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Trinity Grammar School is an independent Anglican School for boys, from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12, located at Summer Hill and Strathfield. Since its foundation in 1913, Trinity has forged a reputation for academic excellence, nurturing pastoral care, and participation in a wide range of sporting activities, co-curricular programmes and the creative and performing arts. All of these factors promote a rich cultural ethos and allows the School to develop the individual talents of each and every boy.
Centrally located in Sydney’s thriving inner-west, Trinity enrols boys from a wide variety of ethnic and religious backgrounds and many different suburbs across Sydney, as well as regional NSW, other parts of Australia and overseas.
Trinity has entry points throughout the School, but the main intakes are Pre-K and Kindergarten for the younger boys and Year 7 for those looking at Senior School only. Please speak to one of our Enrolment team members for more information.
It is nigh impossible to capture the spirit of Trinity on the pages of a website. Glowing words on a digital screen, photographs of smiling, engaged boys – those are what you'd expect from a website of a school like ours.
But spend some time reading our articles and watching our videos, and you'll hopefully get the sense that while we strive for academic heights, we've got our feet firmly on the ground.
There are many reasons why parents pick our School – the main ones are:
Helping parents as the primary educators of their boys
Parenting isn’t simple, straightforward or easy. Parents are the primary educators of a child. For our parents, Trinity is their chosen partner in this endeavour. There is a mutual recognition of the School’s expertise and professionalism, and of the parents’ responsibility. It’s a team effort. Our parents choose Trinity because the investment we make in the education, character and development of their boys is akin to their own.
Supporting boys in realising their goals
We believe Trinity boys have agency in their education. It is not done for them, or to them, but with them. As they grow from early childhood to adulthood, they take on increasing responsibility for their education. That is one reason why Trinity has increasing choice available as the boys get older, either with reference to subject choice and co-curricular participation. By the end of the journey through school, Trinity students will have some idea of the goal of their education.
Achieving the final credential in school education
Whether it is the Higher School Certificate (HSC), the International Baccalaureate Diploma or a Trinity VET qualification, achieving a final credential is one very obvious reason why parents choose Trinity. The achievement of this credential opens the doors of opportunity in a Trinity boy’s next chapter, so its importance is not to be understated. However, it is misplaced to think that schools are all about the final academic result.
Providing challenging, stimulating learning in a safe, supportive environment
The school experience of a boy at Trinity is not just a means of gaining a mark; the journey is the fabric of his life for years. The Trinity experience is challenging and stimulating, it broadens a boy’s horizons, and it takes place in a safe and supportive environment. What he experiences at Trinity prepares him for life outside of school.
Helping grow young men of character
Informed by our Christian ethos, we partner with families to help raise young men who embody trustworthiness, decency and respect. If a young man is trustworthy, he will be able to engage in rich and rewarding relationships. If he is decent, equipped with a moral compass that orients him to the service of others and the use of power and responsibility for good, he will make a positive difference in our world. If he is respectful, recognising the value and dignity of others, he will conduct himself in ways that make all of us proud.
The buildings, current and future, provide the background, which is the way that it should be. The School is, primarily, the people.
At Trinity, there is always a lot going on in the life of the School. Thankfully, most of it is about the boys and their learning in the context of the School community.
Trinity's facilities are best experienced during an Open Day visit, or exploring what happens in each of the facilities, rather than the buildings themselves.
Trinity's facilities include:
- School of Science
- School of Music
- Drama and Production Centre
- Library Services and Facilities
- The Design Centre
- Sporting Facilities
- Preparatory Year 5 and 6 Learning Centre
- The Field Studies Centre, Woollamia
- The Renewal Project
- Delmar Gallery
Throughout every stage of a student’s academic journey at Trinity, they are supported by the School’s range of effective Pastoral Care Programmes. Some programmes are undertaken by all students, while others are targeted at specific groups. The programmes also vary in intensity and are tailored to student needs.
Reflecting current educational and psychological research and focusing on the fundamentals of good parenting to provide care and discipline, Trinity’s Pastoral Care network is designed to help students to thrive in a consistent, caring, and nurturing environment.
Challenge – there are a breadth of challenging educational opportunities available to Trinitarians. We require and encourage them to lean into the challenges that they face, and to seek to overcome obstacles.
Growth – The School celebrates excellence in performance, but growth is the more important lens through which we look.
Supportive, caring community – Trinity strives to be a community that considers, includes, and cares for others. In partnership with families, we aim to ensure our students are adequately and appropriately supported, at whatever stage of their development, to give them every chance of experiencing success. They do not face their battles alone; their School is for them.
Character – Our world needs men who are decent and trustworthy, and our School aims to play our role in shaping them. The true value of a Trinity education is seen in the character of our men in the years long after their graduation.
To provide boys with a thoroughly Christian education in mind, body, and spirit.
Education at Trinity is delivered by motivated, creative and caring classroom teachers using exceptional facilities and resources. From the significant foundation years of schooling, boys are provided with opportunities to develop in Mind, Body and Spirit.
A wide-ranging curriculum caters for all students - from the intellectually gifted to those more interested in vocational courses - and is arguably the most extensive curriculum of non-selective Independent Boys Schools across NSW. This means boys may access demanding, challenging courses that promise real academic accomplishment, achievable through hard work and good teaching.
This breadth of choice along with Trinity’s varied and engaging teaching methods incorporates authenticity and real-world learning.
PYP - (Primary Years Programme)
Trinity Grammar School understands the importance of making a good beginning. From the significant foundation years of schooling, boys are provided with opportunities to develop in Mind, Body and Spirit. The boys’ needs are met by a differentiated, inquiry based curriculum, delivered by motivated, creative and caring classroom teachers using exceptional facilities and resources.
At the core of this is the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) which guides boys to become independent inquiry learners. The PYP, for students from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 6, focuses on the development of the whole child, in the classroom and also in the world outside. It offers a framework that meets the academic, social, physical, emotional and cultural needs of each child.
Delivering the Board of Studies curriculum outcomes, the PYP Programme adopts a comprehensive approach to learning with a global perspective. Based on an inquiry learning model, the PYP gives your son ownership of his learning to develop his research and critical thinking skills. He will be able to pursue his own interests and make meaningful connections with what he is learning to his home, the community and the world. This breadth of experience will help him to become a socially conscious, internationally minded and independent learner.
HSC - (Higher School Certificate)
The Higher School Certificate (HSC) is the traditional pre-tertiary credential for students in New South Wales. Every University accepts the credential throughout Australia. The internal assessment in Year 12 worth 50% and the final external exams worth 50%.
Trinity offers a wealth of subjects and study opportunities, arguably the widest in the State ranging from the highly academic to the creative and the vocational and delivered by experienced staff. There is considerable flexibility offered to students in unusual circumstances or personal difficulty.
IB - (International Baccalaureate)
The globally recognised International Baccalaureate diploma is another academic pathway that Trinity Grammar School offers students in Years 11 and 12. Introduced in 1998, Trinity has been a consistently high performer with an average IB score of 36 and 12 maximum IB scores of 45 since the turn of the century. Trinity’s 2014 class actually received the best IB School results in the country.
Again, like the HSC, Trinity offers arguably the widest range of IB subject choices delivered by experienced IB teachers. Currently over 25% of Trinity's senior students undertake the diploma because of its international outlook, the variety of subjects offered, the way it prepares students for further tertiary study and Trinity's IB continued successes.
Trinity also recently became the first school in Australasia to be accredited as a World Academy of Sport Athlete Friendly Education Centre (AFEC). It is one of only nine schools in the world to receive this accreditation.
The World Academy of Sport (WAoS) launched a global initiative earlier this year to accredit schools and education centres to provide flexibility and support to exceptional student athletes, enabling them to combine challenging training schedules with their academic commitments. This means boys at Trinity can study the IB Diploma Programme from 2016 over a period of up to four years instead of the normal two years.
TVAC - (Trinity Vocational Academic Course)
Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses have the capacity to engage and challenge students to maximise their individual talents. Acquiring a range of technical, practical, personal and organisational abilities, boys develop industry-recognised skills to engage in the working world. As an RTO (Registered Training Organisation), Trinity offers boys in Year 11 and 12 a unique vocational pathway, with VET Certificate II courses in Construction Pathways, Electrotechnology and Hospitality and Certificate III courses in Information Digital Media Technology and Entertainment.
Encompassing school-based traineeships, these are courses exclusive to Trinity, providing boys with both vocational training and an ATAR. Additionally, there is a nationally accredited Certificate II Leadership Through Cadets course, the only one of its kind in Australia.
Sport
Sport is an essential element of the life of every Trinity boy and is compulsory from Years 3 to 12. Essential for healthy living, disciplined care of the body and the cultivation of temperate habits are an integral component of the development of a well-rounded boy. The vast range of sporting activities provides your son with the opportunity to succeed and develop through to the elite level in one or more of many different sports. It will enable him to develop skills that will translate into all facets of his adult life. The emphasis on students working in teams opens further avenues for leadership and co-operation.
With coaching staff supported by sport specialists who reflect our culture and beliefs, boys learn how to cope with adversity, to lose with dignity, and to win with grace.
Trinity Grammar School is at the forefront of sport education and has launched a new programme that will contribute to students achieving the Australian Government’s daily physical activity recommendations. The School introduced the Fundamental and Active Skills at Trinity (FAST) programme in 2015. Aimed at Preparatory and Junior School students, the programme aims to increase students’ Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS) and physical activity both exclusively and inclusively of PE lessons.
The programme was launched in response to the 2014 Active Healthy Kids Australia Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Young People. The Report Card suggests there is a need for improvement in physical activity levels in Australian children. A number of recommendations were made for improvements for physical education and physical activity participation in schools, active play, aerobic fitness and movement skills.
Co-Curricular
Trinity Grammar School provides an extensive range of Co-Curricular Activities for your son to discover and develop his skills and talents. The compulsory co-curricular programme involves activities that are aimed at developing important skills in leadership, communication, performance, creativity, decision-making, cooperation and service.
From Dramatic Arts and Music to Debating and Self-Defence, Co-Curricular Activities are a vital component of the Trinity Triangle and essential to growing ‘well-rounded’ boys, building boys’ self-confidence and further enhancing their connectedness to the School.
Creative Arts
The School boasts an unparalleled Creative Arts programme, enabling your son to enjoy a rich array of media, with first-class facilities for ceramics, sculpture, dance, drama, music, and more.
From its outset Trinity Grammar School has provided a rich cultural environment enabling boys to recite their stories and express the intangibles of life. Long before schools in general were made to offer classes in Art or Music as part of a curriculum, Trinity’s Society of the Arts has been providing opportunities for boys to be exposed to fine Art and Music with which they would not normally come in to contact. This rich history has been the foundation for a breadth of performing and exhibition arts being taught, encouraged and fostered by some of the most passionate and expert staff in the country.
With the dedicated Delmar Art Gallery on the Summer Hill campus, boys are exposed to art exhibitions and installations as well as having a professional space to exhibit their own work.
Trinity Grammar School Buses
Trinity offers an extensive private bus network for students to travel to both Summer Hill and Strathfield Campuses. Students are also entitled to free travel on Government buses and trains, with bus stops and train stations within short walking distance of each School.
Trinity Grammar School offers a number of Scholarships, awarded annually, for Entry into Year 7. These include: Academic, Trinitarian/Alumni (All-round) and Music Scholarships.
You will need to apply for a Scholarship in November when your son is in Year 5. The closing date for ALL applications will be at the start of February when your son is in Year 6. Further details can be found on the School’s website.
In addition, we offer Year 10 Scholarships which open in May the year your son is in Year 9. Boys are expected to commence Year 10 in Term 1 of Year 10. Further details can be found on our scholarships page.
HSC and IB latest impression booklets can be read here
Exploring external and internal landscapes with outdoor education
Few schools in New South Wales have comprehensive Outdoor Education programmes, and fewer still have their own Field Studies Centre (FSC) for students to enjoy each year. At Trinity Grammar School we’ve been blessed with the provision of the Woollamia campus, nestled in the heart of the Shoalhaven on the south coast of NSW – and an excellent Outdoor Education programme that is remembered by many students as a highlight in their academic career.
“Time spent at the FSC gives students the opportunity to dive into creation, spend time away from their families, and experience a life where learning and play come together,” says Mr Tim Knowles, Head of the Field Studies Centre. “At Trinity, our goal is to provide boys with a thoroughly Christian education in mind, body, and spirit; the Field Studies residential programme plays a part in developing all three of these elements of a boy’s character.”
Taking a large group of Year 9 boys away to live together for an extended period of time and letting them loose in nature may not be everyone’s first idea to help build men of strong character, but at Trinity, it works.
“It’s an opportunity for the boys to step out of a lot of the things that are often going on for our Year 9 students,” Mr Knowles says. “We get them to focus on themselves in a positive way. After all, the boys can’t be anyone but themselves when they’re away for an extended amount of time.”
“Trinity is a deliberately challenging school. Many boys are used to passive recreation, instead of active, and their time engaging in Outdoor Education is meant to push these boundaries. Some boys will find it a challenge just to make their bed each day, while others will fight their fear of heights, and still others will challenge themselves out on the waves as they learn to surf.”
There are obvious challenges, as Mr Knowles outlines above, but there are quieter challenges too.
“The boys learn what they’re capable of. They find their strengths and then they discover how they can use those strengths to help others.”
Mr Knowles believes the strong sense of community built during this experience is crucial.
“The students learn to get along. Not all the boys are going to be best friends, of course, but they do learn what it means to support each other. They learn what it is to be independent and they learn what it means to support others as well as accept that support themselves.”
For many boys, accepting that support and encouragement – whether it’s from their peers or their teachers – doesn’t come easy in a world where boys are taught to be strong for themselves and reject help. It’s just another way that their time in Woollamia challenges them in ways they may never have expected.
“They might not have ever had such an opportunity to be on the edge of their comfort zone – in so many ways – and they all look back and realise just how much they’ve achieved and changed over that period of time.”
Dr Daniel Nour, who has been named NSW Young Australian Of The Year, says his free mobile health service for Sydney’s homeless might never have become a reality without the inspiration provided by Trinity.
Dr Nour works full-time at Royal North Shore Hospital but on top of that devotes the same commitment every week to his passion project, Street Side Medics.
The not-for-profit operates two vans which take GPs and other health professionals to existing food services and homeless shelters three nights a week in order to bring health care to the most vulnerable.
Since founding the service last August, the Class of 2013 graduate has watched it grow to a staff of 220, more than half of them doctors.
Every single one is a volunteer, barring a newly appointed CEO.
Street Side Medics has already treated hundreds of patients, and “without doubt” saved lives – all while working through the pandemic with the strictest of policies, meaning not one doctor has contracted COVID.
“We have treated some of the sickest, most neglected people I’ve ever seen in medicine, and we have been able to make some significant changes to their health and their lives,” Dr Nour said.
He credited Trinity with nurturing his social conscience and influencing the values which have helped him to help so many of Sydney’s neediest people.
“The School has had a big impact on me as a person. It’s absolutely correct to say that without Trinity, I really question whether something like this would have happened,” he said.
“Trinity helped shape the values and beliefs that I have carried through to Street Side Medics.
“It has a great social conscience as a school, and I think its values rubbed off on me in an inspirational way.
“It wasn’t about being the biggest and the best, but being as good as you can be to improve society as a whole.”
He said Trinity was without peer when it came to taking a holistic approach to education.
“It has a unique way of dealing with each student. It seriously stresses the importance of being well-rounded, developing social skills and business acumen, and thinking outside the box.
“I was a rough diamond – well, I don’t like to call myself a diamond – but it softened all of my rough edges and turned me into the man I am today.
“I was quite cheeky; I talked a lot and got in trouble a lot, so I got a lot of detentions.”
Brad Wirth, now Director of Campus Administration, taught him chemistry and was one of the teachers who “helped keep me on the straight and narrow”.
Dr Nour grew up in a Christian family, saying: “My faith is a big part of me, and it was strengthened at Trinity.”
He said if he went on to win an award, he would be pleased to accept it not for himself but for “all of the people who made this dream a reality”.
While still a student at Trinity, he volunteered for a homeless food service called COCOS, run by his church, The Coptic Orthodox Christian Church at Kingsgrove.
The catalyst for Street Side Medics came one day in London, where Dr Nour had undertaken an elective at the Imperial College, when he went to the aid of a homeless man having a seizure.
The man’s friends indicated he didn’t drink or use drugs, but had had several seizures over the previous months.
“I remember thinking, why hasn’t anyone taken him to see a doctor? And this one (homeless) lady, I’ll never forget her face, said, ‘Daniel, the NHS barely cares about you, let alone us’.
“That really hit a soft spot with me; it really upset me. I did my research hoping that this was not an issue in Sydney, but I was surprised to find out it was. There were too many barriers in the way of getting vulnerable people to health care. The only way was to take health care to them.”
Street Side Medics has a policy of turning no-one away. There are two teams of volunteers. The team outside the van usually consists of a social worker, physiotherapist, dietician and other general volunteers, who approach individuals to see if they have any health issues. Inside the van, there is a GP and a nurse.
Dr Nour says trust and respect underpin the whole service. “All of the staff come because they want to be there, and because they care. And that translates into the way they communicate with the patients.”
He cites one of his favourite sayings, from Confucius: Those who say they can, and those who say they can’t, are both right.
“Trinity taught me to have belief in myself,” he said.
“Even today I often question myself and suffer from impostor syndrome. I wake up and think, ‘Am I really a doctor?’
“And then you just get on and do what you do. With passion, you can do anything.”
Dr Nour now joins the eight state and territory finalists for the national awards to be announced on Australia Day.
Rohan Browning misses final but shows he has the right stuff.
Rohan Browning might not have made the Olympic 100m final but he registered a personal best at his debut Games, mixed it with the best in the world and showed he has a bright future at elite level.
That’s the feeling of his inner sanctum, including his coach, Trinity’s Director of Athletics Andrew Murphy, his family and most importantly Rohan himself.
After finishing fifth in his semi-final in Tokyo in 10.09 seconds, fractionally slower than the personal best of 10.01 he ran in winning his heat the previous night, the optimistic Trinity old boy was already looking ahead.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t get it done in the semi but the next Olympics are only three years away,” said the second fastest Australian of all time.
His family, meanwhile, said that without Trinity he would never have made it to Tokyo in the first place.
“Had he not gone to the School, had he not met Murph and formed such a great partnership, there is no way he would have even gone to the Olympics,” said his mum Liz Jackson.
“None of us ever dreamed the Olympic Games would be on the radar but he really hit it off with Murph, things kept building and building and he kept getting better. Really, Rohan didn’t choose athletics; athletics chose him.”
She said she, her husband Andrew and their two other Trinitarian sons James (Class of ’20) and Hugh (Year 11) were “incredibly proud” of Rohan.
And she had nothing but praise for his coach.
“He always has something positive to say; there’s always a silver lining in every experience. He always takes the long view.”
True to form, Mr Murphy said after Sunday night’s semi-final: “I am super proud of Rohan. He’s had an incredible year and he has a massive future on this stage.
“He will now believe 100 per cent that he belongs with the best.”
Mr Murphy said Rohan was only 23 and sprinters usually didn’t peak until the 26-32 age bracket.
The plan of attack now would be for Rohan to get more experience in big meets such as the Commonwealth Games, the world championships and the European circuit, which he will tackle after a brief holiday in Italy.
Rohan was clearly disappointed with his start in the semi-final, saying: “I just never got out. I had my work cut out for me. I feel like I came back well at the end of the race but I had too much to do. It’s only 100 metres.”
As it turned out, he would have needed a further personal best to reach the final, where seven of the eight runners went under 10 seconds in their semis and the eighth ran 10 flat. Gold medallist Lamont Jacobs of Italy won the final in 9.80.
“I’ve been knocking on the door of sub-10, the big breakthrough,” Rohan said.
“It’s coming. Hopefully it comes later this year in Europe. I’m heading in the right direction.”
He said he had been buoyed by the encouragement flowing his way from Australia.
“I definitely felt the love. I have been overwhelmed with support and messages, so I thank everybody for that. It’s so wonderful to receive that.”
His mum said the Sydney University arts/law student had an “amazing capacity” to learn quickly.
“He has made great strides and I think Tokyo will prove to be a stop along the way of an amazing athletics career.
“In athletics, like many things, there are always more disappointments than successes, but that’s what makes the successes so sweet.
“These Olympics have been a fantastic lesson, and he will see it that way.”
After three months without seeing Rohan, she added: “I can’t wait to give him a hug and tell him how much we love him.”
From borderline high school drop-out to corporate high-flyer, Lex Gow’s transformation is a story of faith and tenacity. Today he is an executive director at Macquarie Bank, running a desk specialising in currencies and interest rates. But in Year 10 he was on the verge of an inglorious exit from Trinity after finishing 129th out of 133 students in the School Certificate. Two things changed Lex Gow’s life around.
The first was the intervention of an economics Trinity teacher, Ian Moore, who spotted in him the kernel of something that deserved a second chance. The second was a chance meeting with an old boyhood friend who had left school early to become a mechanic.
“He said to me, ‘Lex, whatever you do, do your study. You don’t want to become what I’ve become. I’m under the sump plug in the middle of winter, I’ve ripped the skin off my fingers, I’ve got oil coming down, it’s horrendous. Try your best. You don’t want to be where I am’.”
The young Lex did not to be told twice; the episode changed him overnight, and he started applying himself. He completed the HSC with marks that gained him entry into commerce / law at UNSW, and he never looked back. Of the 14 students in Mr. Moore’s economics class of ’84, he was one of 10 to achieve 95 or more, excelling with 147 / 150 in 3 unit economics.
One of the biggest advantages for him about Trinity was its location-driven demographics.
“For me it was a melting pot. You’ll get people from the west, east, north and south. I was fortunate enough to meet people from all over and be influenced by people from different socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds. It all goes into your makeup later on and how you come out as a person.”
Standing on our Anglican foundation and shaped by our Christian ethos, Trinity is a school that seeks to ensure that every boy is individually known, cared for and guided to grow in mind, body and spirit. We aim to help raise men of character who will care about others, our world, and themselves.
However, it is nigh impossible to capture the spirit of Trinity on the pages of a website. Glowing words on a digital screen, photographs of smiling, engaged boys - those are what you’d expect from a website of a school like ours.
You would expect to see academic rigour. Trinity’s IB Diploma students obtain scores in excess of the IB Diploma world average, while Trinity’s HSC students regularly garner top band results, including All-round and Distinguished achievers, and nominations for HSC showcases and exhibitions.
You would expect to see a range of co-curricular activities. Yes, we have Olympic athletes who have trained long and hard with our talented sports coaches. We win Diving and Swim trophies competing against other schools like ours. Our boys debate, participate in Shakespeare, and put on gala concerts for audiences in the hundreds.
You would expect a thriving Preparatory and Junior school, where boys from Pre-K to Year 6 are nurtured in an International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme that encourages them to be enquiring, creative, caring global citizens.
You can expect all that and more.
However, what you might find unexpected is my unwillingness to measure the success of our School by the success of our young men.
The reason why we offer such extensive co-curricular and curriculum choices and why sport is mandatory for every boy is not because all of these teach them how to succeed. No, it is because they teach them how to fail. How to persevere. How to engage with others. How to grow.
Growth as a whole person is what we’re about at Trinity. In order to make this growth a reality is why Trinity provides boys with a wide range of curricular and co-curricular programmes and experiences, challenging and supporting them in their journey through school, and equipping them for the world beyond.
Read about our ethos. Take a virtual tour, then book in for an Open Day. Request a prospectus. Return each week to our latest news page. Let us send you our bi-annual Trinity News magazine that includes stories not just of our students today, but also the men they grow up to be. In all these ways you will get behind the scenes of our website, form a deeper appreciation of our School community, and understand the value of a Trinity education does not rely solely on a boy’s future success.
Growth as a whole person is what we’re about at Trinity. It is my hope that the true value of a Trinity education will be seen in the character of our men long after their graduation.