

One of the goals we have set for the school is to become carbon neutral as quickly as we can, and we are going to make significant progress towards this in the next three years. Our latest carbon footprint report shows us there are three main areas to tackle in our school activity.

1

Firstly, our electrical energy: Four years ago, we installed the largest solar array on any school in Europe, and this now provides one third of our annual electrical energy requirement.

There are times when we generate more than we can use and this is fed back into the grid, but we are going to increase the size of this array further.

2

Secondly, our heating: This currently accounts for nearly half of our annual footprint, through the gas used in our boilers. These will take some time to change entirely, and the replacement technology is still advancing, but a significant part of this usage is for our swimming pool, and we can address this relatively quickly; by 2023, we are aiming to separate it from the rest of our heating system and use pumps to recycle its energy.

3

Thirdly, and where we have most discretion, is our use of flights for overseas trips. These provide some of the most memorable and life-changing experiences for our students, but they account for about one third of our total footprint. We have annual, world trips – such as taking our Lower Sixth to our partner school in Malawi every summer – that we will want to continue, and we will need to offset these journeys. Our range of trips will have to adapt however, and we will look to use other forms of transport to Europe, and find more destinations within the UK.

There are wider consumer and transport issues particularly that we need to consider. The aim is however that our students will leave us as well-informed young people who care about our environment, and that they will have confidence and motivation to be part of the change process that we will need on a global scale. We hope we can inspire and equip them for this.

4 In Trinity Magazine Culture and Diversity

Cultu A week of celebration Culture Week was born out of the Senior Prefects’ desire to enjoy a week-long celebration of the diversity within our community, writes Miss Boorman.

After a period of significant disruption, when we have been kept apart through a number of lockdowns, Culture Week aimed to bring everyone together by sharing something of our heritage and culture. We live in a diverse and multicultural community and this is something to be celebrated.

I was so proud of everything that the Senior Prefects put together. Thanks to James Duffy there were different sports available to try (‘kabaddi’ and ‘ki-o-rahi’); El Harrison worked with the catering team to ensure there was a range of food throughout the week; and Safi Tiotto-Smith liaised with the library for a display of different books to view.

We lost count of the number of entries we received for the creative competition, run

by Safi and Mr Petty; these ranged from huge posters and hand-written poems to carefully curated videos or fact-files, and they proved both incredibly fun and challenging to judge!

Barnaby Corry curated a brilliant languages fair which saw a range of different languages being spoken and games being played.

On the Friday, a non-uniform day, some Sixth Form students opted to wear their cultural dress. This was really special to see, with students really interested in the array of dress and what it meant to each individual.

The star of the show was the whole school mural, hand-drawn by Surya Vijayanand and co-ordinated

by Bilal Ismail, and which took pride of place in the TCH circus. Every student and member of staff was able to add a dot (or dots) to the country that they call home, or where they have roots.

There was a real buzz around the map every morning and lunchtime, as students across the year groups stood and discussed the wide range of cultures in our community. In addition, form groups were invited to write a short comment to explain what culture means to them.

These make up the sea on the map. My favourite moment of the whole week was walking past the map to see Mr Kennedy deep in conversation with a J Bug. The event has really brought everyone together and sparked interest and curiosity.

My sincere thanks go to the Senior Prefects!

In Trinity Magazine Culture and Diversity 5

ture

Trinity’s inaugural Culture Week brought our community together with a jam-packed line up of events.

Kabaddi

Yash Shetty helped to host a ‘Kabaddi’ match.

He explains: “Kabaddi is a contact team sport, thought to hail from the Vedic period of ancient India. Played between two teams of seven players, the objective is for a single player on offence, known as the ‘raider’, to run into the opposing team’s half of the court and touch out as many defenders as possible before returning to their own half, all in a single breath. The defending team aims to tackle, restrain or push the attached out of bounds to gain the point for the raid.

“As part of Trinity’s Culture Week, India Society decided to host Trinity’s first Kabaddi match for Fourth Year students. As my Indian heritage is such a significant part of my identity and with sport being such an integral part of Trinity, it only felt natural to provide the opportunity for students to engage in the action-packed game.

“The energy and atmosphere they created was incredible! Seeing students hopelessly attempt to claw their way to their half, shouting ‘I got this!’, even when being restrained by six of their peers were some of the funniest scenes I have ever witnessed.

“It was delightfully entertaining to see the students give their everything to take on their friends and the creative trash-talking was nothing short of hilarious. It was also satisfying to hear the positive reception from participants - with many asking for subsequent rematches to be held.”

Dynamic Discussion...

Ari Yad hosted a talk in LitSoc on the topic of diversity in film, entitled ‘Tokenism or Inclusivity?’

He explains: “I jumped at the opportunity to present and picked a topic I thought I could discuss fluently. I’m a film buff and am always keeping tabs on new films and pop culture in general, so I picked that as my topic as I felt it was both interesting and relevant.

“I intended the talk to be a discussion between me and the audience, whereby we discussed whether the diversity was ‘forced’ or ‘genuine’ and possibly motivations behind this and its implications for said diverse communities.

“In my spare time, I enjoy reading up on creative and business decisions made in cinema, and how it shapes the media we consume. I also felt it was a very current topic, as there has recently been an important focus on inclusivity in all aspects of life, such as the workplace and media. It felt natural for me to present this question, as it is something I am very invested in, and is also an incredibly important discussion to be having at the moment.

Mixer Event “I wanted my talk to be interactive, frequently posing questions to the audience as a way of hearing different viewpoints on issues such as ‘token minority characters,’ where characters of different ethnicities are included superficially to simply check the ‘diversity’ box.

Sixth Form students enjoy a Whitgift Foundation ‘mixer’ event for the AfricanCaribbean Societies of the three schools.

“I am proud of the dynamic discussion that formed, and am grateful for the many contributions from the audience, who themselves formed a very diverse and interesting group from which we could share our different perspectives. I am very proud to have been part of the amazing Culture Week roster.”

Louis Morris

“It was great to celebrate Culture Week, during which we students were encouraged to ask ourselves what our individual culture meant to us, and more simply, what culture means! It is an incredibly difficult term to define – it shares its root with ‘cultivate’, ‘cult’ and even ‘colony’, showing just how much it touches upon - but we know it when we see it.

“Heritage and customs are expressed in various forms: clothes, music, and food, to name but a few. A diversity of these cultural elements was celebrated, as well as the Languages Fair, where I, among many others, took part in activities based on a variety of less-taught languages including Czech, Finnish and Urdu!”

Celebrating Diversity

Cultural Arts

A culture of inclusion

Ms Geldeard, Head of Sixth Form, and the Senior Prefect Team, created an exhibition to showcase valuable and wide-ranging contributions to Culture Week. These took a variety of forms, including poems, stories and photographs, and were in the Shaw Gallery for the school community to share.

Safi Tiotto-Smith Head of School

Tate Nicol Deputy Head of School

“One of my main contributions to the week was the idea of a Cultural Arts Competition. Students were encouraged to create something that embodies what culture means to them, and this, alongside the mural, formed a colourful, inclusive and collaborative visual embodiment of the diversity and creativity within the Trinity community.”

“We were given free rein to develop and execute ideas that we thought celebrated and educated the school body about different cultures. It was important to us that we were inclusive of all different types of culture, whether that be religious or inter-national cultures.”

“I sincerely hope that this event sparks conversation between people, engaging with and learning things about a range of cultures and celebrating these in a range of ways. Although ‘Culture Week’ became a cemented event in the school calendar, one of our aims is to ensure that every week can feel like a culture week, a chance to express yourself and share your life and interests with other people.

The themed societies filled the week with such liveliness and colour, and I hope that students and teachers feel motivated to continue such significant and personal talks.”

“My role was contacting societies to see whether they were taking a cultural theme to their usual talks - and creating and managing the timetable for the week and the assembly. I wanted as many societies as possible to talk about culture and for the talks to be student-led.”

She says: “It has been wonderful to see so many of our staff and students visiting the exhibition and taking the time to absorb all these fascinating snapshots of our multicultural community. I’m proud of our Senior Prefect Team for all their hard work in collating this exhibition and I thank so many of our students for sharing their thoughts and feelings with us so that we can recognise and celebrate our diverse school.”

8 In Trinity Magazine Outdoor learning

Outdoor learning.

In Trinity Magazine Outdoor learning 9

Each September Trinity’s Lower Sixth Geographers visit the school’s Boetius Centre in Wales, to undertake pilot studies as part of their independent A Level coursework.

Mr Ruck, Head of Geography explains: “This enables the students to get a feel for the area. They formulate ideas collect data, write notes and then come back in June for another visit. Topics include beach morphology, fieldwork techniques and investigations into the Welsh sense of identity.”

The Boetius Centre is located near a stunning area of coastline in South Wales including the Severn Estuary stretch, which has the second highest tidal range in the world.

Mr Ruck adds: “Outside learning is the bedrock of the subject. You can’t ‘geograph’ the world from behind a desk – you need to get out there and investigate processes and phenomena. It’s fantastic to see the results that students produce after seeing what they’ve been taught in the classroom come to life via phenomena in real life.”

The Lower Sixth are now working on a range of projects following their trip to Wales in the autumn term: From coastal management strategies, economic shifts, and the impacts of globalisation, to the ways in which Porthcawl’s built environment has changed over time, wider biodiversity changes, and the impact of coastal management and tourism.

Besides making the most of this fantastic school facility, in the younger years, boys have considered the legacy of the Olympics in Stratford; sense of place and identity via ‘mood mapping’ in Croydon; investigated rivers and the drainage basin in the Ashdown Forest and explored inequalities in our own society, and even along the tube map. Students also enjoy trips to the coast at Seaford and Cuckmere Haven. The accessibility of this area to Trinity students as well as its history of coastal defences makes it a prime location for fieldwork.

Josh Binns (see profile on next page) says that he found his visit to the Boetius Centre in the Autumn term particularly useful: “It exposed us to different aspects of Geography, both physical and human,” he says “The Boetius Centre is such a valuable asset for the school... We’re going back to Wales in June to take final measurements for our coursework, where I’ll be measuring biodiversity and factors influencing this in a sand dune ecosystem.

This practical work is really useful as it lets us develop our understanding outside of the classroom, and apply the work done at school.”

Fifth Year student, Alex Salama, says he particularly enjoyed the coastal fieldwork undertaken here: “The natural beauty of the cliffs was so special,” he says. “And learning outside certainly helps to bring a lot of our studies to life.” Alex adds that he particularly likes the way in which Geography ‘changes the way he looks at the world around him’.

Meanwhile Fifth Year student Jachin Acquah believes that fieldwork represents a great opportunity to experience first-hand much of the human and physical ideas described in lessons. “The studentled nature of fieldwork trips mean that discoveries are meaningful and unique,” he adds. “I like that Geography provides an insight into a broad variety of topics.

For example, as a Geographer I understood in greater depth the importance of a unified front against global warming at COP26 - because CO2 emissions in China were not just because of China but also the countries such as the UK relying on it for manufacture.”

Jachin also says he benefitted from a trip to Stratford for his urban fieldwork: “Approaching and engaging people on the street as part of my questionnaire was quite difficult to begin with due to nerves and being turned away a few times.

However I quickly learnt a few phrases which minimised this and increased the chances of people engaging.”

Mr Ruck concludes: “Geography is the only subject whereby fieldwork is a requirement of the exam syllabus. We can’t replicate this type of learning inside.”

10 In Trinity Magazine Outdoor learning

Profile

Josh Binns

Do you have any idea what you might like to do when you leave Trinity?

I’m studying Geography, Classical Civilisation, Government and Politics, and Economics at A Level. I really like this combination because they allow me to explore the world through different views and expand my appreciation for different cultures.

I would really like to study Geography at either Cambridge or St. Andrews as they have courses that cover such a breadth of Geography, and you have the option to go into significant depth if you’re especially interested in an aspect of it. At St. Andrews, I would really like to apply to the course that involves two years at William and Mary in Virginia as this would let me further expand my horizons abroad.

Have you done many trips as part of your studies? Were there particular highlights?

I’ve been really lucky at Trinity to go on so many different trips both abroad and domestically. Abroad, I went to Granada and Cordoba in Third Year, where we looked at the history that had influenced the unique cultural sites such as the Alhambra in the region. Highlights within the UK would have to include DofE trips to the South Downs, alongside a trip with History to the Tower of London, which really put our studies from the Lower School on the Normans into perspective.

I have been on by far the most trips with Geography! That’s part of the reason why I enjoy the subject so much, as the application to the real world makes you question and think more deeply about society and existing issues in society.

This year alone, we went to South Wales to give us inspiration for our coursework, where I studied the dune system at Kenfig, which I will write about, in particular relating to its biodiversity. We also visited Brick Lane in the East End to discuss issues relating to migration and cultural change in the area, and it was really clear how the different waves of Jewish and then Bengali immigrants had a positive impact on the area, making it such a melting pot of cultures.

Lower down the school, we visited Cuckmere Haven on the South Coast to undertake measurements for the fieldwork section of IGCSE, and then compared the natural morphology of Cuckmere to the managed beach nearby at Seaford, which allowed a direct comparison, something I found really useful.

Other memorable trips include to the Cuckmere valley during Second Year, where unfortunately the extreme rain had caused the valley to turn into a muddy field - not the ideal conditions!

Nevertheless, we persevered and went to Brighton afterwards, which was really good fun.

In Trinity Magazine Outdoor learning 11

What do you like about learning outdoors?

Learning outside is so beneficial, particularly when it relates directly to your studies as it proves how applicable it is to the world around us, equipping you with skills to do this anywhere, whether it be noticing inequalities in your local area, or understanding the physical nature behind recent events on the news, such as the Tonga tsunami.

What do you like most about Geography?

I really love Geography because it is such a broad subject. One lesson you could be learning about migration into Peterborough, and then the next rising sea levels in Kiribati.

This allows you to explore such a wide variety of topics all under one subject, and gives you the invaluable ability to draw links between disciplines, which has really helped me as I am able to draw Geography into other subjects such as Politics and Economics.

The application to the real world is really engaging and makes you question further why these things happen, but also lets me keep up to date with what is going on in the world, as it will almost certainly involve Geography somehow.

William Reeve is studying Geography, DT and Business at A Level. He says: “I have enjoyed many trips with Geography - including to the Brecon Beacons, Brick Lane and Greenwich, all of which have assisted me with what I am learning in the classroom.

“I find learning outdoors incredibly helpful.

As a visual learner being able to see the phenomena in person significantly helps my understanding of the content as well as making ideas and thoughts easier to recall.

“I have been to the Boetius Centre twice since I have been at Trinity, and I am visiting twice more in the upcoming months. It’s always enjoyable to visit as it has a great atmosphere and is located perfectly to access all of South Wales and the Brecon Beacons. Even the down time is fun with early morning runs to a secluded waterfall.

“My favourite thing about Geography is that it allows me to learn about the world I live in and specifically my local area. It also informs me about news events from the past and helps me understand the world’s current climate.

“My A Level coursework includes my asking the locals in Porthcawl, South Wales, a series of questions, measuring the beach morphologies and taking land use surveys. All of this allows me to implement everything I have learnt in the classroom in a real life situation.”

“At the start of term, Lower Sixth A Level geographers embarked on an adventure down to the South of Wales. The first morning at the Boetius Centre was an early one where we started off the day trekking through Kenfig dunes in our hiking boots and waterproofs until we reached the sea front where we executed our experiments. One morning, we decided it would be a bright idea to go on a 6am jog down to the amazing waterfall where a scene of Batman was filmed. This outdoor lived experience really brought us together as a group.”

Lydia Jordan

Nǐ¡Holahǎ 12 In Trinity Magazine Modern languages

Our lives are enriched by being able to speak another language, writes Mr Allison, Head of Modern Foreign Languages

Trinity enjoys a vibrant, active and enthusiastic MFL department. We pride ourselves on making languages doable, enjoyable, and worthwhile for the boys and girls that study here. We offer Spanish, French, Chinese and German from Junior Year to Upper Sixth Form and prioritise the ability to speak the language right from the start.

Even in First Year, many lessons take place entirely in the language studied with teachers and pupils creating an atmosphere where people are willing to ‘give it a go’. We also place a large emphasis on the cultural element of language learning – understanding the food, traditions and history, for instance, of the countries where the languages are spoken helps students develop a desire to visit. Whether it’s Second Year groups debating the rights and wrongs of bullfighting or Sixth Form students cooking paella…

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Languages

Learning languages and developing a cultural appreciation obviously aids one of our whole school priorities as we all aim to promote diversity and inclusion in our community, too. As part of this, the Senior Prefect Team organised Culture Week recently – an event designed to make students aware of the huge diversity of languages spoken at home by their fellow pupils and many teachers. Staff and students ran activities in Urdu, Swedish, Finnish, Czech and Korean amongst other ‘mother tongues’ that we have in the school. It was wonderful to see the enthusiasm and pride on show.

All this was in addition to the regular co-curricular clubs that take place on a weekly basis, of course. In Senior Hispanic Society, students and teachers give presentations on a huge range of topics, from the important messages behind Picasso’s work to the political significance of football rivalries in Argentina. French Society meets each week to discuss literature and Francophone culture, for instance, while First Year students enjoy making German biscuits in a cookery class after school. In Chinese, students and staff have been taking part in regular kung-fu sessions during lunchtimes; benefitting their physical and mental wellbeing.

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In addition, we run both day and residential trips to help students improve their cultural and linguistic knowledge. In the Autumn term, French students in Fourth Year and the Lower Sixth Form attended a film studies day at the French institute and Upper Sixth Form Spanish students will shortly be travelling to the Cervantes Theatre to watch a new production of ‘The House of Bernarda Alba’. Field Day will see students sample Spanish and Chinese food, carry out a treasure hunt for Germanthemed monuments around London and learn about the French-speaking part of Canada at ‘Quebec House’. We also have residential overseas trips planned to Nice, Bonn, Dresden, Madrid and Taiwan and as a department we understand the vital role that going to a country and using a language plays in motivating students.

We have lots of students continuing to study MFLs at GCSE, A Level and beyond.

We have nearly 90 students studying languages across the Sixth Form and many more will go on to continue engaging with the languages when they leave. In the last few years alone, alumni have been teaching in Taiwan, acting in Paris, volunteering in environmental projects in Costa Rica and studying film in Argentina.

Lives are enriched by being able to speak another language.

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‫ہ‬ onjou r! � � � ‫ی‬ ‫ل‬ ‫و‬ Profile: Louis Morris “When I joined Trinity in the First Year, I, like many others my age, had not found an academic interest; nor was I particularly looking for one. Now, at A Level, my decision to study German, Spanish, English and Latin indicates, if nothing else, that I have found my passion: Language.

“When surrounded by incomprehensible conversations and indecipherable signs in a foreign country, you will naturally feel curious to learn more, which is why I love going abroad; it is when you indulge that curiosity that you may uncover a creative new way of looking at the world and of describing your experiences.

“German is known as the language of philosophy for a reason; the way in which its words can easily be stuck together has allowed great thinkers like Wittgenstein, Nietzsche and Marx to concisely articulate their most provocative of thoughts.”

Profile: Ekaterina Ivanova “I am lucky to have Russian as a first language, and I am really thankful to my family for sharing our rich language and heritage with me since I was born. I’m mostly Belarusian, but I know so many people from all over the former USSR - Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Armenia, Kazakhstan... and we all have something in common: Our ability to communicate in Russian.

“At the same time, I see many people my age from the post-Soviet diaspora who are unable to speak their languages, and who are upset that they can’t connect to their roots as a result, so I see my ability to speak Russian as a gift which allows me to have a completely different perspective on things and have a wider worldview. It is very difficult when you grow up, or move into, a society with completely different ideals or values, so your culture provides a unique vantage point and a foothold which you can use as a guide when things around you become confusing. I believe in a multicultural society where everyone can share and be proud of their culture, so I see myself as a representative for the wider Russian-speaking community. Therefore, it is really important for me to preserve and continue the traditions and heritage of my ancestors in the modern world, language being a vital part of this.”

In Trinity Magazine Modern languages 13

“I am currently learning French and German. As my family comes from the Czech Republic, we speak English and Czech at home. I am also trying to teach myself the Russian alphabet, Azbuka.

Before joining Trinity, I didn’t know any German apart from ‘Guten Tag’ and now I am able to have a good conversation in the language.”

Third Year student, Jirka Celak

“We practised some simple conversational phrases with the students, discussed some of the words in English which have come from Urdu - like pukka and pyjama – and wrote students’ names in the script for them to take away. I love exploring the links between languages from around the world, both ancient and modern – I feel this can help to bring us together as we explore shared ideas from our cultures.”

Miss Van Dal, Head of Classics, reflects on helping to run a stand on Urdu as part of Culture Week

14 In Trinity Magazine Enrichment

Enrichment

From pole vaulting, taking on painting commissions, studying Japanese outside of school, and writing custom Artificial Intelligence, Trinity students are finding a variety of ways to pursue their passions.

“Finding pleasure even in the most mundane processes … will yield great success,” is Sixth Form student Lev Titov’s advice. Certainly it’s true that a number of our students have found that grasping opportunities, finding pleasure in a variety of activities, being resourceful and taking the initiative has delivered well-deserved rewards.

Sixth Form student, Yash Shetty, for instance, achieved a CREST Gold award for his independent research project which looked at the right foods to eat to avoid Coronary Heart Disease. CREST is a nationally recognised scheme focused on STEM subjects and involves the immersion in research to make an original contribution to a field of study.

“My interest in health and fitness burgeoned during the first lockdown,” he explains. “I would recommend that any student take the initiative and pursue their academic inclinations beyond the classroom. The knowledge and understanding gained will stay with me for life.”

“The advice I was given is the best: ‘Be bold; be busy; be organised!’ It’s easy to go along with the crowd, or do things that everyone else is doing, but to try something new and find a unique passion is very important...”

Yash Shetty Crest Gold Award for independent research

In Trinity Magazine Enrichment 15

Varun Ravikumar British Mathematical Olympiad

Meanwhile, Gracie Whitter, who is studying Maths, Further Maths, Physics, and Art at A Level, has been working on an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) entitled: ‘How has Brutalism helped shape our perceptions of social housing in the UK?’. She says that this formed a foundation for research around architecture, which solidified her resolve to study the subject at university.

Alongside all of this, she has been working on various painting commissions.

“It’s so rewarding watching all the hard work and preparation pay off,” she says.

“So far, this year-and-a-bit of Sixth Form has been the best time of my school career. Alongside schoolwork, prefect duties and mentoring, I also volunteer at my local Brownies group. One of my favourite extra-curricular clubs at school is Ceramics Club, and last term I made a ceramic hippo head, which I gifted to my parents for Christmas (pictured, right).

At Trinity, my peers motivate me to work harder,” she adds.

Gracie Whitter Ceramic Hippo head

Varun Ravikumar, who has an offer from Cambridge to study Maths, has entered a variety of competitions which have stretched his learning. He particularly enjoyed working as a team with others: “Some competitions have been individual, such as the British Mathematical Olympiad. This gives the participant three-and-a-half hours to solve six difficult problems, and full written solutions - rather than simply the answers - are required. Others have been team competitions, such as Hans Woyda, which requires one participant from Third Form, Fifth Form, Lower Sixth, and Upper Sixth. We race against our counterparts, in a fashion comparable to University Challenge. Some of my fondest memories at school have been with the team I competed with during Fifth Year.

There was just so much camaraderie and team spirit.”

He adds: “There is, firstly, virtually nothing in life worth having that does not require hard work, and in particular I have found that the gap in ability between yourself and those around you - with apparently more raw talent - can often be closed through sheer dedication and practice.

“You should, also, be careful not to let failures and setbacks demoralise you. My first couple of Olympiads went disastrously, but I made sure to analyse my performance carefully in order to create a launch pad off of which to improve.”

16 In Trinity Magazine Enrichment

Barnaby Corry Represented Great Britain at Pole Vault

Barnaby Corry has an offer to study Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (AMES) at Cambridge. Not only this, but Barnaby has also represented GB at pole vault! He plans to take a gap year but will certainly be keeping busy. “I hope to use this year to work, study and pole vault. I’d love to work in a field to do with Chinese so that I can arrive at university speaking better Chinese,” he says.

Anna Brovko, in the Lower Sixth, has studied Japanese AS Level outside of school, whilst also undertaking an EPQ on the topic of Japanese literature and its similarities and influences on western literature.

“Since I already find Japan and Japanese fascinating, I took the opportunity to combine my cultural studies of Japan with my love of English Literature,” she says, adding that the highlight of her time at Trinity has been taking part in Shrek the Musical. “I take inspiration from the people that surround me: teachers, classmates and friends. There is always something admirable in a person and it is great to notice it sometimes.”

And Lev Titov, who plans to study Economics at University has also managed achieve an A* in Russian A Level outside of school whilst also taking Maths, Further Maths, Politics and Economics and finding the time to enjoy a part-time job, teaching swimming; “I started teaching in May of last year when COVID restrictions were lifted, and have continued doing so every Saturday. I teach both children and adults, mostly one to one, so if anyone wants lessons, feel free to contact me!

“I also enjoy reading further into Economics, and attending different talks and societies. To give back to the community at school, I involved myself with the mentoring programme, to help younger students,” he adds. “Someone was recently telling me about ‘Zen’ archery. There is a method whereby one focuses on the individual movements: pulling the bow, holding your breath, letting go, etc. Apparently, once this method is mastered, the arrow cannot help but hit the bull’s eye. Similarly, for younger students studying for exams, I would suggest focusing on the work in hand, and finding pleasure even in the most mundane processes. This will yield great success; you will hit the bull’s eye.”

“I have definitely had to commit a lot of time to learning languages, but I wouldn’t call it hard work. What I love about learning languages is that you can do so through watching TV, playing games, and reading books.

“Cambridge’s interview process was rewarding and I would have been happy to have been through the process even if I wasn’t offered a place. It gave me a chance to exercise my curiosity outside of the classroom in areas not explicitly covered by the Pre-U specification.”

Barnaby has also applied to study at Yale because of its excellent provision for both academia and athletics. “I hope to continue my pole-vaulting career in an environment that also allows me to excel in my studies,” he says.

Having run the Chinese Society at school, Barnaby enjoyed giving talks on various topics, such as Confucianism, Daoism, the development of the Chinese language, and Censorship.

In Trinity Magazine Enrichment 17

Emily Leeves Sixth Form student Emily was invited to represent Team GB at Ballroom Dance.

George Ogden has also been busy filling his time with a number of productive activities. His EPQ was directly related to his fields of interest; it looked at natural language processing, comparing how AI understands language to how the brain does. George has an offer to study Computer Science at Trinity College, Cambridge and says: “The most rewarding thing for me is when something that you have worked very hard on materialises, whether that be reaching the end of the Sussex Border Path, scoring full marks in the Senior Maths Challenge or finding out that Amazon is using one of the projects that I worked on as one of its services. I have also enjoyed lots of the coding projects I’ve done, such as emotion detection; an AI visualisation on a Raspberry Pi; or writing code to detect broken solar panels - which was deployed on a drone!”

George even holds down a job as an AI Developer, whereby he writes custom AI. “I also do software development and I’m still working with some of my first clients when I started just before the lockdown,” he says. “My recent projects include Bitcoin price prediction, automated emails and websites… it’s good to learn from experiences and try new things. My competitive spirit also comes out in competitive programming, which is probably what I spend most of my time doing. The dream is to represent the UK in Indonesia this summer for the International Olympiad in Informatics and this requires hours of practising where I learn lots of interesting things that are outside of anything taught in school.

Lower Sixth Form student Emily Leeves travelled to Assen, in the Netherlands, in November to compete in two prestigious Latin and Ballroom competitions: The 2021 Dutch Open and WDC AL World Championships. These competitions see the best Latin and Ballroom dancers from all over the world compete for the ultimate titles.

Emily represented Great Britain in both the U19 and U21 age categories, along with her dance partner Adam. Another of her life long ambitions was realised when she was selected to represent Team GB in the Youth Ballroom Team Match, where three couples from each nation dance as a team, in the ultimate dance off!

“I think that the advice I was given is probably the best thing for anyone lower down in the school: be bold; be busy; be organised. It’s easy to go along with the crowd or do things that everyone else is doing but to try something new and find a unique passion is very important.

For me, that thing is coding and that’s a distinguishing factor that makes up a huge part of my identity. Being bold and busy also forces you to be organised.”

George Ogden Bitcoin price prediction

Well done to all these students...

A bright future awaits!

LET’S PLAY. 18 In Trinity Magazine Sport

Sport

When it comes to sport, the prime focus at Trinity is on making sure that students are enjoying themselves, writes Mr Page.

Remembering to have fun Whether out on the tennis courts or in the swimming pool, we want students to have fun and build long-lasting relationships with their peers and teachers. As such, Trinity offers a multi-dimensional cocurricular programme with more than 20 different sports taking place each week.

We are aware that there is sometimes a tendency to forget that sports are meant to be fun: enthusiasm for the ambition of becoming a professional athlete can lead to the belief that the route to the top is to specialise in a single sport from a young age. On the contrary, children who participate in a variety of sports are in fact more likely to form a long-lasting passion for physical exercise and ultimately compete at elite level.

So, our ‘multi-sport’ approach is designed to benefit students in their development of physical literacy skills. Learning fundamental movements and coordination at a young age is critical to development.

By practising skills such as running, throwing, and catching, students gain the confidence as well as the ability to participate in a variety of physical activities, whether in before school, lunchtime or after-school clubs.

Encouraging curiosity Multi-sport participation also helps ensure that students are exposed to sports that require different movements and motor skills. Second Year student, Daniel Farrell, for instance, has really made the most of the multi-sport opportunity on offer at Trinity; getting stuck into a plethora of activities across the school year. In the Winter term, he plays Rugby, Football, Hockey and Basketball, and in the Summer term, Tennis, Cricket and Squash.

Daniel competes in regular fixtures on the weekend for Trinity, having been selected for A, B, C and D teams amongst the variety of sports.

Forming new relationships As well as gaining a competitive spirit, students like Daniel learn the value of what it means to be a team player and how to bounce back from adversity.

Competing at the highest level is certainly something that we respect and pay close attention to, however what’s more important is that students - regardless of what level they play at - come away with a love and passion for sport. We aim to give the same care and support to students that want to form new relationships, stay physically fit and be part of the sporting community, as we do our elite-level performers.

Students thrive at Trinity in no small part because of their eagerness to learn and the relationships they have with coaching staff. Coaches bring energy and joy to every session, whether it be on-field rugby sessions, video analysis, strength and conditioning, leadership meetings or individual mentoring and, in turn, we get the best from our students.

And this past year has seen the Trinity Rugby 1st XV reach new heights; making it all the way to Twickenham stadium for the final of the National Cup – which it went on to win! The Senior team were also crowned winners of the Seaford Southern 10s after scoring a winning try in extra time. They showed tremendous spirit and character to come from behind in both the final two games, with every individual doing their bit to help the team to the title.

In Trinity Magazine Sport 19 at the National Success

Cup for Trinity Rugby

Focus Rugby

Success at the National Cup for Trinity Rugby

We asked some of our students what it’s like to play Rugby at Trinity and about the impact of the recent National Cup win on the school environment: How have you seen Trinity Rugby evolve?

“When I first started here, Trinity Rugby was already big; especially with the French national team training at the school during the World Cup, and with the success of the 1st XV players at the time.

Throughout my years at Trinity, Rugby has grown. This can be seen throughout the school especially with the number of teams in the U12s. I can only see Trinity Rugby getting better.”

Sean Ogunyemi, 1st XV Player What life lessons have you learnt whilst playing Rugby at Trinity?

“In Rugby, as in life, there will always be highs and lows. You might not always get what you are hoping for but if you work hard then you can achieve your goals.

You will reap the rewards if you are willing to put in the work. We can achieve more if we work as a team and lead through example.”

Quinn Singh, U16A Team

What impact do you think this year’s cup run has had on the school?

“This year’s cup run has certainly created a buzz throughout the school and a real sense of community. I will never tire from the enthusiastic students chanting from the touchline. You can really see the impact you can have on younger students. Hopefully, this love of the game stays throughout their time at Trinity and beyond. I have loved playing Rugby for the last seven years. The excitement of cup runs taking us all over the country; the unforgettable moments whilst playing with some of my closest friends; and the general culture and environment that has been created will stay with me forever.”

Archie Pearson, 1st XV Captain

Focus Hockey

Focus Netball

A sport that can be played all year round, Indoor Hockey has seen increasing participation year on year and, as a result, produced some outstanding success stories. The dedication and commitment from our students has been astonishing, with three students reaching the top of the England Hockey Pathway this year. Many of our students picked up a stick for the first time at Trinity, and their involvement in the Indoor Hockey programme and eagerness to contribute is a classic example of what it means to be a Trinity student.

Netball at Trinity is a major sport for girls in the Winter term, and is accessible to all - at participation, competition, and performance levels. In each tier, experienced and passionate members of staff ensure players of all abilities are challenged.

Indoor Hockey requires more than brute force. Students quickly learn that they need to be skilled communicators and understand tactical gameplay. With only a team of six and on a smaller pitch, in comparison to outdoors, speed of thinking and decision making in pressurised scenarios are put to the test in training and in games. Students learn to become better at problem solving and build upon teamwork skills - working towards a common goal; alongside improving their own fundamental basics.

January this year saw our 1st team make its mark in the London Area finals - finishing runners-up on the day. The performances were a credit to the time and effort students have put into Indoor Hockey throughout the last few years.

Learning these key principles early on serve as an excellent springboard into the outdoor season.

Siblings Caragh Haspel, William Haspel and Cormac Haspel are just a few to have benefitted from our outdoor and indoor programmes. Having started playing Hockey at a young age, you can imagine that these three maintain a healthy(ish) competitive relationship and push each other to be better on the field as well as in the classroom. They each attend training sessions at Surbiton Hockey Club and regularly compete for club and school at the weekend. Caragh and Will have been involved in the England Pathway; being assessed on skill, fitness, decision making and match play.

It’s an exciting time to be playing Hockey at Trinity and we are seeing more students achieve international honours each year.

We have performance players with the likes of new joiner, Lucy Bullock, in Lower Sixth, who is playing Netball for franchise team Surrey Storm. We also have teams that run at all levels, enjoying competitive A through to D fixtures midweek and at the weekend. Girls compete in county and regional competitions which are inclusive and focused on participation.

This year, for example, our Senior Netball team travelled to Epsom College to play in the Surrey round of the National Schools Championships. Having previously won four out of their five games at the qualifiers, back in October, they were in a great position heading into the tournament. The girls faced six of the top teams in Surrey, with a view to achieving a coveted place in the regional round. The squad acquitted itself brilliantly – beating Coloma Convent, Putney High, Kingston Grammar and St George’s Weybridge.

Netball is a fast-paced, technical game, using tactics that require a high level of skill and athleticism. It gives girls ample opportunity to improve their game, and to reach their sporting potential as they progress through school. As well as being physically and mentally demanding, it fosters team building, effective communication and leadership and develops self-esteem through both personal and collective achievement.

Netball is a sport growing in popularity with well over half the girls currently electing to participate and many continuing to play after they leave us. At a time when the trend is for girls to drop out of sport around the age of 14, (Sport England; May 2019), it is a positive sign of the support we aim to provide that we see girls engaged and staying active.

22 In Trinity Magazine Sport

ISFA National Cup: U13A Football Team reach the final 8!

Our U13A Football team played superbly in recent months, making it through to the highly competitive quarter final of the ISFA National Cup. Mr Wilson, Head of Football, says: “The ISFA tournament is the most competitive National Tournament in the schools’ schedule and massively respected as the one to win. For Trinity to get to the quarter final shows how far this group has come.”

The team’s coach, Mr O’Connor adds: “The way in which the side performed told the story of their season perfectly.

A tremendously exciting team to watch, the side has also been complemented by the younger generation of U12 players bolstering the ranks. Exciting times lie ahead; an ounce more luck this year and they could have gone all the way...

Revenge is certainly on the cards!”

Second Year student, Aston Gayle, says: “It was a pleasure being part of such a skilful and hard-working football team. We played for each other and helped each other out every step of the way. We’re now working harder than ever.”

Edward Thomas, who was team captain, adds: “I’m extremely proud of how far we got together. Hopefully we can progress over the next couple years both as individuals and as a team.”

“The next tournament starts in early September and we hope once again to do well in all ages that we enter. I am incredibly proud and looking forward to seeing them in action next year,” says Mr Wilson.

Mrs Long, Head of Community Sport, Features on ITV Anastacia Long, our Head of Community Sport and head of Girls’ Games, recently featured on an ITV documentary about professional Rugby player, Kyle Sinckler entitled ‘Against The Odds’. Mrs Long was interviewed as she was Kyle’s teacher for five years when he was at Graveney School in South London, where she helped to set up a Rugby team.

She explains: “The conversation was around Kyle as a youngster, my involvement in his early Rugby journey and what he was like. We talked about the challenges faced by young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and how Rugby at Graveney became a sanctuary for young people who could have otherwise become disengaged or involved in antisocial behaviour. I talked about how I used Rugby as a vehicle for social change - and how Kyle overcame huge disadvantage to achieve remarkable success.”

“The highlights of this year have been going back to competitive sport and having fixtures - which I think everyone really missed in lockdown. I have enjoyed watching all the Trinity boys and girls developing and growing their passion for sport, playing with their friends and doing their best. “ “We have also hosted some coaching sessions and tournaments at Trinity where our Young Leaders have helped, and I will always be amazed at how incredible our pupils are; their patience, empathy, diligence and determination to do their best for others and how inspiring this was for the children they were helping.”

Mrs Long, Head of Girls’ Games

Mrs Long has had a very varied sporting career. Her main sport growing up was highboard diving and she competed nationally until she was 16 when she had a serious injury. Then fast-tracked into coaching, she joined the British Diving World Class Start coaching programme, travelling nationally and internationally coaching Junior International divers and judging at events – going on to run the Diving event at the London 2012 Olympics.

She then became involved in Rugby when Kyle asked her to set up a team. With no knowledge of the sport, she learnt as much as she could and tried to stay one step ahead of the students. Mrs Long explains: “I grew Rugby at Graveney through creating a school/club link with Old

Rutlishians RFC where I was the 1st team physio. In my 12 years at the school, I grew Rugby to become the most popular sport in the school - and in 2014 our U15 team got through to the NatWest Vase Final and played at Twickenham.

“I then became a coach with Harlequins and subsequently became their Academy Education Advisor based on my experience as a school teacher, helping players in the U16 – U18 Academy. I also progressed at Old Ruts as my Rugby experience grew, and I coached a junior side from U11 to U18 before becoming Senior Head Coach and then Director of Rugby - which is still my role now. I subsequently became a Coach Educator for England Rugby and regularly deliver coaching courses where I train people to become coaches.”

In 2017, Mrs Long joined Trinity, where she continues to coach Rugby, is Head of Girls’ Games and oversees our Community Sport programme.

She says: “I love how rewarding my job is.

Through the Community Sport programme, I work with local primary schools to help improve their provision – through coaching their teachers, making facilities accessible for coaching sessions and tournaments or by going and delivering sessions in local schools.

“I love how much this inspires young people to become, or remain, involved in sport and to give them the belief that they can achieve great things, irrelevant of their background. I also love my role as Head of Girls’ Games and how enjoyable it is to work with such motivated girls. Most of all, I love the people at Trinity – the students, the staff and the overwhelming sense of belonging. I really feel I have found my tribe and I am determined to be the best version of myself to ensure I uphold the strong community values at Trinity.”

Thank you, Mrs Long!

Shrek 24 In Trinity Magazine Drama

Drama

A fairy-tale with joy at its heart; and some really great songs.

Mr Chambers, Head of Drama Productions, looks back at the success that was Trinity’s Shrek The Musical.

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In Trinity Magazine Drama 25

“Fairytales should really be re-written,’’ sings Shrek – and who would disagree?

Out-dated attitudes, intolerance and prejudice are finally being called out by a new generation which demands that all must be respected in their life choices; asking us to be true to ourselves – because we are all unique.

That is why I chose Shrek The Musical - as we walked a tight-rope of COVID restrictions - to remind us not to shut ourselves away in a swamp, but to laugh too and to keep searching for the next adventure. It is a fairy-tale, with joy at its heart, and some really great songs.

Over 125 students across all year groups were involved, as performers, musicians, designers or backstage crew. We also enjoyed amazing staff support as well as help from parents and friends and were joined by a number of external professional theatre-makers who mentored students in key roles of lighting, set, sound and costume design.

We were excited to welcome Nigel Harman to Trinity during the rehearsal process, too. Nigel played Lord Farquaad in the West End production and treated us to a workshop on musical theatre acting.

This proved invaluable and we were also very lucky to have a huge dragon puppet hand-made for the production!

Barney Sayburn and Ethan Thorne had to sweat it out in heavy prosthetics as the ogre ‘Shrek’ himself. To perform encased in latex was a real challenge but they never complained. And our two ‘Fionas’ – Anna Brovko and Eliza Farrar, alternating the role, showed strong versatility – singing, acting and tap dancing.

This type of production helps build community, which is great to see. Every student involved should be massively encouraged by what they achieved.

Emails I have received from those who saw it have been effusive and overwhelmingly shown that all their hard work was worth it.

A huge well done to all!

Ethan Thorne, in Fourth Year, and Barney Sayburn, Fifth Year, both played the role of Shrek.

Barney says: “Mr Chambers and Mr Barlow decided the best way to split the roles was to have two Shreks - and Fionas - and have us both understudy all the other principal roles were COVID to make anyone have to self isolate, though luckily it never came to that! We did come close to covering each other though, I lost my voice at the start of the week of the show and Ethan had a mild head injury the night before one of his performances. We pushed on though. The show must go on!

“I became a lot more acquainted with the younger years, which was nice because, as you go further up the school, many people you knew move on to university and your social circle gets smaller. It was a good opportunity to get to know some fresh faces.

“I’ve done lots of acting at Trinity. I was the Artful Dodger in my first term at the school, in ‘Oliver’, but this was the first time I’ve had the main role; it was very exciting. Outside of school, I do some acting. I was in a BritBox Original Drama series last Summer with Jared Harris, called ‘The Beast Must Die’ “I have a whole new respect for professional theatre performers: The prosthetics, heavy costume, and the absolute titan that is Shrek The Musical’s singing requirements really challenged me to do my best.”

Ethan adds: “When we were told Barney and I would be sharing the role of Shrek I was really excited. I was also rather worried as I had no idea how to do a Scottish accent!

One of the special moments was singing with the band accompanying me. They are a fantastic group of musicians and there were some brilliant songs. I loved ‘Who I’d Be’ at the end of Act 1, when Shrek finally admits to Donkey that he does have dreams to be more than an ogre. It’s such a big song and I enjoyed doing the harmonies. But my absolute favourite song has to be ‘When Words Fail’. I found it an extremely emotional song and actually wasn’t keen on the way it is done in the Broadway production which was quite comical, so decided to perform it in a more heartfelt manner.

“I always love getting involved with the shows at Trinity. It’s also a good way to make new friends from different year groups and get to know people better.

There is always so much to learn from everyone around you.

“It also built up my endurance wearing the fat suit drowning in sweat for the entire performance. I lost 10kg in the process and unfortunately blew two microphones – sorry!”

26 In Trinity Magazine Drama

In Trinity Magazine Page Contents 27

Drama Scholar

Hugo Cooper

Drama Scholar, Anna Brovko, in the Lower Sixth played Fiona alongside Eliza Farrar.

She says: “It was a remarkable experience where I not only developed my skills as an actor but first and foremost, met a phenomenal group of people. It was fantastic to have students from across all the year groups uniting as a single Shrek family, and it brought everyone really close together and gave us the chance to form true and lasting friendships.

“Although I am set on studying English Literature at university, my ambition for my future is to continue to act.

My advice to any younger students wanting to get involved with any production is simple - do it! It can be anywhere from a very enjoyable to life changing experience.

“I see no disadvantages to auditioning even if that means you might have to push yourself out of your comfort zone.

“As a Drama Scholar, I have been given multiple opportunities to see different shows from the moment I joined Trinity, and I am incredibly grateful for this.

It has been wonderful to go to the theatre and enjoy the productions. The ‘Life of Pi’ trip was my favourite so far. It completely blew my mind.”

“I learnt a lot about teamwork, public speaking, vocal projection and how to be confident in front of a large group of people. But, most of all, I learnt how much hard work goes into a show like this. Not only the cast, and the band, but the whole production team really pulled out all the stops. It was great to see.”

Eliza Farrar, Lower Sixth

When did you join Trinity?

I joined Trinity in J Bugs when I was ten years and one month, as my birthday is in August.

Did you enjoy taking part in Shrek?

Yes, and I particularly enjoyed making new friendships across year groups from J Bugs to Sixth Formers.

How did the production go - were there any surprises?

There were four performances, the first being for local primary schools, which went really well. The costumes were marvellous and the special effects had the audience applauding loudly. The cast and orchestra got a standing ovation on every night! It was amazing how smoothly it ran. All the hard work, commitment and dedication that everyone put in certainly paid off.

Do you see yourself doing something related to theatre in the future?

Yes, I adore all things Drama related! My dream is to become an actor and tread the boards in the bright lights of Broadway.

But if Hollywood comes calling... you won’t see me for dust!

What’s your advice to any younger students who may be thinking about getting involved in productions in some way?

It’s a whole new world out on stage.

Once you’ve done it, you’ve done it. You have crossed the boundary, advanced past the barriers of first night nerves and discovered the joy of the stage.

Have you also been on any of the Drama scholars trips or other theatre trips? How were they?

In November, Ms Robinson and Mr Petty escorted the Drama Scholars to the Wyndham Theatre, London to watch ‘Life of Pi’, which was incredible. My favourite part was when the mechanical floorboards popped out of the stage to form different shapes. It was an amazing experience; one that I will treasure.

28 In Trinity Magazine Drama

Drama.

Miss Robinson, Head of Academic Drama, on some of the highlights of the year so far.

“Live theatre has nothing to say to the youth of today.” Such a statement is typical of those with which our Sixth Form students must engage in Component 3 of their A Level exam, considering the success of a production in light of a controversial statement about theatre’s resonance today.

After years of engaging with live performance only through streamed and online versions, it has been an utter joy to take students to the theatre again, and to confirm that this statement is, entirely, incorrect. As fortunate as we have been to be able to access theatre online whilst their doors have been closed, nothing replaces the excited hush and slow fade of lights before the show starts, or the novelty of a half-time ice cream and the buzz on the train home as students discuss the show.

Miss Robinson Head of Academic Drama

Love through apartheid Our Sixth Form students started the term with ‘Statements after an Arrest Under the Immorality Act’, a hard-hitting play about a relationship forbidden during the South African apartheid. The intimacy and claustrophobia of the Orange Tree Theatre’s traditional in the round performance space reinforced the themes of mistrust and surveillance presented in the dialogue, and prompted perceptive and meaningful questions from our students in subsequent discussions.

The Seven Pomegranate Seeds In the second half of term, we saw the world premiere of Colin Teevan’s ‘The Seven Pomegranate Seeds’ [photo above] which transposed seven of Euripides’ famous tragic women into modern scenarios with a stark but powerful set comprised of wooden doorframes, weighted strings and metal scaffolding.

Students thoroughly enjoyed this production, engaging in a passionate debate in class about the messages it presented about female autonomy, adoption, murder and domestic abuse. As well as contributing to students’ written work, the stylised acting in this production has hugely influenced students’ practical work in the classroom too.

Inspiration from the West End November saw our GCSE students head to the West End to see the criticallyacclaimed adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s novel ‘The Ocean at the End of the Lane’ which transferred from the National Theatre in the summer of 2021. The show featured outstanding use of puppetry, set design and lighting to tell the heartwarming story of Boy and his friendship with Lettie Hempstock, an ageless girl from a family of witches who help him fight other-worldly battles with alien creatures who emerge from his bathroom plughole… This production provided GCSE students with a brilliant opportunity to work closely with Mr Burn to explore stage lighting [photos left] in anticipation and in response to the production of ‘The Ocean at the End of the Lane’ which won a Laurence Olivier award for its lighting in 2020.

Drama Scholars’ Showcase In October we presented the inaugural Trinity Drama Scholars’ Showcase, an opportunity for Drama scholars from all year groups to perform a monologue or duologue of their choice in front of a small audience of family and teachers.

Joining them were three LAMDA students who had upcoming assessments, whose performance in front of an audience hugely benefited their confidence as they approached their exams.

We had a brilliant range of texts chosen, from the sublime Romeo and Juliet, 4.48 Psychosis to the slightly more ridiculous Charlie Brown and Humpty Dumpty. Students coped exceptionally well with the demands of independent rehearsal at a busy time of term (all were involved in Shrek at the time!); particular congratulations to Anna, Phoebe, Arthur and Hector for whom this showcase took place during their first half term at Trinity.

The Life of Pi In November, our Drama Scholars went to see ‘Life of Pi’ in London’s West End. Third Year student, Jacob Haunstetter, writes: “There was plenty of anticipation to see how ‘Life of Pi’ had been adapted from screen to stage; but also because it was the Scholars’ first drama trip. The story was captivating, a young man stranded at sea with the presence of a tiger - representing himself. His journey of emotional growth was effectively demonstrated by the puppetry, which enticed those in the audience. The production was unlike anything we had seen before. Everything felt fresh and new – the puppetry, the projection, the abstract technology. You could tell the actors were delighted to be back onstage.

It was great to be back in the theatre!”

30 In Trinity Magazine Music

A return to the international stage When eleven members of The Trinity Boys Choir arrived in Malmö, Sweden, at the end of August for eleven weeks of rehearsals and performances of Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, it heralded the return of international engagements for the choir, writes Mr Swinson, Director of Music.

The boys spent almost three months rehearsing. The shows concluded in early November, having taken place in front of rapturous audiences.

This experience was particularly special given that the preceding year and a half had witnessed the cancellation of exciting tours to China, Germany and Switzerland, among many other activities. It was also a notable project as the boys were performing the famous production of the opera by Sir Peter Hall, which Trinity boys have always presented at Glyndebourne.

There was a sense of poignancy, too, as the first lockdown in March 2020 had necessitated the abrupt return of another group of Trinity boys from Malmö, just days before their first performance. This team of 2020 had left Sweden with many friends in the opera company, with the

staff saying how much they had missed the cheery voices of the boys. The task for the new group was both to perform brilliantly and to charm the company as well as their predecessors had.

Many congratulations to the boys who grasped this opportunity and made such a success of the trip: From the First Year, Benjamin Gilbert, Victor Lanaspre, Freddie Balcombe and Ben Fletcher; in the Second Year, Albie Leslie, James Roberts, Arlo Dezille and Luke Thornton; and in the Third Year, Isaac Rogers, Harry Lamb and Leo Jemison.

The boys will undoubtedly have many fond memories of their stay. From an organisational perspective, matters were complicated as COVID was still prevalent in both the UK and Sweden and Brexit required the need for the boys to have work permits. The journey to Malmö is usually straightforward: Fly to Copenhagen and then take a twenty-minute train journey over the famous Oresund Bridge to Malmö. At the end of August, however, the border to Denmark was closed and the boys had to fly into Gothenburg. As the boys dutifully queued in the lengthy non-EU lane for passport control, a kindly

Swedish policewoman bequeathed them honorary EU citizenship and ushered them to the front of the EU members queue; noting their age and that it was quite late in the evening. I was certain that we had the correct paperwork but I also knew that the Swedish police were at liberty to refuse entry. Having primed the boys to burst into tears if there were any problems, I also realised that facemasks might lessen the impact. After an engaging discussion with the passport control officer about operas, singing and Benjamin Britten - all of which she professed to love - she declined the boys’ entry to Sweden! Thankfully, a further conversation with another officer achieved success. The boys’ journey began in earnest.

If there was a sense of leaping into the unknown, this was also very much the case for the boys’ parents. When they said goodbye to their sons in August, they were not then permitted to visit Sweden and had no idea when it might become possible.

There had been plans for a few returns to the UK, not least to attend some school at the start of the academic year, but the situation was so uncertain in August that all plans were provisional. As it happened the boys loved living in Sweden.

In Trinity Magazine Music 31

Midsummer in Malmö Music

They only returned twice: For the first time after seven weeks in Sweden and then during the school half term break.

At the end of the trip, the boys declared that they had made friends for life.

They had lived away from home, taken on domestic chores and developed considerable independence. COVID may have restricted sight-seeing but they had visited every part of Malmö, as well as nearby Lund and Copenhagen, including the famous Tivoli Gardens. They had also spent hours playing football and learnt intricate gymnastic moves at the many playgrounds along the coast.

Our boys also garnered considerable media praise and did the choir and the school proud. They were frequently complimented for their professionalism and courtesy. We are all looking forward to a return to more normal times, and 2022 offers professional engagements for the choir in France, Germany, Luxembourg and Spain.

Reflections from the boys: Ben says he had never done anything like this before: “I joined the boys’ choir and got asked if I would like to audition for the opera. A week later found out that I had got a part.”

Victor particularly enjoyed the trip to the Tivoli Gardens and describes the experience as being “like a holiday, going somewhere different and being able to try different foods and see cultures. It also means that you get to know boys who are older and younger than you and have a variety of friends across school years.”

Leo said that, despite missing his dog, he loved playing Cobweb, Titania’s head fairy.

His favourite part of the trip was “...seeing how well Sweden takes care of its streets and parks and public spaces”.

Meanwhile James, who had also never done any opera before, says: “I enjoyed seeing how all the machinery worked – I particularly enjoyed the flying machine as Puck gets to fly all around the stage.” He also really liked the coffee shops: “They sold fantastic cinnamon buns, chocolate coconut balls and my favourite, chocolate mud cake! It was also fun staying in an apartment with my friends and cooking and eating together.”

Isaac described the trip as one of the best experiences of his life, adding that he is still learning Swedish on his return home: “I would love to go again!”

Albie says that he surprised himself. “It was an amazing experience, it was incredible fun, and taught me many life lessons such as having to tidy and wash without someone telling you to”.

“My favourite part of the trip was opening night when the lights first came on and the music started playing, it felt so magical,” he adds.

32 In Trinity Magazine Music

“This trip taught me so much, from a few words of Swedish to how to manage independently in a foreign country during a pandemic, and so much in between, not forgetting how delicious Swedish cinnamon buns are… I feel that I am now much more confident, mature and resilient.”

In Trinity Magazine Music 33

“It hardly felt real!”

An account of a trip to Malmö in Sweden, with The Trinity Boys Choir.

Benjy Gilbert, First Year student, gives a detailed round up of his time in Malmö: When I first found out that I was one of the lucky few to be selected for the opera trip to Sweden, it hardly felt real.

I’d never done anything like that before and the prospect of spending 11 weeks away from home and family was quite unsettling. As the time grew closer, I felt more apprehensive, but also excited for all the new experiences I was about to have. I also knew this would be the best possible start to my musical life at Trinity.

We went to Sweden in August, when it was hot and sunny. Our return date was not until November, when it can be very cold. Due to COVID, we did not know when or if we would be able to come home or have visitors. This made packing quite a challenge. Some boys had to take suitcases that were bigger than they were.

The first six weeks were taken up with rehearsals and we were very busy.

Lauren, the choreographer, worked with us on the staging and getting the energy right. We used plastic tubes to get the feel of the pikes we would use in performance, and we had rehearsal wings strapped to our backs, held on by safety pins. This was to help us get used to the extra space we needed to move around. There was lots of detail to work on, and we had to make sure we could still do everything correctly whilst remembering all the movements, too. We met the conductor briefly in the first week, but then only started working properly with him when the rehearsals moved to the opera house stage a couple of weeks before the performances started.

When not rehearsing, we did some schoolwork but otherwise went exploring in Malmö. Not far from the apartments, there was a park with a football field and a playground, where we spent a lot of our free time. We got to see most of Malmö, including the old centre, the Turning Torso - the tallest building in Scandinavia - and the beaches. Other excursions included bowling and swimming. We also went on a day trip to Copenhagen, which was a short train ride away across the Öresund bridge.

We were responsible for helping with shopping, cooking, laundry and keeping the apartments tidy, which didn’t always happen! I was the first of the boys to cook a meal for everybody and they seemed to

like what I made! A few of the boys took turns to help with the cooking – we had things like tacos, vegan bolognese, and burritos.

Towards the end of the rehearsal period, we started using the actual stage at the opera house, and our costumes, which were very old and delicate. We had to wear wigs and fake elf ears. The wigs were pinned to our heads and the ears were glued or taped on. Make-up took about 20 minutes each time. It felt great to remove it all at the end of the evening! We had two full dress-rehearsals, to which our parents were invited. This was the first time we had performed to an audience.

Opening night was very exciting. The adult opera singers were very encouraging and supportive of us, and the performance seemed to be very well received. We got a standing ovation from the audience for the first five shows and everyone seemed very happy with us. From then on, we did two performances a week, usually one at the weekend and one mid-week. One had to be cancelled due to adult singers being unwell.

We also managed a couple of short trips back to London to see family and friends.

In the very last week, we had the best excursion of them all – we went to Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen. We were there just after Halloween, when all the spooky rides were still running. We bought churros and hot chocolates and had such a great time all together.

What was amazing about this trip was how close we became as a group of friends.

The boys were from three different school years, and not everyone knew everyone before we left. However, after such a long time together, far from home, not knowing if we could see our families for 11 weeks, meant that we developed a very close bond. Even now, when walking around school, if I see another of the ‘Swedish Fairies’, we wave or if we have time, have a short conversation, even if it’s just saying hello to one another. There are some things that I would allow the people who came to Malmö to do, for example call me certain nicknames, but I would get very annoyed if anyone else did. As well as the 11 Trinity boys, there were also eight Swedish boys and three girls. When we met them, some were very shy, and some hopped right into chatting with us. Their English

was amazing, even though only a couple of them had been to England. Over the weeks, we became great friends, and one of them even invited everyone to his house for a barbecue. Nine weeks after coming home, we still have a very active “Älvorna” WhatsApp group. Its name - meaning ‘Fairies’ - is one of the only Swedish words we learnt!

There is so much more I could write about our time in Sweden, but there isn’t space.

I will remember this trip forever. It was a great privilege to perform on a professional stage with some amazing singers in such an iconic production. One of the funny things I will remember was the start of every performance, just as the curtain was about to go up, one of the (actors dressed as) trees would start doing squats. The fairies, who open the opera, followed this example. It was very hard not to laugh with everyone bobbing up and down, but as soon as the music started, all our training kicked in and we did exactly as we were supposed to do. It was lots of fun, though, to have a laugh before the show started; it got rid of any nerves.

This trip taught me so much, from a few words of Swedish to how to manage independently in a foreign country during a pandemic, and so much in between, not forgetting how delicious Swedish cinnamon buns are … I feel that I am now much more confident, mature and resilient, and am so very grateful that I had this opportunity.

34 In Trinity Magazine Art and Design

In Trinity Magazine Art and Design 35

Q&A with our new Director of Art, Mr Robertson How are you finding your first year as Trinity’s Director of Art? It has been great. I have really enjoyed getting to know the school community.

The Art department itself is a place of wonder; full of exciting happenings and no two days are the same.

What have been some of the stand-out pieces of work?

There are lots of fantastic students in the department, especially when you look to our GCSE and A Level cohort. This year I teach a great Fourth Year and Lower Sixth class.

Where were you working before?

Did you train as an artist?

Prior to Trinity, I taught at a local independent girls’ school. Before becoming a teacher, I worked as a professional practicing artist and was lucky enough to exhibit my work internationally.

They have all really impressed me with their work ethic and engagement. We have also recently held exam-style practical days for the Fifth Year and Upper Sixth, so there are lots of great pieces to see. I am starting to get some of this work onto our new Instagram account, so please do follow and support us!

Some of these opportunities stemmed from my university experience as both an undergraduate at the Slade School of Fine Art (UCL) and postgraduate at the Royal Academy Schools.

What are your plans for the Art Department?

In the short term we have been developing the curriculum, with some exciting new projects that include sculpture, textiles and photography.

What have you been most surprised or impressed by?

Besides the outstanding facilities, it really has been the students that I teach and seeing the buzz around the department, with co-curricular clubs such as ceramics and textiles making a big impact.

On a Wednesday we have our resident ceramics specialist, Martha MacDonald, and each week up to 40 students from across all age groups have been attending her club. This is really exciting to see.

We are continually looking to expand our facilities and have established a specific textiles area with a new sublimation dye printer. Moving on, I am keen to develop our artist-in-residency programme and events for the Shaw Gallery.

What do we have to look forward to for the rest of this academic year?

Lots of exciting work! We are all looking forward to seeing what the students create this term - especially with the GCSE and A Level students in mind. I am sure they will do themselves proud and I can’t wait to see their final exhibition.

36 In Trinity Magazine Art and Design

Profile

Fractured Surya Vijayanand, Upper Sixth

“The idea that Art can be a tool for Engineering and that there is a synergy between Mathematics and Art is something that inspires me.”

“The theme for my artwork was ‘Fractured’. I wanted to explore the idea of deconstructing objects and transforming them into something new. The Art department had a derelict piano and upon opening it, I felt inspired by the arrangement of the keys, strings and hammers.

“These, to me, looked like the ribcage and vertebral column of a human skeleton and so I decided to take it apart and build a life-sized one. The whole skeleton is made from the internal components of the piano.

The keys make up the bones; the strings, the nervous system; and the hammers, the spinal cord, hands and feet. It took just over 50 hours.

“I broke the construction process down into individual body parts - beginning at the spinal cord, making it as rigid and sturdy as possible to support the weight of the rest of the body. I then moved onto the ribcage, each of the limbs and finally the skull. After the structure had come together, I decided to use the strings to replicate a rough representation of the nervous system.

“As I started taking things apart, I discovered tiny mechanisms that I didn’t even know existed and I realised just how complex the engineering behind this instrument was, and I was somewhat awestruck.

“I intend to pursue Design Engineering at Imperial College, London in the future. I am still unsure as to the career I would like to pursue; but I know for certain that it should be one that combines both engineering and artistic design.

“The idea that Art can be a tool for Engineering and that there is a synergy between Mathematics and Art is something that inspires me. Besides this, I am heavily inspired by science fiction in film and I dream to one day bring some of the things we see on screen, to reality.

“Much of my learning and motivation is hugely contributed to by my teachers who have never failed to encourage, inspire and support me. I have had the best years at Trinity. This time has shaped me. I will cherish this time always.”

In Trinity Magazine Art and Design 37

Profile

UpcycleRecycle Victoria Leggett, Upper Sixth

Victoria has been involved in sewing club since it first started, having made items such as a rucksack upcycled from a raincoat. She has also made garments outside of school such as curtain and denim scrap dungarees and patchwork denim jeans, a series of recycled bags, and a plastic woven jacket.

Having learnt a number of techniques, such as the different stitches and needles to use for different fabrics, she says: “I have also become much more comfortable with the sewing machine and find it relaxing to use now.

“All of the clothes I make are upcycled from old, ruined or torn clothing, plastic rubbish and left over materials. It started off as a hobby, just fixing clothes and eventually designing them. I would like to study sustainable fashion in the future – but I’m not completely sure what avenue I would like to pursue just yet.”

With a huge collection of fabrics collected second hand from friends and neighbours at home, Victoria is busy trialling patterns that she has made and bought, putting her new sewing machine, that was gifted to her this Christmas. She is particularly

keen on exploring denim: “Denim is so tough and versatile. It’s hard-wearing and comes in many colours But it’s one of the worst fabrics for the environment in terms of the process by which it is made so I only use second hand denim. I did so much research around how it is made and on one item I put facts about the process on the pockets,” she points out.

Having first started sewing when she was in primary school, Victoria has helped to run a huge number of art clubs over the years - including during lockdown when she created PowerPoints for the younger years: “I find them eager to learn. They are curious and ask lots of questions.

I enjoy helping with Art clubs, I learn more techniques that way too!

“I do think about coming back later on in my career and being an Art teacher at Trinity. If I could teach anywhere it would be here. It’s so welcoming. The relationship with our teachers is so open and friendly – there isn’t a sense of hierarchy and everyone is easy to talk to.”

Victoria recently did some work experience at a company called Twisted Tailor and says she found it surprising how much technology is central to design.

“All of the clothes I make are upcycled from old, ruined or torn clothing, plastic rubbish and left over materials. It started off as a hobby, just fixing clothes and eventually designing them. I would like to study sustainable fashion in the future – but I’m not completely sure what avenue I would like to pursue just yet.”

“I found it quite sad that it’s mostly done on computers. But it was a good experience,” she says.

The creative streak and the interest in the environment is shared by her family.

Victoria’s great grandmother was a seamstress and her family tend to fix clothes, and rarely buy new. They are all vegan and keen to promote sustainability, while Victoria admires brands that are working to be more sustainable, such as Patagonia, which offers a free repairs service.

“I want to go into fashion but I’d only be interested in sustainable fashion. That’s the way forward,” she says.

When she leaves Trinity, Victoria will take an Art foundation course and then see where her interests take her. “My mum always encouraged me to have a sketchbook and I was always drawing,” she says. “Art has a positive impact on my mental health. I put on music and create.

It’s so satisfying.”

38 In Trinity Magazine Art and Design

ArtList

Latest from the Art Department

Second Year Art Scholar, Joshua Bell, created some impressive soap sculptures which he developed both in lessons and in his own time, inspired by the work of Henry Moore.

Photography by Mathar Mehmood as part of his GCSE mock exam, on the theme of Order and Disorder

Artist of the Month work on Display

Drawings created by students during an urban sketch workshop

Update from our Head of Design Technology, Mr Currigan.

Design and Technology continues to remain a popular subject with students, and it has been great to see boys making full use of our wide range of equipment over the last two terms.

The Lower School clubs continue to run at full capacity and this year aspiring Jedis have been making lightsabres in Special Effects Club, working as a team to build an electric car, learning how to build electronic circuits, and constructing World War 1 Airfix models.

New for this year has been the Engineering Club attended by Fourth and Fifth years. Boys have been working on individual projects as diverse as remotecontrol Aeroplanes, a virtual reality (VR) treadmill, and a juggling robot!

This has led to several boys applying for an Arkwright scholarship. This prestigious award identifies future leaders of engineering and Trinity is fortunate enough to be awarded one or two scholarships per year. We wish the Fifth years all the best in the next stage of the application process, which involves a twohour design exam.

Meanwhile, Junior Year through to Third Year have been working on range of different projects in their lessons in order to learn how to design and manufacture with different materials. The First Years have made garden trowels from steel and tested them out on the school grounds!

They have also learnt how to work with polymers through the manufacture of a desk tidy and clock. And Fourth Year GCSE students have enjoyed learning the theory required for their exam through application. Exploring the process of laminating wood meant that there were a number of kitchen spatulas being unwrapped by parents this Christmas!

40 In Trinity Magazine Trips

Trips

Sixth Form English students enjoy trip to Bath and Bristol

A group of Sixth Form English students recently made their way to Bath and Bristol, to soak up these two cities’ literary and cultural highlights.

The trip included a vast array of activities in these two beautiful cities, including a look at the culture and heritage of the locations themselves.

Students were able to enjoy a range of activities, many of which linked into their A Level studies. These included some lively visits to the House of Frankenstein and the Jane Austen Museum in Bath, as well an Austen-themed walking tour of the city; a trip to the Bristol Old Vic to watch a fantastically musical production of ‘Wuthering Heights’; a tour of Bristol’s famous street art, and graffiti tutorial; a visit to the University of Bristol and a bespoke lecture at the English Department; a visit to the M-Shed museum - including the deposed statue of Edward Colston and a boat tour of the city; a talk and Q&A on diversity in literature and the publishing industry; a trip to watch the ‘Austentatious’ improv show; and even a Halloween screening of ‘Batman’ at the Arnos Vale cemetery … phew!

“It was a jam-packed trip; one enjoyed by students and staff alike,” says Mr Magee.

“Following the disappointment of being unable to travel to New York due to COVID, Bath and Bristol stepped up magnificently to entertain and inspire our students. I’m sure it won’t be long before we return.”

Ella Sullivan-Martin, who is studying English Literature, Psychology and Religious Studies at A Level, describes the four-day trip to Bristol and Bath as ‘amazing’.

She points out that she sent her application into UCAS to study English Literature at university shortly afterwards, with her first-choice university being Bristol. This was then followed by an offer.

She adds that the walking tour focused on the history of Bristol’s graffiti artwork made her realise just how much this type of creativity has influenced Bristol’s identity. “It was incredibly interesting to learn about Banksy and the background of his works in the city,” she says.

“The lecture we attended at Bristol University was brilliant, and allowed me to imagine myself at university and pursuing further study in the years to come. The lecturers touched on the A Level syllabus, analysing how Chaucer linked to Webster’s ‘The Duchess of Malfi’. This provided me with another perspective on the texts and characters.”

Meanwhile, one of the main highlights for James Duffy was viewing the performance of ‘Wuthering Heights’ at the Old Vic. “The ability to go and see Bristol University was hugely beneficial,” he says.

“We were given a lecture by two English professors on one of our syllabus texts and the Q&A definitely allowed me to gain some top mark points for the exam.”

Chris Green points out that both the M-Shed Museum and the Art tour allowed students to learn more about the history of Bristol itself and why it is considered the birthplace of the UK’s graffiti scene.

“After seeing these large-scale artworks, the opportunity to make our own graffiti artworks was a fascinating experience,” he says.

And Olly German adds that Bristol was ‘full of pretty evening walks and colour’: “The graffiti deserves a special mention as it seemed to encompass the creativity and innovation of Bristol itself. The trip made me, as a Lower Sixth student, start to consider my options for university especially when we got the opportunity to listen to an English lecturer talk about one of our A Level novels.

“I found the Bristol trip a real inspiration for my further studies. It helped me to evaluate what I want to do in my life after Trinity.”

In Trinity Magazine Trips 41

““After seeing these large-scale artworks, the opportunity to make our own graffiti artworks was a fascinating experience,”

42 In Trinity Magazine Combined Cadet Force

CCF

From shooting the ‘enemy’ with paintballs, to drone piloting, Mr Mazur provides an update on the latest activities of Trinity’s Combined Cadet Force (CCF) – all designed to foster a sense of self-worth, discipline, camaraderie and leadership: The RAF has been involved in a wide range of team-building exercises in recent months; from practical leadership tasks to archery tag.

The section was also taught patrolling skills using paintball equipment to shoot down the ‘enemy’ and was busy training for its return to the National Air Training Squadron Trophy, before the cadets found themselves at RAF Halton in Aylesbury.

Here, they competed in shooting, aircraft recognition, drill, and - for the first time - drone piloting, where our resident qualified drone pilot, Lucas Rebato, excelled.

Not to be left out, the Army section, which has gained well over thirty new recruits, has been learning a range of navigation and army fieldcraft techniques, while the Navy section has seen students being taught kayaking, go paddle boarding and dingy sailing. Members have also been able to apply for Royal Navy Flying Scholarships and sailing qualifications.

We’ve also had two Tri-Service camps - a recruits’ camp, in which our youngest cadets were taken through the gruelling

challenges of the Army Proficiency One certificate and, on successful completion of the course, introduced to their respective sections.

Meanwhile, for our older cadets, we ran a Senior Non-Commissioned Officer course. This led to a series of promotions, culminating in the promotion to Senior Cadet of Herbie Hocking. Trinity’s CCF also has one of the youngest qualified RAF Officers in the country in William Perry - only in his early twenties, this is a great achievement.

The majority of our 15 staff are old boys of the school who got so much out of the CCF when they were at Trinity that they decided they wanted to give something back. One of these old boys, Lt Tarn, has gained a qualification in the DCCT, or Dismounted Close Combat Trainer; a system using a computer-simulated firing range which is used by the British Armed forces for training in weapon handing without the risk of handling a live weapon.

This Spring we have been working with other contingents on Battle Camp and taking our newest cadets through a weapon training weekend. And, with the re-opening of Kenley Air Field, our RAF cadets will, once again, have the opportunity to go gliding, while Field Day will see the return of the CO’s Trophy Competition where the cadets get to show their prowess in shooting, problem solving, first aid, signals and the tug o’war.

With thanks to all involved!

In Trinity Magazine Combined Cadet Force 43

About the CCF • The CCF was formed in 1948 • There are contingents in over 500 secondary schools across the UK • The ambition is to expand cadet numbers to 60,000 by 2024 • Each CCF is formed of sections from one or more of the Royal Navy/Royal Marines, Army or the Royal Air Force • The focus of CCF contingents is on helping young people to develop and reach their potential by providing challenging, active, adventurous and fun activities.

Profile

Lucas Rebato Lower Sixth Form student, Lucas Rebato, was selected for a prestigious RAF leadership course. Here, he reports back on the experience: When did you start to develop an interest in the CCF? I’ve always been very interested in aviation, so I knew that I wanted to join the Air Cadets or similar from a young age. As soon as I was able to, I put my name down!

How did you feel when you were selected for the Leadership course?

I was extremely proud of myself. It had been on my ‘bucket list’ for a while, so getting the acceptance email was definitely rather exciting. It’s a huge honour being picked out of so many!

What do you enjoy about being in the RAF section?

I’m generally quite a scientific person, so learning about the physics behind aircraft and weapons is very interesting. I also hold a rather unpopular opinion about liking drill, in my opinion it looks amazing (even though it takes a lot of practise to do it right!). Working in a team is always fun, and a big part of being a cadet.

Is there anything you find challenging?

I don’t really consider myself a sportsman, so the physical aspect of it has been the hardest challenge that I’ve had to face, but it’s also been incredibly rewarding.

The JNCO camp in Brecon was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.

Leading a group of cadets whilst having to trek through miles of forest was initially not my idea of fun, but getting to the end of it was an amazing feeling, and I’d definitely recommend to not take anything by face value, just throw yourself in there!

Is there anything you feel you have really improved at or now excel at?

I’ve noticed that my leadership has massively improved since being in the CCF. I’ve so far achieved the rank of Corporal, so have had to teach both younger and older cadets, which has been a good learning curve for all.

It’s definitely rubbed off into other aspects of life as well – I have been a part of the Scouting Association for almost ten years now, and now that I am a Young Leader, my knowledge and skills from being a cadet has definitely made it easier to teach the younger Scouts.

Have you found it tricky balancing all of this with your studies at any point? How did you manage it?

I’ve managed to balance studies with CCF throughout my time. This was one thing I was slightly concerned about, especially as I do both CCF and DofE. Training for the Air Squadron Trophy competition the year before last was quite hectic, and I had a few too many late nights of getting my homework, but it paid off in the end.

Can you tell us a little about the training camp you attended during October half term?

Over the October half term, six cadets from all three sections spent a week down at Crowborough Training Camp, on a joint JNCO Cadre with Caterham School.

We spent the week partaking in various exercises to help build our leadership skills in a variety of different situations, from teaching lessons to leading our sections in battle drills.

Overall, it was an extremely challenging but rewarding week, with the final morning comprising of an obstacle course race, and an all-important tug of war competition!

Time capsule project

Back in time

44 In Trinity Magazine Time Capsule Project

In Trinity Magazine Time Capsule Project 45

The unearthing of a time capsule provided a snapshot of life at Trinity in the 1990s A time capsule was unearthed shortly before Christmas. It offered a fascinating – and entertaining – insight into life in the 1990s. Having been buried in 1996, in a location near the steps outside the library, a plaque was created at the same time, listing its precise geo-location.

For many of us, this was not so long ago, but, for some of our students, it will have seemed a distant age. There were however some surprising echoes of today.

A covering note from then teacher, Mr Wilberforce and students Basitt Kirmani, Tony Gee, Nikunj Patel, John Steward and Guy Stephens read: “The capsule is to include modern music, magazines and other forms of media as well as much material provided by members of the school. A video cassette portraying an extremely candid view of the school has also been included. We have aimed to portray what life is like at school in 1996, with a cross-section of different views and activities…

Our anniversary

January 2022 marked the 140 year anniversary of the formation of Whitgift Middle School, as Trinity used to be known.

“The time capsule will be buried on Friday the 29th of March 1996, to coincide with the visit of the Archbishop of Canterbury; a position which the schools’ founder John Whitgift, held for a number of years.

It will be buried between midday and one ‘o’ clock.

It is to remain buried for twenty-five years.

It will hopefully provide an entertaining as well as interesting insight into life in the nineties, from events like Take That’s split, to Aston Villa’s success in the Coca Cola cup. Will BSE still be around when the Capsule is eventually opened? Will the political maps still look as they do today, or will drastic changes have occurred, like the breakup of the European Community…?”

The burial of the time capsule marked the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the founding of the John Whitgift Foundation. It included newspapers; a VHS Video Cassette with film shot around the school; an Argos catalogue and Personal Computer World from 1996, as well as a magazine for Acorn Computer users, copies of Game Pro and New Scientist magazine, and a view from the Sixth Form students on technological issues of the day, and current affairs.

There was also a Christmas CD produced by Trinity Boys’ Choir; a UCAS Handbook for 1995 entry; and various pieces of student work in addition to items of uniform.

Laurie King, Trinity School Archivist and Alumni Relations Ambassador comments, “The students loved looking at things like the cassettes and CDs. The time capsule included, for instance, Now 33 - a double CD from 1996. The computer magazines showed huge, box-like laptops - and we had to withdraw a copy of The Sun newspaper for obvious reasons.”

He adds that the unearthing appealed to ‘inquisitive minds’, and current students made suggestions for what to include in the next capsule. COVID-related items featured highly – such as masks, one-way signs, or hand sanitiser; as did technology, with many suggesting the inclusion of an iPhone. “One suggestion we perhaps won’t be taking up was putting an apple in the box, and seeing what happens in 25 years’ time.”

This is in fact the second time capsule project; the first having been buried 1965, behind the foundation stone in the main reception when the school was first being built in its current location at Shirley Park. This was uncovered in 2015 - 50 years later - and its contents are on display in the Archive Office display cabinets, including items such as newspapers, currency, a tie, a diary and a school magazine.

It also contained the menu from the school restaurant; a USB memory stick containing interviews with the Headmaster and Head Boy and Head Girl, a set of entrance examination papers; a copy of ‘The Times’ dated 9th September 2015 - celebrating the day of Queen Elizabeth II’s longest reign; a miniature Rugby World Cup 2015 ball to represent Trinity hosting the French Rugby team and a mobile telephone.

The wife of Oliver Berthoud, a previous Headmaster, and the then youngest member of the school (pictured) interred the new capsule - a lead, air-tight box which was placed behind the Foundation Stone. This was to be unearthed in another 50 years, so in 2065.

46 In Trinity Magazine Trinity Malawi Partnership

2015 Free school lunch project begins: Trinity partners with Hope4Malawi to sponsor a free school lunch for every child at Chipwepwete Primary School, near Blantyre in Southern Malawi. We commit to raising a minimum of £10k per year.

A partnership worth building Looking back on seven years of the Trinity Malawi Partnership.

2016 Book drive for the creation of a library at Chipwepwete Primary School: We support the donation and shipment of new and pre-loved books to stock a new Chipwepwete Library. The first group of Sixth Form volunteers visit.

2017 Self funded Sixth Form volunteers visit once again, to teach lessons and work in the wider community. A reforestation project is set in motion, and fuel-efficient stoves are built in community houses. The foundations for a Trinity Classroom block are dug and bricks are made by hand alongside the local community.

2020 COVID response: We support the distribution of ‘phala’ to some of the most vulnerable families during the pandemic and provide extra funds for soap and hygiene.

2018 Trinity Classroom block opens, with a suite of three classrooms.

Fundraising provides desks, storage cupboards and educational resources including textbooks and chalk, and a third group of self-funded Sixth Form volunteers visit.

2019 Sixth Form volunteers visit Chipwepwete - ahead of a hiatus in in-person visits during the pandemic.

2021 2021 Helping to build a bridge: Working alongside Hope4Malawi, Trinity contributes to the cost of completing a footbridge across the local river; to help students get to school safely and the local community get to market.

Bike to work and transport scheme: The Junior Year Triathlon raises funds to provide bikes and a taxi service to help Malawian teachers to get to school, given that many spend many hours each day travelling.

2021

2022/23

Creation of a new toilet block and girls’ changing room: £1700 is donated to fund six new toilets and an extra changing room for girls, enabling them to stay in education through puberty.

A Sixth Form volunteering trip is planned. We are currently fundraising for additional teacher housing and will continue to provide meals and educational resources.

48 In Trinity Magazine Trinity Malawi Partnership

Our partnership with Chipwepwete Primary School in Malawi continues to be close to our hearts. Over the last seven years, many Sixth Form students and staff have enjoyed incredible, life-changing experiences with our friends at this school, with funds raised having made a significant difference to people’s lives.

“Our initial commitment was to provide a free school meal for every student at Chipwepwete - phala, a fortified maize, similar to porridge. This is a great way of encouraging attendance and enabling focus, and student numbers have gone up by more than a third; growing to over 750 students on the roll.

Mr Timm explains: “In the seven years since this partnership began, so much has happened. Our aim, from the outset, was to create a partnership of long-standing connection; one that would tie in to our ethos of giving, and looking outwards.

“We also committed to sending out a group of self-funded Sixth Form students each year who would be responsible for overseeing the fundraising for the feeding programme. This meant that they could then see for themselves the impact of our partnership and, on returning, report back and inspire our younger pupils to see the value of this relationship.

“It was important that it was not a temporary initiative, but rather a sustained engagement and collaboration whereby we could guarantee where the funds raised would be going. We wanted to see the benefit in a tangible way. Former Trinity parents, Mark and Sara Goodman were already there with a charity they had set up - Hope4Malawi - and could guarantee the validity of the project.

“To make best use of our fundraising, all the work is based around helping to build a community sustainably.”

“We were a little naïve initially – asking our students, for instance, to prepare to teach a Junior Form science lesson on evolution, which 70 children subsequently attended, aged around six, and without much English. In reality, very often, the most important thing is to be adaptable and to think on your feet. Whether it’s devising a Maths game, or helping with the basic engineering of a borehole.

But our students also have time to enjoy themselves.

“They visit a game reserve, trek and camp for a night at the top of a mountain.

Malawi also has a tourist industry that needs our support and it’s important for our students to see that there is a much bigger picture to Malawi than hardship and Western aid. It’s a beautiful country.

In Trinity Magazine Trinity Malawi Partnership 49

“To make best use of our fundraising, all the work is based around helping to build a community sustainably. There are now more permanent buildings on the site, having helped to build three new classrooms. We also provide uniform and stationery and there have been some oneoff contributions of huge generosity.

“The formal opening of the library was amazing – a truly lovely experience. It was the first primary school in the area with a library. Right now, we want to help build more teacher houses. It’s particularly hard for female teachers to access the school. And, given that many teachers have to walk for hours to get to school, we have paid for a contract to provide motorbike taxis.

“We have also funded the creation of a new toilet block and girls’ changing rooms as there is a stigma around menstruation, meaning that many girls drop out of education altogether.

“Helping to fund the creation of a bridge was another major project. Previous bridges had been washed away. As the main route to market, this bridge also helps the wider community. In the rainy season, fathers had been wading in with kids on their shoulders. There had been some fatalities.

“There is a much bigger picture to Malawi than hardship and Western aid.

It’s a beautiful country.”

“Having been to Chipwepwete for a number of years, we know the people there and have built long-standing connections. This partnership has captured the interest not only of students but also of staff, parents and alumni. The ability to go there; to see what has been achieved and enjoy that direct connection is fantastic. It’s an integral part of being at Trinity.”

£139,000+ Raised since the Trinity Malawi Partnership began.

Leading through values

On the cover

Thank you

Contact

During Culture Week, students were invited to place dots in the countries in which they have roots, and to write about what culture means to them. Their comments made up the sea on our whole-school mural.

Thank you for reading this issue of In Trinity magazine. It is compiled

by Antonia Geldeard and Lucy Fisher with the help of staff, students and Diana Jonesco, to give you further insight into the life and culture of the school.

Shirley Park Croydon CR9 7AT 020 8656 9541 trinity-school.org marketingmailbox@trinity.croydon.sch.uk