Seniors & Sixth Form
The Senior School is based in central Croydon in buildings that date from 1463. More recent additions include our prize-wining Cathedral building (c 2000), indoor swimming pool, dance and drama studios, netball courts, science block and courtyard gardens.
Our Art rooms are well equipped with a specific teaching space for Years 7-9, a stand-alone ceramics room that also has the opportunity for students to extend their skills and learn to slump and fuse glass. On the top floor of the Jubilee Building there are two spacious Art studios and a Photography dark-room. Both studios are individually well equipped with the means for students to work in a wide range of media. Equipment includes a flatbed printing press, silk screens, embellishers and sewing machines, specialist paints, photography equipment and industry standard software on the computers.
In 2001, the John Whitgift Foundation commissioned a three-story block of classrooms known as The Cathedral Building. This prize-winning design provides the Senior School with spacious, modern classrooms in a classical setting.
The main teaching space for Dance is our large, mirror-lined dance studio with specialist sprung floor. We also use the Banqueting Hall for larger performances and classes.
We have a dedicated dining hall where students enjoy a wide range of freshly cooked hot meals, plus salads, soups and sandwiches, cooked on site by our caterers.
A dedicated drama studio provides space for rehearsals and smaller performances. Large productions are held in the Banqueting Hall.
We have a dedicated IT suite and Sixth Form students have access to laptops and are also allowed to bring their own devices into school.
The Senior School boasts the fine, 16th Century Guard Room and Friends Library.
We hold intimate recitals in our 15th Century chapel and larger concerts in our historic Banqueting Hall. Specialist music teachers give individual lessons in our suite of music rooms.
The labs in our Science block provide excellent facilities to support our large Science department.
Our Sixth Form Centre is situated in the Shah building – an innovative, architectural mix of original, 1930s warehouse and state-of-the-art, modern glass atrium. The common room contains a kitchen area and students also enjoy the privilege of private study areas in our historic Guard Room and Long Gallery.
The Senior School includes a purpose-built, 25m swimming pool, where students enjoy weekly swimming lessons and take part in water polo matches and swimming galas. We also have a sports hall, netball courts and the use of Whitgift Sports Ground/Club facilities along with Trinity’s all-weather hockey pitches. We hold Sports Day at Whitgift and have forged links with a local cricket club to use their facilities.
This magnificent room has recently been restored and provides a new space for studying, recitals and receptions. It is here that Queen Elizabeth I liked to dance with her favourite courtiers when she visited Old Palace (which she did, 13 times!).
The Senior School may be in the middle of Croydon, but stand in our beautiful, lavender and rose-scented Medieval Garden on a summer’s day and it’s easy to forget you are in the centre of town. Three other courtyards add to the pleasant spaces our students can enjoy at break and lunchtime.
