Trinity Leatherhead
Talking with the headteacher
One of the reasons young parents flock to Ashtead is the abundance of great schools. It can be pretty overwhelming, though, picking the right one for your child. There are so many factors to consider - location, Ofsted ratings, cost, wraparound care etc etc.
Bearing that in mind, we've approached all the schools in the area to get their take on some common questions that parents have when looking at prospective schools.
This week, we spoke to Elizabeth Killin of Trinity Leatherhead.
Can you provide an overview of your school's mission and values, and how they guide your educational approach?
Our vision is to inspire learning and unlock the future for ALL of our children in our school and throughout our community. We are built on our innovative and inclusive ethos, and our Christian values.
"All things are possible for one who believes." Mark 9:23
We live by our Christian values of respect truth, love, forgiveness and commitment in all that we do and through our strong links with our three churches. We use this poem by John Wesley to inspire us:
“Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.”
― John Wesley
What sets your school apart from others in Surrey in terms of academic programs or extracurricular activities?
We have an extensive programme of extracurricular activities ranging from peripatetic music lessons (recorder, toot, brass, piano and rock band) to after school clubs, including wrap around care. We work closely with St John’s Leatherhead and ACS Cobham for enrichment programmes which include swimming, VR/technology kits, motion sensor camera traps, theatre use for performances and use of science laboratories. We follow our own innovative wider curriculum based on the needs of our community as well as established programmes for core subjects - White Rose for mathematics and Read Write Inc (RWI) for phonics and Literacy in KS1.
How does your school promote diversity, equity, and inclusion among students and staff?
We are a very diverse school with a large intake from across Leatherhead and beyond. We have a Low COIN centre which supports children with communication and interaction needs as identified in an EHCP - these children are fully integrated into our mainstream classrooms (but withdrawn for therapies and specialist teaching). We are a church school and during our daily collective worship we work with the children to reflect upon all world religions, drawing upon experiences of our own pupils and staff.
What strategies do you have in place to support students' emotional and mental well-being?
We have an ELSA (emotional literacy support assistant) team who support individual children across a 6-week (or longer) intervention. We apply Nurture principles across the school (linked to our Reception and KS1 Nurture group offer). These principles develop children's emotional and mental health awareness and support them in addressing their feelings and actions.
Could you describe any recent improvements or innovations in your school's curriculum or teaching methods?
We welcomed Fred into school - he is our therapy dog. He listens to children read and spends time helping in classrooms! At Leatherhead Trinity we LOVE reading so we read across the curriculum. We have an extensive library and stunning classroom book areas which signpost children to suggested authors and develop a love for reading. We have 'Jude's Book Exchange' in our main office which is a free lending opportunity for the wider community.
How does your school engage with parents and the local community to foster a sense of belonging and partnership?
Schools cannot function without parental engagement so we strive to open our doors to as many parents and carers as possible. We offer workshops, presentation sessions, and opportunities for parents to view their child's work across the year. As well as 'sharing assemblies' and performances. We have local community volunteers who read with pupils, and our links with local churches allow volunteers to deliver lunchtime and gardening clubs. We work with ACS Cobham and St John's Leatherhead to deliver enhanced curriculum opportunities.
Can you share your school's approach to technology integration and digital literacy?
We have an extensive number of Chromebooks for each year group. We use Chromebooks to enhance access to the curriculum as well as to access websites such as Time Tables Rockstars and Purple Mash.
What extracurricular opportunities are available to students, and how do they contribute to their holistic development?
We have an extensive clubs offer for all pupils. Our activities vary from film club, sewing, art, gardening, choir, recorder, sport and Lego.
How do you assess and ensure the safety and security of students and staff within your school?
We have a very strong safeguarding culture where all pupils, parents and staff know who they can talk to if they are worried about something. We have very clear procedures for ensuring that all visitors to the school are suitable, checked and monitored as appropriate.
What are the future goals and aspirations for your school, and how do you plan to achieve them?
We are passionate about ensuring that every child reaches their full potential so our vision, 'All things are possible for one who believes' drives all that we do at Leatherhead Trinity School and Nursery.