Headmaster’s Newsletter
Week ending 8 June 2018 Dear Parents, I am sure you are almost as relieved as your sons and daughters to get to the end of our internal exams for Junior to Fourth Years and our Lower Sixth. Although our students naturally react to these in many different ways, we have been so impressed with the energy and commitment they have all shown in tackling the academic and personal challenges presented to them. The results will start to come back to Junior to Fourth Years next week in their subject lessons, then all the Lower Sixth results will be shared with students on Thursday 21st June. Regardless of how they have gone, we want to encourage all of them to see this as a formative process, remembering that these are internal checkpoints on the way, and to make sure that they take out of them some positive commitments for next year. It is common at this time that, especially in the Fourth Year and Lower Sixth, students do not achieve what they hoped for, but with our help at school and yours at home we can make it into an important turning point where that is needed. Exams behind us, there will be lots of enjoyable events coming up for students in the last four weeks of the year and we hope you can join us for some of them too. The Trinity Arts festival will run from the 21st to 30th June, including our Film Festival on 21st June and the Big Band at Ronnie Scott’s on 23rd June. Our outdoor production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream runs from 28th to 30th June, and the Proms will end our term on 7th July. Please see later in this letter or our website for more details, and we hope to see you at one or more of these events. Trips Junior Music Course in Cornwall 17 students visited Cornwall on a Junior Music Course during half term. They had a lot of fun rehearsing for and performing in, two informal concerts, as well as walking up the Tor, going swimming, bowling and enjoying a bit of sunshine by the beach, not to mention – plenty of revision! Lower School sailing in Poole 28 boys in Junior to Third Year travelled to Rockley Point, Poole during half term, where they enjoyed part in a week long sailing course. The weather was good and the winds were kind, which meant all boys managed to gain further qualifications. 3 boys gained their RYA Stage 4, and 22 boys, who had never sailed before, gained their RYA Stages1 and 2. Sub Aqua Club Diving in Chepstow Members of our Sub Aqua Club (TSSAC) went to the National Dive Activity Centre (NDAC) in Chepstow for two days during half term to complete the various stages of their training. In total 13 students completed their various PADI courses - ranging from Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Dry Suit and Rescue Diver- over the quite demanding two days. A fantastic achievement by all involved. Over the summer we hope to arrange a number of boat dives off the south coast in order that TSSAC members can hone their new found qualifications in their true environment.
Sport Swimming Congratulations to Marcus McSpadden (4W), who has qualified for the 50m breaststroke in the English National Swimming Championships in Sheffield. Marcus has also been selected to play water polo for Bromley in the London Youth Games, and was also invited to join the Bromley Swimming team for the London Youth Games. Congratulations also to Edward Pauling (3M), who has qualified for British Nationals 200m breaststroke and English Nationals 200 Individual Medley. Edward has also been selected to join Bromley in the London Youth Games water polo competition. Cricket fundraiser A recent fundraiser raised £850 for our cricket tour in Sri Lanka. It was an 8-a-side cricket tournament, with ‘Team Godfrey’ winning the cup and ‘Team Fooks’ winning the plate. Well done to all involved. Athletics Congratulations to Barnaby Corry (3V), who has been selected to represent Surrey Schools for Pole Vault at the inter-counties match in Crawley later this month. Barnaby has also been selected for the multi-event regionals, taking place in Ashford, and has been selected by Kent County for U15 Pole Vault at the inter-counties match in September in Oxford. Coleman Corry (L6) has been selected to represent Surrey Schools for the multi-event regionals, and has been selected by Kent County for U20 400m Hurdles in September. Trinity Arts Festival Our fourth annual celebration of the arts, the ‘Trinity Arts Festival’, take places from 21st - 30th June. Started in 2015 to commemorate 50 years since the school moved to Shirley Park, this event has proved to be one of the most popular weeks in the school calendar. We have a varied and inspiring programme of events, including the Summer Concert - this year with guest performance by Sjaella - outdoor performances of Midsummer Night's Dream, a buskers’ lunch, as well as many other surprises! The full programme is available to view HERE. The first dates for your diary are the Trinity Film Festival, the Private View of A Level and GCSE Art and Trinity Big Band plays Ronnie Scott's. More in next week's newsletter! Channel Swim Six of our students (Adam Eastlake (5I), Sarah Rogers (L6), Niamh Singleton (L6), Funmi Morgan (L6), Will Perry (L6) and Tate Nicol (3A)) will swim across the English Channel in September to raise money for the homeless charity Crisis. This is a huge challenge for the team; the English channel is the busiest shipping lane in the world, with over 400 vessels travelling through it each day, so it is a huge undertaking given they have to swim across the one way system to France. The team are currently training to swim in cold water in preparation to attempt the 21 mile stretch. If you would like to donate to such a worthy cause please visit the team’s JustGiving page. As Good As New Sale This term’s As Good As New Uniform Sale will be held on Saturday 16th June. It will take place in the Boys’ Foyer from 8.30 until 11am. Please note that cash or cheques only can be taken. Profits help to support the school’s Malawi Project.
Forthcoming Events Date Saturday 16th June 8:30 - 11:00am
Event Name As Good As New Sale
Location Boys’ Foyer
Saturday 23rd June 1pm - 3pm
Trinity’s Big Band
Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club
21st - 30th June
Trinity Arts Festival
Various
Thursday 21st June 7pm
Trinity Film Festival
Mitre Theatre
Friday 22nd June 4.30 – 8.30 pm
Private View of A Level and GCSE Art
Shaw Gallery & Central Studio
28th - 30th June
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
The Dell
Saturday 7th July
TPA Proms
School Field
With my best wishes for a great weekend, Alasdair Kennedy