Trinity boys

Independent Schools as an alternative to Grammar

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Waiting_For_Godot
Posts: 1446
Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2010 1:57 pm

Re: Trinity boys

Post by Waiting_For_Godot »

I was just wondering what the length of the basic school day is at Trinity, and if anyone has a boy in the music ensembles when these take place and how long they last for. Also, how much homework do boys have.

Thanks
pepys
Posts: 30
Joined: Sat Mar 13, 2010 11:49 am

Re: Trinity boys

Post by pepys »

WFG, if possible, try not to put all your eggs in one basket for 13+. Have your DS try for a number of schools so that you can have a backup. One boy from our school grade 8(distinction) at 11 on violin, scholarship to the National Childrens Orchestra, and won a major competition at the junior RCO did not get offered a place at Trinity, did not even get an interview this year. He is actually quite a good student gaining a silver in the intermediate national maths challenge (year 7), but he feels his english paper let him down, didn't get called for interview at Dulwich either. Now he looking for another school to start in September. Bassoon is a rarer instrument, but your DS will need to do sufficiently well in the exams to get called for interview, before he has a chance to show off his talents. Of course if he passes them all and gets offered many scholarships then all the better (my DS1 had 3 last year) he will have his pick of schools. There are 8 bassoonists including my DS2 in his saturday morning orchestra all aged between 11 and 12 and grades 3-5 (none of them are tyring for Trinity though for 13+ 2012.....) and we thought it was a very rare instrument. Tombones and French horns are always in demand too. Know another boy who went for scholarship to Epsom on trumpet and tuba last January, was told he could have his scholarship if he got to grade 5 on Trombone by June, so he took it up and got to grade 5 standard (every good teacher), got his scholarship and is very happy there.
Waiting_For_Godot
Posts: 1446
Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2010 1:57 pm

Re: Trinity boys

Post by Waiting_For_Godot »

I've decided not to look at Trinity for 13+ but for 11+ if he doesn't get into his first choice of school in December. I am pretty stunned that this boy did not get in but thankfully English is DS strong subject and in my opinion difficult to tutor for, unlike maths. If he doesn't get in at 11 then I will look at other schools and wouldn't try again at 13.
pepys
Posts: 30
Joined: Sat Mar 13, 2010 11:49 am

Re: Trinity boys

Post by pepys »

Definitley a much better chance at 11+ as there are usually only 15 places available at 13+. Good luck to your DS. My DS2 is about to take his grade 4 bassoon next week, I am looking forward to a new set of tunes to listen to!!!!!
Waiting_For_Godot
Posts: 1446
Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2010 1:57 pm

Re: Trinity boys

Post by Waiting_For_Godot »

pepys wrote:Definitley a much better chance at 11+ as there are usually only 15 places available at 13+. Good luck to your DS. My DS2 is about to take his grade 4 bassoon next week, I am looking forward to a new set of tunes to listen to!!!!!
Although DS is skipping G4 his teacher has made him practice two G4 pieces until they are technically perfect. If I EVER hear Teddy Bears Picnic again! Arrggghhh!

Where is DS applying to school and is it for 11+ - are you looking for strong music school?
LazyDaisy
Posts: 251
Joined: Fri May 30, 2008 5:40 pm

Re: Trinity boys

Post by LazyDaisy »

WFG, lessons at Trinity are from 8.55am to 3.45pm but they have form period before that. Boys seem to arrive from about 8am but they can come earlier and have breakfast. I think most of the music groups are at lunchtime or after school although Ds's guitar group is before school. The homework is quite reasonable - certainly Ds doesn't moan about it!!!!!!
Waiting_For_Godot
Posts: 1446
Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2010 1:57 pm

Re: Trinity boys

Post by Waiting_For_Godot »

Took DS to Trinity today. He loves it, I love the music, but OH needs a lot convincing! The audition went really well and the school are keen for him to start asap but I am confused as to what age he should start and the pros and cons of each entry.

It is basically too late for Year 6 now as we havent given notice and it would feel too rushed but the main reason he would go would be for the singing and operas and I need to understand if a boy can still participate in these once his voice has changed. He is a big chap and his voice may have potentially changed by the start of Year 7

My other concern is class sizes. His concentration is poor and he is only in a class of 11 and I do worry about an urban school potentially being a tougher environment.

Please sell the school to me - or should I say, OH! :roll:
surreymum
Posts: 553
Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:26 pm

Re: Trinity boys

Post by surreymum »

Delightful school. Not too large-teachers all know the boys. Excellent reputation for pastoral care. We know lots of boys there and all happy.

If you want to send him there and he has a place I would move him now. Year 7 entry is getting increasingly competitive and there are definite advantages to be starting in year 6 where it is easier to get to knw boys and everyone is new
Third time round
Posts: 68
Joined: Sat Jan 16, 2010 4:03 pm

Re: Trinity boys

Post by Third time round »

My DS is just finishing year 7 at Trinity.He spends a lot of his time in the music department and has had a wonderful year. He sang as a treble in the operas, the ENO have their own chorus for the ATBs etc. He is a trinity chorister and in the concert choir and has sung all over the place this year and thoroughly enjoyed it. He plays in several bands too. The music department is busy but very happy and friendly and my DS has friends in every year group as a result which is a real bonus. Apart from the concert choir the choristers and choirs carry on through voice changes and an invitation to join the Choristers comes with free singing lessons!
Waiting_For_Godot
Posts: 1446
Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2010 1:57 pm

Re: Trinity boys

Post by Waiting_For_Godot »

JaneEyre - French Film discussion has been split to a new topic http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... 31&t=21169" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
JaneEyre wrote:Hi WFG,

If your DS1 is also a lot into music and singing, you could make him see these French films so that he doesn't loose to much the level he has reach after his stay in France wink:
- the chorus
- the music teacher
Both are sold in the UK in French with English subtitles.

By the way, did he come back home happy of his experience with his adress notebook full of new friends or just happy to see the end of an ordeal?
Not only can DS1 not sing but her utterly detests it! :lol: His time in France went well. He didn't enjoy it but he came home much more independent and ready to try new things. He now has the confidence to audition for school plays as he wasn't pigeon-holed as being a certain character or only having certain strengths when in France. He is also very happy at the confidence it has given him in French lessons and he is now the strongest linguist in his Form. This summer he is going back to France for a three week molecular gastronomy course for 6-12 year olds which is all in French. Out of 24 students, only 3 are allowed to be foreign and the foreign children are not necessarily English so this is even more immersive than his term as all of his friends spoke English when they had free time. I'm hoping to do this again at Easter and Summers from now on, if it goes well.

Back to Trinity

My OH grew up in Croydon so knows of Trinity and he just cannot shake of the feeling that Croydon is rough and therefore Trinity may just be like a "glorified comp". He also worries that there could be a bullying culture towards to music students. Now he has no evidence of this and I did not witness anything negative but it doesn't feel like a "typical" independent school. I didn't have any of these concerns at DS is "Going there", in his words, but OH is starting to put the seeds of doubts into my mind. :x

Are there any boys at Trinity that are not perfectly behaved and are also not known for concentrating well? :oops:
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