CURRICULUM AND LEARNING

The curriculum at Trinity School is an exciting one. With the range of specialist staff and new facilities available, we can provide much more than the basic curriculum right from the start, and especially at GCSE and A level. Of course there are strong departments in the traditional classroom subjects, Maths and English, Science and Modern Languages, Geography and History. The quality of our provision in the Arts and in PE, in Design and Technology, and in ICT is also significantly good. Then come the new subjects of Law and Psychology, Photography and Sociology, for example.

Our aim is the provision of a high quality curriculum for all students, whatever their ability in particular curriculum areas, with individual tailoring. The use of setting, and the expertise and patience of our excellent Learning Support Department, allow all students to be stretched and supported as their abilities in each subject develop. Our well established Pathways approach in Years 10/11 and in the Sixth Form better tailors the curriculum to the needs of individual students. With over 35 A level courses in the Sixth Form, Trinity students have a fine variety from which to choose.

We also wish our students to learn how to be successful as students and to develop skills in their approach to their studies which they can transfer readily between subjects. We set homework regularly, and this may sometimes be traditional homework, but much of the time it will involve project based research to help students gain independence and follow their individual interests. Classroom rewards are also based around those qualities we hope to see developing in our students: resilience, reflection, researchers who are resourceful and reasoning (they can work things out!)

We also seek to extend our students’ range and understanding as they mature and take on new subjects in their time in the school. Vocational courses in Engineering, and in Childcare, are added, for example, alongside link courses with Carlisle College and other partner schools and businesses. Taking on our work from being a Language College provides a particular advantage in this regard, with the chance for a second modern language and plenty of international opportunities.

An introduction to Latin is offered among other enrichments as part of ‘Café 26’ our wider provision for Gifted and Talented students, and each subject will offer extra-curricular experiences for students to follow their interests. Two fine libraries allow students traditional spaces to read and reflect, but Learning Resource Areas throughout the school offer each subject the chance for more innovative developments too.