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Public Benefit

Trent at DuskTrent College has for many years given a high priority to providing public benefit by widening access through subsidising pupils' fees, hosting educational holiday courses and making many of its facilities available for public use. Local schools, the community and the environment are supported in a large number of ways.

Scholarships and Bursaries

Trent College's primary purpose is the provision of education. A significant part of the College's activities is the provision of scholarships and bursaries designed to widen access to the education that Trent provides. In this context 'scholarships' are fee reductions awarded through competition on academic, musical, sporting, drama and artistic merit and 'bursaries' are fee reductions awarded according to need. Assessments of financial need are made through detailed means tests intended to determine the amount of assistance that is needed in order to enable a pupil to come to Trent College who otherwise could not do so, or to stay at the school in the event of a change in circumstances. In all, 217 pupils at Trent (29.3%) received fee reductions through scholarships and bursaries in the academic year 2008/09.

The Trent Foundation

The Trent Foundation was established in September 2008 to raise significant endowment for the school and to further support and extend bursary provision, which is known as the Trent College Assisted Place Scheme. The ambition of the Trent Foundation is to raise £10 million over the forthcoming years.

Charitable Activities

Trent College educated 1133 boys and girls in 2008/09. If they had been educated in the State sector it would have cost £5.7 million on the basis of the capitation rate of £5,000. Trent College delivers excellent academic results, which are above the national average; at GCSE Results, 42.3% of all grades awarded at either A* or A; at A-level 62.0% of A-level grades were either A or B.  Large numbers of students go on to read nationally-recognised shortage subjects, such as Modern Languages, Engineering and the Sciences at university.

Educating Other Students at Trent College

  • Trent College uses its facilities for the public benefit by hosting Summer Schools during school holidays
  • Local primary schools send 600-800 pupils and staff to weekly Primary Science lessons
  • Each year pupils from local schools attend Making Music and Sports Excellence Mornings
  • The school hosts the Erewash District Schools' Cross Country Championship and an annual Netball Tournament for local feeder schools as well as a large number of regular sporting fixtures
  • A partnership with Wilsthorpe School has led to joint initiatives for pupils in both schools in Design &Technology, Modern Languages, PSHE and in activities such as Podcasting
  • International exchanges with Germany offer significant educational benefit to pupils from both countries
  • Trent accommodates external candidates requiring an examination centre for GCSE, A Level and LAMDA courses

Working with the Local Community

  • Trent College has a partnership with Wilsthorpe Comprehensive School and a number of local primary schools. As part of this partnership the School has organised 'Leading from the Middle' Courses and become partners in the Leadership Pathways Initiative (NCSL).
  • The School has close links with Nottingham, Derby, Ilkeston & Melbourne Rugby Clubs and Beeston Hockey Clubs with staff assisting in coaching, pupils attending training sessions and academies
  • The school works in partnership with local companies, schools and other organisations in placing Year 11 pupils for their work attachment and experience.
  • All Year 11 and 12 pupils and many Year 13 contribute to the local and wider community through Community Service, CCF, Leadership, Podcasting, Photography, School Newspaper, Nature Conservation & Lifesaving.
  • Pupils help at local Primary Schools, in a variety of Summer Holiday Activities and visit elderly members of the local community on a weekly basis.
  • In 2008/09, over £20,000 was raised towards local, national and international causes including: Rainbow Hospice, Treetops Hospice, Padley Centre, Framework, Cancer Research UK, Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal, Children in Need, Comic Relief, Wheels-4-Life, Operation Christmas Child, Turn on the Tap, Kenyan School.
  • In 2008/09, Trent College's Whole School programme has hosted over 70 external speakers welcoming visitors from the local community to many lectures. Details of lectures are advertised and reported in the local press and via the School website.
  • The Swimming Pool is used by swimming clubs (Long Eaton Swimming Club & JB Swim Club swim) every evening of the week from 1800 - 2100 and on weekends and is used by a local scuba diving centre in partnership with the school to train children and adults following the SSI open water qualification; the Sports Hall is let out to local badminton and cricket clubs on a regular basis and the tennis courts are used by local training organisations.
  • Local children attend the Activate sports camp at Trent College during summer holidays from Monday to Friday 0830-1730 where our sports facilities are in full use.
  • The May Hall is used by the community for a number of events, concerts and exhibitions; including the Long Eaton Operatic Society, the Erewash Musical Society, the National Blood Service, the RAF Association, Living Threads.
  • The school plays a significant role in the training and development of new teachers; through partnership agreements with Loughborough and Nottingham Trent Universities, providing placements for a number of Postgraduate Certificate of Education students per year; through Derby University's Graduate Teaching Programme (GTP) which offers suitably qualified graduates a school-based route to obtaining qualified teacher status; through ISCtip statutory induction provided for newly qualified teachers.
  • Trent is a regional training centre for State and Independent Boarding Schools, as arranged in partnership with the Boarding Schools Association.

Environmental

  • The School's arboretum is one of the largest in the East Midlands and many visitors enjoy the regular guided tours around it. The School conserves the school site: all species of tree on site have been identified and new ones are being continuously planted, while careful husbandry is conserving a number of rare specimens.
  • The School operates a battery, paper and printer cartridge recycling centre for its staff and pupils. Regular waste audits are conducted by pupils with the help of the environmental group Global Action. Waste was significantly reduced during this period. Almost all raw food waste is composted. Cooking ingredients are sourced locally to reduce food miles and packaging.
  • The school's energy consumption is monitored every 30 minutes. Wherever possible the school installs automated equipment to assist in controlling lighting, temperature and general usage of energy. There is a rolling refurbishment programme operated by the Maintenance Department so that as older equipment is replaced, it is replaced by energy efficient items.
  • Environmental awareness is taught as part of our Personal Social & Health Education programme. Environmental action projects are regularly arranged within Biology and Geography. There is a regular weekly Nature Conservation activity which supports local sites of interest through litter picking, stream clearing, bat box building, hedge planting projects etc.