TinyOak inTuition logo

Trinity School — a parent guide to 11+ entry

Trinity School is an independent day school in Croydon, part of the Whitgift Foundation. It is extending co-education to all year groups — girls join Years 6 and 7 for the first time in September 2027 — and sits in the upper tier of South London academic independents. This page covers the school's character, the 11+ Assessment Day, and the Whitgift Foundation bursary route.

Listen to this guide (narrated)

School profile

  • Type: Independent day school; co-educational sixth form, with girls joining Years 6 and 7 from September 2027 (boys-only at 11+ until then)
  • Ages: 10 to 18 (Year 6 entry through Sixth Form)
  • Location: Shirley Park, Croydon CR9
  • Foundation: Whitgift Foundation
  • Website: trinity-school.org

What makes Trinity distinctive

Trinity is the smaller of the two Whitgift Foundation schools — historically a little less expensive than Whitgift, though their day fees have now converged at around £30,000 a year (verify current), and academically comparable. The community feel is often noted by visitors: staff and pupils tend to know each other well. Trinity has a particularly strong music department, excellent science and humanities, and a public commitment to diversity that is reflected in the active use of its bursary programme.

Trinity is extending co-education to all year groups, welcoming girls into Years 6 and 7 for the first time in September 2027. Girls preparing now — for 2027 entry onwards — are a genuinely pioneering cohort, and the school is investing in making the transition work through pastoral care, role models and curriculum framing. As the rollout is phased, confirm the current position with the school.

The 11+ entry process

  • Registration opens: September of Year 6
  • Registration deadline: October
  • Computer-based assessment + written papers: November
  • Assessment Day (interview + classrooms): January
  • Offers: Late January / early February
  • Acceptance: February

Confirm exact dates with the admissions office each cycle.

The assessment

Trinity sets its own assessment; recent cohorts have sat both a computer-based assessment and written papers:

  • Computer-based assessment — timed, largely multiple-choice sections covering Mathematics, English (reading comprehension, grammar and punctuation) and Verbal Reasoning.
  • Written paper(s) — extended Mathematics and English at a high standard, testing method and full working.

The school states that no formal preparation is required, but in practice the pupils who sit the papers comfortably tend to be working well above the standard expected of a Year 6 pupil at a typical primary school.

The Assessment Day

Shortlisted candidates attend a half-day Assessment Day in January. The morning is structured around three components:

  • One-to-one interview — approximately 15 minutes with a member of staff. Conversational. The interviewer is getting to know the child rather than testing them on a checklist.
  • Academic classroom experience — pupils join a real or simulated lesson. They are observed for how they engage, participate, and handle challenge — not whether they get the right answer.
  • Creative classroom experience — a second session with a creative or open-ended focus. Curiosity and effort matter more than output.

Drop-off is from 09:45 at the Student Entrance; collection is at 12:50. School uniform is not required — comfortable smart clothes are fine. Snacks are provided.

Parents at Trinity

Trinity does not run a formal parent interview. Parents are invited to an optional informal coffee with senior staff and current pupils from 12:20 in the Sandison Room. The atmosphere is conversational rather than assessed. If a bursary application is part of the picture, a more substantive conversation about finances may follow at a later stage.

What Trinity looks for

  • Genuine curiosity — interest in learning beyond grades.
  • Engagement — willingness to get involved in classroom and school life.
  • Personality — a real child, not a coached presentation.
  • Resilience — how the pupil handles difficulty and works through what they do not know.
  • Communication — the ability to talk about themselves and their thinking clearly.

Bursaries

Trinity bursaries are administered through the Whitgift Foundation and can cover a substantial portion of fees — in some cases approaching full fee remission. They are means-tested, must be declared at registration, and are renewed annually based on updated financial information. See the bursaries and scholarships guide for the full process.

How to find out more

  • Attend an open day or open morning — bookings on the school website.
  • For SEN families, contact the SENCo directly. See SEN navigation.
  • Read the most recent admissions brochure for current fees and exam dates.

Sources