Trent College
Coordinates: 52°54′00″N 01°17′03″W / 52.9°N 1.28417°W
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| Established | 1868 |
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| Type | Independent Day and boarding |
| Religion | Church of England |
| President | Duke of Devonshire |
| Headteacher | Gill Dixon |
| Founder | Francis Wright |
| Location | Long Eaton Derbyshire NG10 4AD England |
| Students | 1090~ |
| Gender | Coeducational |
| Ages | 3–18 |
| Houses | 5 |
| Former pupils | Old Tridents |
| Website | www.trentcollege.net |
Trent College is a co-educational independent day and boarding school located in Long Eaton, Derbyshire between Nottingham and Derby. There are approximately 760 pupils in the Senior School and 330 pupils in the Junior School (The Elms School). It is a fee-paying school but scholarships and financial aid are available for deserving pupils.
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[edit] History
The foundation of Trent College was proposed In 1868 by Francis Wright at a meeting of the Midland branch of the Clerical and Lay Association. His vision was to open a boarding school for "boys of the middle class" as a more affordable alternative to the public schools. The foundation stone was laid by William Cavendish, 7th Duke of Devonshire. Today, the school still retains its ties with the Cavendish family through the Duke's descendant, Peregrine Cavendish, 12th Duke of Devonshire, who is president of the Board of Governors.
The school opened in April 1868 with 53 boys on roll and within four months, the number had risen to 118, and by 1870, 225 boys were registered as pupils. The school’s initial success was hit by the outbreak of Scarlet Fever in 1873 and the death of its first Headmaster, Thomas Ford Fenn, in 1883. Francis Wright was actively involved with the school until his death in 1873. In 1875 a school chapel was opened in his memory.
In 1975, the school welcomed its first girls into Sixth Form following the trend set by many previously single-sex independent schools. It became fully coeducational in 1992.[1]
[edit] The Chapel
The foundation stone of the Chapel was laid after the death of Francis Wright. The building, which cost £300 and was designed by a Mr Robinson of Derby, has been re-modelled three times; first in 1949 by Sir Albert Richardson, president of the Royal Academy, then the chancel was redesigned after a new organ was installed in 1976, and finally in 2001 the pews and lighting were replaced. The west door curtain was a part of the interior of Westminster Abbey at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. The wooden collection plates are carved from olive wood from the Garden of Gethsemane outside Jerusalem, where Jesus Christ was arrested before his crucifixion. These were a bequest from the Broadhurst family.
As an Anglican school, pupils are required to attend chapel services every morning. In addition, boarders are required to attend Sunday services as well.
[edit] Buildings and facilities
The Warner Library was built by pupils in 1929 and contained about 6500 books, fiction, non-fiction and reference materials. The Obolensky, a modern lunch hall/meeting place, was opened in February 2008 and is named after Russian Prince Alexander Obolensky, a former pupil of Trent College. A new library (a sensitive conversion of the former dining hall conserving original wood panelling) was opened in 2010 and is named 'The Duke of Devonshire Library' after the school's president. The former Warner Library was converted into a performing arts facility.
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Trent from the Sports Field
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The new School Library
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Views of the school
[edit] Pastoral Care
[edit] Houses
The Trent College House system incorporates all pupils, from Year 7 right through to Year 13. Each student is allocated into one of the 5 Houses (Hanbury, Owen, Cavendish, Kemp, and Wright) which can be identified either through the colour of House ties or badges.
[edit] Tutors
Normally pupils have the same tutor in their two years in Lower School; a new tutor for their three years in Main School and another tutor for their two years in Sixth Form. In summer 2010 the pastoral care programme was rate as 'Excellent' for our Pastoral Care and 'Excellent' for Pupils Personal Development by the Independent Schools Inspectorate.
[edit] Boarding
Trent has been a boarding school since its foundation and welcomes pupils aged 11 and above. Each boarding house is run by a Head of House and assisted by prefects. The houses can accommodate between 30 and 52 students in modern, well-furnished single or double study bedrooms. Pupils are not required to board and most boarders generally return home for the weekend.
There are four boarding houses at Trent – two houses which have boarders from ages 11-18 (Shuker for boys & Bates for girls) and two houses that are for Sixth Formers only (Blake for boys and Martin for girls). A new house for Lower School pupils is due to be opened in September 2012.
[edit] Activities
[edit] Sport
Trent has a very strong sporting tradition and an enviable record of sporting achievement with a National reputation in Hockey, Rugby, Cricket and Tennis. Trent College students are regularly selected for County, Regional and National Honours in these and other sports. The girls' hockey team were crowned U16 champions at the National Schools Finals in Staffordshire in Spring 2010.[2]
[edit] Notable alumni
Former pupils are known as "Old Tridents".
- Aric Prentice, Director of Music at Lincoln Cathedral[citation needed]
- Rex Alston, Cricket commentator
- Albert Ball VC MC, English First World War fighter ace from WW1
- Lord David Gillmore, Baron Gillmore of Thamesfield [3]
- Georgia Groome, actress
- Clopton Lloyd-Jones, scorer of only goal of 1880 FA Cup Final
- Alexander Obolensky, Russian Prince, and International Rugby Union player for England
- Kukrit Pramoj, thirteenth Prime Minister of Thailand
- Seni Pramoj, three times Prime Minister of Thailand
- Harry Daft (1866 – 1945), England footballer
- John Birch, former Master of the Choristers at Chichester Cathedral
- Reverend Kenneth Hunt, England footballer and Olympic gold medallist
[edit] Staff
- Abraham Shuker cricketer and founder of the Trent Association[4]
- Simon Hodgkinson, former England international rugby player
