About the school
Prospectus
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The school prospectus gives detailed information about the school. If there is a particular area of interest to you please click on that section. We also have a Parents’ A-Z which you can find in the ‘About the school’ section from the main menu on the Home page.

Table of contents

School Vision

At Holy Trinity we welcome you to an exciting world of learning, discovery and friendship. We are passionate about nurturing every child, helping them to find and develop their own talents and be the best they possibly can.

Children will learn, within a Christian community, surrounded by support, kindness, respect and fun; and will leave with fantastic memories to cherish forever.

(Developed by the children, parents, staff and governors of Holy Trinity)

A Church School

Holy Trinity School is a voluntary aided Church of England school for nursery, infant and junior children. It draws from the local community and has close links with Holy Trinity Church in Sheen Park, from which it takes its name. Its strong Christian foundation is expressed through worship, teaching and community.

The vicar visits the school regularly, and the school takes part in a church service one Sunday a year and at various other times.

Children need not be baptised or affiliated with a church, but parents should be sympathetic to the Christian ethos and character of the school.

The Governors

The school has Foundation Governors who specifically represent the church and the Diocesan Board of Education and there are other Governors who represent parents, teachers and the local education authority. Through the 1988 Education Reform Act, the Governors are responsible for looking after the school finances and for staff, curriculum and the admissions policy.

There is a legal requirement for Governors to hold an annual meeting with parents and to publish a report. This is usually in the Autumn term at Holy Trinity School.

Admission Arrangements

Link to full admission procedures

The Nursery takes children from 3 to 4½ years old. Admission details are available from the school office. Priority is given to children who have older brothers or sisters in the school.

Children who hope to enter the main school at five years of age should be registered around the child’s third birthday. This is necessary even if the child is already attending the Nursery. Parents will be informed about places by the Easter before the school year in which the child is due to start school.

Parents are most welcome to visit the school for a tour and to talk to the Headteacher. Appointments may be made by telephoning the school office.

Admission dates

Reception children attend school as follows:

All children start in the September of the academic year in which they are five. The children attend part-time in the Autumn term, and attend full-time from January onwards.

Other children and those who move into the area are able to join the school at any time during the school year, subject to places being available.

Admission policy and appeal

There is no fixed catchment area for Holy Trinity School and admission arrangements are the responsibility of the Governors.

Link to full admission procedures

If there are more applications than places in the Reception class, preference is given to the following in order of priority:

  1. Children whose parents are committed members of, and worship regularly at Holy Trinity Church, Sheen Park Richmond. A recommendation will be required from the Vicar.
  2. Children with brothers or sisters at the school at the time of application. This includes half, step, or adopted family members, and those in the same household.
  3. Children whose parents are committed members of, and worship regularly at other churches and chapels of Christian denominations. A letter of recommendation will be required from the minister.
  4. Children who attend Holy Trinity Nursery at the time of application.
  5. Children who live nearest the school, in order of proximity, according to the LEA’s current way of measuring distance.

If parents wish to appeal after failing to gain a place, applications should be made to the Clerk to the Governors in writing at the school office. Please label the envelope ‘Admission Appeal’.

Collective Worship

As a fundamental part of the life of the school there are daily acts of worship, either as a whole school or in separate key stages. Assemblies are led by a range of staff, church leaders or other visitors. Once a term the children attend a service at Holy Trinity Church and there are opportunities for children to take part in special services on Sunday to celebrate some of the major festivals. Once a week there are class assemblies where children share the work they have been doing in class. Parents are invited to these. On Thursdays we have a "Celebration assembly" where children are awarded their completed infant sticker charts and junior certificates. There are also awards for attendance and the junior team point cup. If children have received awards outside school at clubs that they attend then we love to celebrate these in school too - we hand out swimming certificates, skiing badges, Cubs and Brownie badges etc, etc... 

Collective worship makes an important contribution to the children’s spiritual and moral development. A daily act of worship is a legal requirement, as laid down in the 1944 Education Act and reaffirmed in the 1988 Educational Reform Act. However, parents do have the right to withdraw their children from religious education and collective worship.

School Council and Pupil Parliament

We have a School Council with one girl and one boy elected representative from each class from Year 2 to Year 6. Children in the Reception class and Year 1 have discussions with their teacher. All the issues raised are brought to the staff. The children’s ideas are taken seriously and the School Council is allocated a small budget each year.

Each year two children from Holy Trinity School are elected to represent the school in the Richmond Pupil Parliament. Here issues and concerns are discussed with other children from schools in the borough. 

The School Building

For 100 years Holy Trinity occupied a site on the Lower Mortlake Road and moved to its present, much larger site in 1974. When the new school was built it was the only modern scholl to be mentioned in 'The Buildings of England' as being of architectural interest. Since then a number of changes have taken place - the most recent of which being a wonderful bright and spacious school hall in 2006/07 that has become the focus of scholl activity and is widely used by the local community for a variety of clubs and activities.

The school is set in spacious grounds with a very large playing field, bordered by local allotments, which is home to numerous sporting and social events (including a full scale circus in the Autumn term!). There is a picnic area where pupils can enjoy their lunch in the sunshine or under the shade of a large weeping willow tree with views to the Kew Gardens’ Pagoda; or they can burn off that extra energy on a variety of adventure play frames in the junior and infant playgrounds (which are separate).

Reception classes, as well as their own well resourced classrooms, have their own outside classroom areas; and at the end of the field is a well established wild garden where children can study plants, trees, birds, insects, toads, frogs and fish in the pond, as well as learning about the environment and ecology.

There are two, well stocked, libraries (one for the infants and one for the juniors), a dedicated ICT suite and interactive whiteboards in every classroom. ICT is an integral part of the Holy Trinity curriculum. A purpose built, self contained, nursery unit was opened in 1992 and has a lawned area as well as a very popular area where children can care for animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs.

The school is expanding to a two form entry school within the next two years. This will mean new buildings and state of the art equipment and facilities.

How to Find the School

Holy Trinity School is at the end of Carrington Road, a quiet cul-de-sac off Manor Road. There is also a pedestrian entrance from Sheen Road near the church of Our Lady Queen of Peace. This gate is open immediately before and after school, but is normally shut during school hours. The school is well served by public transport - the buses that stop on Sheen Road ("Courtlands" stop is the one you need) are the 33, the 969 and the 337. The R70 stops at the Manor Road bus stop and trains stop at North Sheen. Please use the Transport for London website (www.tfl.gov.uk) for more details, you are also welcome to phone the school for advice.

Road Safety

Parents are asked to ensure that children cross Carrington Road at the school gate, and never between parked cars.

Drivers are asked not to park on the yellow lines outside the gate at any time as this is dangerous to children crossing.

For safety reasons parents should not park in the staff car park.

School Organisation

The school caters for children aged 3-11 years and has one class for each year group.

All children in the Reception class move up to Year 1 the following September. They then move up one class per year until they reach the top Junior class (Year 6) at the age of 10-11 years.

The school day:

Nursery: 9.05am to 11.35am 1.00pm to 3.30pm
Infants: 8.50am to 12.15pm 1.15pm to 3.20pm
Juniors: 8.50am to 12.30pm 1.30pm to 3.30pm

The hours worked by children each week (excluding assemblies, breaks and registration) are:

  • Nursery: 12½ hours
  • Reception 21 hours (from January)
  • Key Stage 1: (Reception, Years 1 and 2): 21 hours
  • Key Stage 2: (Years 3, 4, 5 and 6): 23½ hours

Children should arrive at school by 8.50 am. Parents are asked to see that they go straight to the playground and do not congregate on the pavement in Carrington Road or near the school gate.

The school will accept responsibility for the children ten minutes before and after school. The Breakfast Club starts at 8.00 a.m. for children in the Reception class and upwards. Parents should make every effort to ensure that their children arrive at school on time for registration. The registers are closed at 9.30 for the morning session and if children arrive after this they will have missed a significant part of the teaching time and are marked as absent for the morning session.

Parents collecting children from the Infants may wait in the Infants’ playground or outside the Infants’ extension until the Juniors come out at 3.30 pm. Parents should not take young children and infants into the Junior playground as this disturbs teaching in the hall and Junior part of the school. Please contact the school office for the current details for after-school provision.

If any child has been away from school, parents must, under Government legislation, send a written note on the child’s return to school. A telephone call is not sufficient. ‘Authorised absences’ cover such things as illness and school sporting trips. If the school is not notified of lateness or absence this is classed as ‘unauthorised absence’.

Planned Absence

For planned absence during term time, permission must be requested from the Headteacher. Holidays during term time are strongly discouraged and will only be granted in exceptional circumstances. A holiday request form is available from the school office. 

The Curriculum

Classes from Year 1 to Year 6 follow the National Curriculum.

The Core Subjects of English, Mathematics and Science are concentrated on, together with ICT and Religious Education. The Foundation subjects are Design Technology, History, Geography, Art, Music and Physical Education.

Children are taught as a whole class, in groups or individually, and work is differentiated according to the child’s ability. Each lesson has clear learning objectives against which the children’s learning is assessed.

Additionally classes in Key Stage 2 receive teaching in a Modern Foreign Language, our language is Spanish. This teaching is delivered by a native speaker so the children get the very best experience.

Educational Visits

All children take part in local trips which enhance and enrich the children’s experiences. The school is fortunate to be within easy reach of many places of interest. We use public transport as much as possible to support our sustainable principles.

Visits are arranged by the class teacher and are an integral part of the curriculum.

Extra-curricular Activities

A number of activities are arranged for different classes throughout the year. These may include dance, drama, science, football, netball, cricket, rounders, computing or art.

The school participates in league matches and rallies in out-of-school hours. School teams also participate in the Borough Sports and Swimming Galas.

Please contact the school office for the current details for after-school provision.

Special Educational Needs

The school places great emphasis on catering for the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs. This covers a range of needs, including learning difficulties, speech, hearing, sight impairment, physical impairment, behavioural or social difficulties, and medical problems as well as under-achievement.

The progress of all children is monitored and a child’s special educational needs are identified in accordance with the Code of Practice followed by all schools. Once a child has been identified as having a particular difficulty, additional screening is carried out and, if appropriate, the child receives some targeted active intervention support. Some children need just to have their progress monitored.

The Inclusion Manager, Mr Lee Jerwood, is responsible for co-ordinating this work and liaises with class teachers as well as the appropriate outside agencies, for example the educational psychologist, advisory staff, peripatetic staff, school nurse and doctor, and educational welfare officer. Parents are involved at all stages and a register of all children is kept. Progress is monitored and reviewed half-termly by the class teacher, and termly with the parents.

Any child who has considerable learning difficulties and who has been through the agreed process, with input from the Special Educational Advisor and the Educational Psychologist, may need to be the subject of a statement - a formal document outlining the child’s educational needs and carrying an obligation on the local authority to meet those needs. If this occurs parents are an integral part of this process right from the earliest stages.

Able Pupils

Able pupils are identified through our testing and assessment procedures. An able or exceptionally able child is a child who displays a significantly higher level of ability than most children of the same age. This may be in more than one curriculum area, or in any of the following:

  • Leadership skills
  • Creative/artistic talent
  • Outstanding cognitive ability
  • Physical talents
  • Musical talents
  • Mechanical ingenuity

A range of enrichment groups is available to encourage and develop the child’s thinking skills and potential. Special arrangements are provided for those children who are particularly talented in Literacy and Numeracy.

School Rules

The school expects everybody to behave in a polite sensible and helpful manner at all times as outlined in our Behaviour Charter. Children are encouraged to behave in this way towards each other and towards adults who may be in and around the school. A few simple school rules follow from this:

  1. A polite and friendly attitude is expected from everyone
  2. Children are expected to be punctual, and to adhere to our school uniform
  3. Children are expected to walk, not run, in and around the school
  4. Children should take care for their own and others’ safety at all times
  5. Children should look after their belongings
  6. Everyone is expected to take proper care of school books and equipment
  7. Climbing frames and PE equipment must not be used unless a member of staff is present
  8. Sweets, chocolate, crisps and chewing gum are not allowed in the school.

If there are any issues with discipline, relationships, or difficulties with a child’s work, parents are asked to come in and discuss the situation with the classteacher or Headteacher. Unresolved issues affect performance and the school welcomes discussions with parents to resolve difficulties promptly. Education is a partnership between home and school, and work best with liaison. The school does not tolerate bullying or racism. 

School Uniform

Details of the school uniform are shown below; most parents find the uniform an advantage as well as giving the children a sense of belonging to the school.

Uniform:

  • White polo shirt*
  • Royal blue sweatshirt with school logo* (cardigans or jumpers other than the school sweatshirt are not permitted)
  • Sensible black shoes (not trainers)
  • Boys’ grey trousers or shorts with white or grey socks
  • Navy skirt or pinafore dress with white socks or royal blue tights
  • Blue and white striped dress with white socks
  • Girls may wear smart, tailored navy trousers.

PE and Games Kit:

Infants
Yellow T-shirt*, blue shorts* and elasticated plimsolls. Long sleeved navy sweatshirt and navy tracksuit bottoms may be worn for outside PE.
Juniors
T-shirt in house colour*, blue shorts* and plimsolls. Trainers and tracksuits may be worn for games.

Items marked with a * may be bought from school

All items of clothing and shoes must be marked with the owner’s name. Items of uniform can be bought via the school office. Reception parents will be invited to an information evening prior to their child starting school where the uniform will be on show.

Jewellery

Jewellery is not permitted in school as it can cause injury. The only exception is studs or sleepers in the ears.

Lost Property

Please label all items of clothing and equipment.

From time to time lost property is displayed in the halls so that children or parents may reclaim their missing items. The Welfare Assistants keep items of lost property in their room.

Please do not let your children bring expensive items to school - if they are lost neither the school nor the Borough can be held responsible. The school governors have no insurance cover for personal property brought into the school and parents may wish to insure valuable items such as musical instruments.

Mobile phones

Mobile phones are not allowed except in exceptional circumstances, in which case they must be left in the school office.

Absence

If a child is absent they should phone school as soon as possible but before 9.30am. If a child is absent after 9.30am, without notification, the school will contact the parent. If any child has been away from school, parents must, under Government legislation, send a written note on the child’s return to school. A telephone call is not sufficient. ‘Authorised absences’ cover such things as illness and school sporting trips. If the school is not notified of lateness or absence this is classed as ‘unauthorised absence’.

Illness

Parents are asked not to send children to school if they are unwell or have been unwell in the night. Children need at least 24 hours recuperation at home as there are limited facilities for looking after sick children at school. They may spread infection to others.

If necessary the school will contact parents whose children become ill at school. If your child needs to take prescription medicine, this must be in the original container from the chemist’s with all dosage details clearly visible. The welfare assistants must be contacted personally. The school has qualified first aiders on site.

In the event of an accident at school parents will be contacted and asked to collect their child as soon as possible and if necessary take him/her to hospital. In urgent cases an ambulance will be called and the child taken to hospital. A member of the school staff will always accompany the child.

It is essential that up-to-date contact details for all parents are given to the school office.

Planned Absence

For planned absence during term time, permission must be requested from the Headteacher. Holidays during term time are strongly discouraged and will only be granted in exceptional circumstances. A holiday request form is available from the school office.

Appointments

Children are not allowed to leave the school premises during school hours. If parents make an appointment for their child, for example medical, dental, music/ballet examination, parents should send a note to their child’s class teacher in advance. When collecting your child please notify the class teacher and school office, and again on your return. If your child is to be collected by someone different we would ask that, for your child’s safety, you inform us in writing of such arrangements.

Other Information

Access to Documents

The curriculum for the school is set out in several documents which are reviewed regularly by staff and Governors. These can be seen in the school office. (Please telephone the secretary to arrange a convenient time). In some cases copies can be made, for which there may be a small charge. Minutes of all governors’ meetings and all school policies (e.g. bullying, Sex Education, Special Educational Needs etc.) are available for inspection via the school.

The 1988 Education Reform Act sets rules for charging for school activities. Activities which are part of the curriculum must be provided free of charge.

To help finance activities such as visits to places of interest, music, or swimming, parents or guardians may be asked for voluntary contributions to help cover costs.

No child will be excluded from taking part if the parents or guardians do not make a contribution, but the school may have to cancel a visit if sufficient funds are not forthcoming.

Complaints Procedure

Parents or guardians who have a complaint about the National Curriculum or any other matter should first contact the class teacher or Headteacher at the school.

If the complaint cannot be satisfied through discussion with the Head, the next formal stage requires the Governors to consider the complaint. When a complaint is made to the Local Education Authority it is referred back to the Governors.

Transfer to Secondary Schools

During the first term of year 6 parents are sent details of all the local secondary schools. They hold open days which provide an opportunity to visit the school and talk to staff and pupils.

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