Joining Trinity in the Sixth Form

Each year we welcome around 60 new students to our dynamic, coeducational Sixth Form.

Students join us from a range of different schools – all-girls', co-ed and state-maintained – seeking a diverse community and fresh perspectives that mirror real life. For many, it’s the start of a journey – an adventure into new experiences, friendships, and challenges.

Our Sixth Form offers the freedom, responsibility, and choice that students crave, while the academic challenges and diverse community equip them for the next chapter of life. It’s an exciting leap, where every day presents new opportunities to grow and explore.

To help our new joiners navigate this transition smoothly, we have a comprehensive induction programme designed to guide them along the way. After accepting their offers, students are invited to a series of pre-term events to help them build friendships and feel at home before term starts. These include:

– June: New joiners’ dinner at a local restaurant

– June: A quiz night hosted by Upper Sixth, open to current Fifth Years, Lower Sixth, and new joiners

– August: Pre-season training for rugby, netball, and hockey

– September: Lower Sixth induction and team-building day, ongoing mixers during form time.

The team-building day encourages students to form new friendships and develop vital skills like teamwork and communication as they tackle fun and challenging tasks. It’s the perfect icebreaker as they start this new chapter.

We offer separate tutor groups for boys and girls, which provides and added layer of support during the transition, particularly for girls coming from all-girls' schools.

Life in the Sixth Form is vibrant, busy, and full of opportunities to explore new interests. With support from form tutors, subject teachers, and the Sixth Form team, students are encouraged to embrace every challenge and become the best versions of themselves. By the time they leave, they will have fully embraced the adventure of life at Trinity, prepared for whatever lies ahead, and enriched with lifelong friendships and memories.

Maddy

I wanted to move to Trinity for Sixth Form because of the excellent sports department and outstanding academic results. I wanted to be challenged and pushed to my fullest potential, and I believed that Trinity could help me become the best version of myself.

It was daunting as a new girl and to be outnumbered by boys, which was unusual for me as I came from an all-girls' school. However, the number of fun activities and team-bonding exercises before the start of term helped me get to know everyone in my year.

What helped me settle in the most was throwing myself into co-curricular activities as soon as the school year started. Sport helped me bond with the girls in my year and the year above, as being part of a team forces you to make friends quickly. Many of my highlights from Lower Sixth are sport-related, like the Festival of Rugby or the girls’ cricket team getting through the first round of the National Cup!

For anyone considering joining the Sixth Form, I would say: don’t be afraid to get involved, as it will only have positive outcomes and allow you to make the most of your experience here. I am so glad I made the decision to come, and going into Upper Sixth, I know I am in safe hands with a great support system within my year group and the Sixth Form team.

Lily

When I first visited Trinity, I was impressed by the positive atmosphere and how confident and welcoming the students leading my tour were. I felt the need to move out of my previous school bubble and try something new.

I was nervous, especially coming from an all-girls' school, but by the end of the first week, I felt completely settled. Making new friends and the many activities and mixers organised by the Sixth Form team helped me adapt quickly.

The most challenging part of moving to Trinity was the increase in both volume and difficulty of A-Level work, alongside doing more co-curricular activities, including sport and academic societies. However, I received a lot of support from the Sixth Form team, especially Mr Hodge, the Head of Year, who regularly checked in to ensure I could handle my new commitments. They really helped me settle in, and I enjoyed the challenge.

Louis

Over the last year, I’ve enjoyed learning beyond the curriculum in lunchtime and after school societies, which also boosted my confidence, especially when presenting in Politics Society. One of the best experiences was the Politics and History trip to Brussels, where I made new friends and learned interesting new things.

I know Upper Sixth will be another huge leap in terms of workload, but I’m excited to lead the school as a prefect and make the most of my final year.

Moving to Trinity was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. To get the most out of a new environment, especially a new school, you need to put yourself out there, try new things, and be confident meeting new people.

I previously attended a small school and, because I take rugby seriously, I was looking for a Sixth Form with more opportunities to play. My school competed against Trinity in a rugby tournament, and afterwards, I got in touch with Mr Roberts [Head of Rugby] to learn more about Trinity.

My biggest worry was moving from a small school, where I knew everyone, to a much larger one. However, the small class sizes here made it less intimidating.

I attended the new joiners’ dinner and quiz night before summer, and stayed in touch with a few boys I’d met, so we became friends before term started. I wasn’t in the same form as the other new boys, which I think helped me as it pushed me to chat with others I’m now very close with.

Rugby is my passion, so I attended preseason training and met some Upper Sixth students there. Once training began in September, I got to know more players on and off the pitch. One of my highlights was the rugby tour to St Joseph’s Festival - three days of playing rugby and teambonding, and we did better than expected in the tournament, so it was a win-win!

Other highlights include the Psychology trip to London Zoo, where I got to know my classmates while observing animal behaviour, and the PE trip to Bath University, my first choice, which felt like a mini open day.

Joining a new school can be challenging, but I’d recommend getting involved in as many clubs as possible – sport, music, or art – as it’s a great way to make friends. Don't be afraid to speak to anyone; some of my closest friends aren’t doing the same subjects and aren’t into the same things, but we’ve still connected.