Trinity School, Croydon Alumni

It’s !

Look what we’ve uncovered from the archives… The title of this gem? "Trinity musicians take Croydon Festival by storm!" 🎻

No year, and no names are attached to these talented cellists, so we’re calling on our alumni detectives - can you help us identify them? Drop their names in the comments!

And for those featured (or fellow Trinity musicians), we have to ask… Do you still have your cello? Do you still play? Let us know below!

Chris Shaw (Class of 1986) recently featured in our My Trinity newsletter. Chris entered the civil service, ultimately securing a coveted position as a Clerk in the House of Commons

Read the full article here:

Chris Shaw, Class of 1986 - Issuu My interest in history and politics was sparked when I studied history at A-level and was nurtured by my inspiring and enthusiastic teachers, Mr Jardine and Mr Fairchild. Mr Peak was also great, although we usually distracted him with lengthy discussions on the historical accuracy of Blackadder!

Students Gain Engineering Work Experience Opportunity from Alumnus

During half term, two Lower Sixth students Oscar and Lucian spent a week working at FairHeat, a specialist energy consultancy in London. The work experience opportunity came through alumnus Charlie Davies (Class of 2019) who is a Graduate Engineer there, after he completed a Masters of Engineering at Oxford University.

Oscar said, “I know I want to study Engineering in the future, but I am not set on which field I want to work in, so I’ve been taking every opportunity for work experience I can get.

Lucian said, “On the first day, we had an introduction to the company and what a heat network is. We also completed an introduction to Excel course, which helped us for the rest of the week.

“On the second day, we worked on a heat-loss project and had to find out how changing the insulation and temperature of piping would affect a piping system in a housing complex. We then looked at energy strategies, estimating system peak hours and load for two different developments. We used values and tables which they gave us to find out more about the settlement and what amount of power they needed to use.

Oscar continues: “We finished the week with presentations on what we had learnt, our solutions to the individual projects, as well as presenting our group marketing campaign to promote the idea of joining a heat network; this consisted of a presentation designed to be delivered in-person to homeowners in a particular development, alongside a short form video – a masterpiece for which I take full creative responsibility. I rather enjoyed acting as a director due to my strong background in theatre, which just goes to show how such different things, engineering and drama, can sometimes fit together!

“As well as learning a lot about the industry, we also developed transferrable skills including – teamwork, through the group project; how to use advanced Excel functions in the workplace; presentation skills, and how to tailor a presentation to a specified audience.

Lucian says: “Overall, the week gave me a real insight of what a job in engineering could be like. We got to see the main area for what they do and what their job kind of is.”

Read more here: https://www.trinity-school.org/students-complete-engineering-work-experience-through-alumnus/

VARSITY MATCH - TRINITY ALUMNA CARAGH HASPEL

Exciting news! Caragh Haspel from the Class of 2023, currently studying Engineering at Cambridge, is featured in this University of Cambridge article! She shares her unique journey to joining the rugby team, how sport has enriched her time at Cambridge, and rallies support for the big Varsity match at StoneX Stadium on Saturday 8 March.

The New Varsity Blues Meet two of Cambridge's newest rugby stars, ready to take on Oxford in 2025's Varsity showdown

It’s ! This week, we’ve delved into the Digital Archive and found this CCF photo from 2001. Recognise any familiar faces? Remember the teachers’ names? Let us know in the comments!

Join Trinity alumnus Freddie Benedict for an unforgettable afternoon at Ronnie Scott's on Sunday 27 April!

With his incredible vocals and smooth jazz sound, you won’t want to miss this event. Last few tickets remaining.

Book your tickets now:

Freddie Benedict - Ronnie Scott's Up and coming vocalist Freddie Benedict presents his original material and interpretations of popular standards.

Celebrating National Apprenticeship Week at Trinity

Apprenticeships are becoming an increasingly popular route, with growing interest among our student body. In 2024, seven students successfully secured apprenticeships in law, engineering, IT, finance, accountancy, and media.

National Apprenticeship Week took place from 10-14 February, and we displayed a series of posters around the school celebrating recent alumni apprentices. It was a real pleasure to welcome back Sam Godfrey and Ben Lowth (Class of 2023), who kindly took time out from their work to return to Trinity and share their experiences of securing places on highly competitive apprenticeship schemes at HSBC and Deloitte.

They delivered an engaging talk during the Fifth-Year assembly, chaired by Mr Aldridge, with excellent questions posed by the students.

A huge thank you to Sam and Ben - we are incredibly grateful to you both for your time and for inspiring our students with your insights.

ANNUAL REUNION DINNER WITH DAVID SWINSON – FRIDAY 21ST MARCH 2025

Calling all Trinity alumni! Join us for an unforgettable evening at the Trinity Club’s Annual Reunion Dinner, hosted at Trinity School on Friday 21st March 2025.

This year, we’re thrilled to welcome David Swinson, Trinity’s former Director of Music and all-round music legend, as our Chair for the evening. Don’t miss this chance to reconnect, reminisce, and celebrate the spirit of Trinity!

Book your tickets here: https://bit.ly/4j8MkPZ
Early bird price: £40 (if booked by 1st March)
Standard price: £43

Nervous about not knowing anyone? Don’t worry – we’ll seat you with your year group! Or better yet, rally your friends and book a table together for a truly memorable night.

Dress code: Smart – lounge suit or blazer for men, and equivalent for women.

School leavers from 2001 onwards will receive a drinks voucher
upon arrival.

Spaces are limited, so book now to secure your spot!

Got questions? Contact Warwick Jones at [email protected]

We can’t wait to see you there!

CELEBRATING A CRICKET LEGEND - LUNCH WITH ALEC STEWART OBE

Join us as we celebrate the illustrious career of Surrey and England cricket legend Alec Stewart. Enjoy a three-course lunch while Alec entertains with unforgettable stories from his cricketing journey. Drinks will be available for purchase to accompany your meal.

Date: Thursday 24 April
Time: 11.30am - 4pm
Tickets: £100 per person
Venue: Balls Brothers Minster Court
Link to book: https://bit.ly/42VmF7N

Alec is the fifth-most capped English cricketer in Test matches and the third-most capped in One Day Internationals, having played in 133 Tests and 170 ODIs. A dedicated supporter of Surrey County Cricket Club and Chelsea Football Club, he will share insights into his time with both Surrey and England.

Tables for up to 10 guests can be reserved and paid for in advance. You’re welcome to come alone or with a friend or two and be seated with a lively group. Tickets are priced at £100 each, and a payment link will be sent upon booking.

All proceeds from ticket sales will go towards the Trinity Bursary Fund.

Kicking off 60 years of Trinity at Shirley Park!

TRINITY SCHOOL RUGBY THROWBACK PICTURE!

It’s , and we’ve dived into the Digital Archives to unearth this gem - the 1st XV rugby squad from 1996-97! Recognise any familiar faces? Are they still tearing up the pitch, or have they swapped their boots for the stands? Let us know!

This photo, along with many other treasures, is waiting for you in the Trinity Digital Archives. So grab a drink, get comfy, and take a stroll down memory lane.

Access the Digital Archives here: http://trinityschool-archive.daisy.websds.net/default.aspx

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Descendants of Trinity’s First Headmaster Make a Special Visit to Trinity School

It was a privilege to welcome the family of Trinity’s first-ever Headmaster – William Ingrams (1882-1905) – to the school last week. William Ingrams was head of the ‘Croydon Poor School’, part of the original legacy of former Archbishop of Canterbury John Whitgift from 1858 until 1881 before becoming Headmaster of our current school, which was founded as Whitgift Middle School, in 1882.

Read more here: https://www.trinity-school.org/first-headmasters-family-make-special-visit-to-trinity-school/

Medical School Myths Busted – Talk to MDV Society by Ari Yad (Class of 2022)

We were delighted to welcome Ari to speak at our MDV Society. Ari studied Biology, Chemistry, and English Literature at Trinity and is now a third-year medical student at the University of Nottingham.

Ari debunked common myths about studying medicine, reassuring students that success isn’t about being a genius or a science whizz but rather about hard work, perseverance, and strong communication skills. He highlighted the value of work experience, even in non-medical settings, and emphasised that medical students can still enjoy life outside their studies with good time management. Admissions tutors look for well-rounded candidates, not perfection, and rejection isn’t the end - many students, including some of Ari’s peers, enter medicine as graduates. Most importantly, he reinforced that medicine is a challenging yet rewarding path that requires true passion and commitment.

We were especially pleased to welcome three Fifth Year students who had expressed an interest in studying medicine. They said:

Mafeng: “I went to Ari’s talk because I’m interested in studying medicine, and it was really helpful to hear from someone actually doing the course. I decided to attend after seeing the email from Mrs Harvey-Shipp, our Head of Careers, and I’m glad I did. Ari gave us a real insight into what life at university is like for a medical student, and it was great to hear that you can still have a social life while studying medicine.”

Josh: “Ari was really engaging, and his talk has made me seriously consider studying medicine. I was especially pleased to hear that he studied English instead of the usual Maths, Biology, and Chemistry. I’m thinking about choosing either Psychology or Politics as my third subject, so it was reassuring to know that you don’t have to stick to the typical choices. Listening to Ari has really confirmed that medicine is the right path for me.”

Yash: “Ari really grabbed my attention, and now I’m more certain than ever that I want to study medicine.”

Ari compared studying medicine to loving a sport like rugby - waking up early every Saturday morning, eager and excited to play for your team. He rounded off his talk by encouraging our students to have confidence in themselves.

The session ended with a lively Q&A, with so many hands raised that we could have gone on for hours! Ari was incredibly generous with his time, even visiting a form room after his talk with Dr Asquith (his former English teacher) to offer last-minute advice to a Sixth Form student preparing for her medical school interview this week.

Ari delivered a seamless presentation, captivating the room with his engaging and empathetic style. His ability to make everyone feel heard and valued is a testament to the qualities that will make him an outstanding doctor.

A huge thank you to Ari for returning to Trinity and inspiring the next generation of medics.

TRINITY WHOLE SCHOOL PHOTO 2018

It’s ! Let’s rewind to 2018 and revisit the first whole school photo with our current Headmaster, Mr Kennedy.

We’d love to hear your memories - share them in the comments!

Can you name the Head Boy and Head Girl?

Were you in this photo?

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you see it?

No prizes for guessing, but plenty of nostalgia to enjoy. Let’s relive those unforgettable Trinity moments together!

This photo, along with many other treasures, is waiting for you in the Trinity Digital Archives. So grab a drink, get comfy, and take a stroll down memory lane.

Trinity Musician of the Year semi-final: results!

Eight students competed in the semi-final of the Trinity Musician of the Year competition. It was an ‘unforgettable celebration of talent, artistry, and the extraordinary efforts of our young musicians.’

During the Recital Class, the audience was treated to performances of such quality and depth that they sat in rapt silence—a rare and remarkable feat! As the adjudicator, Tim Redmond, so aptly put it, “Your performances were utterly compelling—truly compelling.”

Read more here: www.trinity-school.org/trinity-musician-of-the-year-semi-final-results