Observations from students and alumni suggest that the friendly and inclusive environment at Trinity College School creates strong bonds and long-lasting relationships among its diverse student body and faculty.
Everyone at Trinity College School is very friendly. There is a feeling on campus where everyone knows each other, and students feel like you're part of a community, which is really special.
If Trinity College School were to be personified, it would be a person who's open to and welcoming to all sorts of different people and interests. Whether you're a sports person, an academic person, or an arts person, whatever your identity, Trinity College School will be a place that will be welcoming to you.
New students at Trinity College School would be surprised about the diversity of students. My idea of boarding school or private school was I thought it was quite academically focused. I had some friends who came into Trinity College School on a sports scholarship or chose the school based on having a good football team or hockey team, and I think they thought it would be a sports school. What surprised me the most, and I think what might also surprise others the most, is that Trinity College School actually has quite a few different, well-developed areas of study. Trinity College School also helped me as a student to try out things, for example, I never saw myself as a particularly artsy person. I love creative writing, but I had never really acted before. That wasn't something I considered But then I had the chance to try it out at Trinity College School.
TCS is a very international, global school. I have Nigerian heritage, and it was so nice to meet people who actually grew up in Nigeria and live in Nigeria and are coming over to TCS to be a boarder and meet people from other countries who I never would have had the chance to meet before — that would be the highlight for me.
You get to know everyone so well. And I don't think more than one or two weeks went by without us doing something together as a whole school. We had a lot of fun half-days. We had a lot of fun skate days and different school dances, and you just got to know everyone so well. It really helped to foster a sense of community, and it was something different for me. I was coming from a school of over two thousand students. So to go from somewhere you feel a little bit anonymous to having your own place carved out for you was a really great feeling.
I don't think more than one or two weeks went by without Trinity College School doing something together as a whole school. You get to know everyone so well, and it helped to foster the sense of community. I was coming from a school of over two thousand students. So to go from somewhere that you feel a little bit anonymous, to having your own place carved out for you was a really great feeling.
TCS is a school where, even as a day student, you often have breakfast, lunch and dinner at school. So you're spending a lot of time at Osler Hall, a lot of time just talking to your friends and winding down, and you even see faculty in there as well. I think Trinity College School is a beautiful place. And it has all along its perimeter the flags of the countries, of its students and faculty. I think it's a place where you can really see TCS's diversity as well.
I think families would be surprised by how quickly you find your community. I think that comes down to two main things–class sizes and the house system. Classes aren’t bigger than 20 people. And, if you think about how the class is set up, there's probably five groups with four desk pods. Suddenly it's going to feel a lot easier to communicate, to connect, and to find a couple of friendly faces around.
The house system is also a really quick way of building community. It makes you feel at home, and in your place, in a way that my family and I had not anticipated. What I love about it is that it gives kids something to rally behind. And so, by the time you are doing house volleyball, two weeks into school, you're cheering with the same people. The house leaders are amazing and they're always looking out for kids.
As a day student, being connected to the boarding community at TCS gives you a lot of perspective. You can't even quantify the impact necessarily, because it just makes you more worldly, it makes you more culturally aware, it makes you more able to interact with people that are completely different from you, that come from completely different backgrounds, and make something great.
One of the things we were concerned about, sending our kids to private school was that it might become this insular bubble of all private school kids, whatever that stereotype is, but I’d say it's been really the opposite. I think the boarding students, in particular, enhance that. There's kids from all over the world there. It actually went from being what I thought might be a bubble to, in fact, being super multicultural, and this global perspective and really diverse perspectives, in giving kids such an appreciation for people from other cultures, countries, and nationalities. That was actually a really positive benefit that I hadn't really thought about.
Three words that describe Trinity College School are community-minded, courageous and warm, and wise at the same time. I would put an emphasis on the warm part, too. I think that every staff member, and especially for kids who are going away from home for the first time, it's amazing that you know the people who are helping clean your clothes, but you feel like they're an aunt or an uncle, and everyone in that whole community is amazing.
My kids meet kids from different countries, but I think the similarity is that everyone comes from a wonderful, nurturing family that is taking a leap to send their kids to a school that they often haven't even seen.
As we meet Trinity College School families along the line, everyone is so welcoming and inclusive. Our kids have friends who come and stay, and their parents will reach out right away. I feel like my community is expanded just from having my kids at Trinity College School.
From my perspective, I really think that Trinity College School is such a strong school. The best thing is that any kind of kid can go to Trinity College School and thrive. I'm seeing that from four different perspectives, so I really don't have any negative comments.
I appreciate how well-prepared I was socially. I was around such a diverse group of students. I had classmates from Mexico, Germany, Japan, China, Zimbabwe, Namibia. And then I lived with these people 24/7. So you learn to be your authentic self.
TCS is a community. I’ll continue saying that. I've visited many schools; I’ve played at schools for sports; I've been at them for academic competitions; I just visit them because my classmates or friends may be there. I told my friends at Appleby, ‘You should have gone to TCS.’ I tell my friends at Havergal, ‘You should have gone to TCS.’ St. Clement’s? ‘You should have gone to TCS.’ At TCS, boarding is first and foremost. We were 55% of the population, which is not common.
People from different backgrounds, experiences, and understandings of the world are able to be present in this little universe that we enjoy within Port Hope. Not like in Toronto where you’re going in and out of the school, where the community may not be as solid.
How many places can you refer to somebody you never speak to by first and last name? I can remember names off the top of my head. It's that level of intimacy; you can know somebody so innately because you see them face to face in the chapel; you're going to the dining hall scene together to eat; you're going to classes; you may be with them in sports games. .. It passively produces a community that is hard to match.
It’s not a posh school. Wealth is not exhibited. Everyone’s equal. I think that’s something we in the TCS community have in common. When I was looking for boarding schools, and I would go to the United States to see their boarding schools, that would scare me. Wealth was exposed; they were very posh. Not TCS: everyone’s equal. It’s very democratic.
I try to have coffee with the kids first thing in the morning because we have boarding students and day students coming in. We have assembly — chapel — all those kinds of things that unite the whole school together. And that's probably my favorite part of the day: when you have five hundred, six hundred kids all together from all across Canada — all across the province, all across the region, different countries around the world — to connect face to face, with all the kids. That's an incredibly energizing feeling.
Holding doors at TCS, in a very small way, is a sign of being part of a community and not just thinking of yourself — and we all [hold doors], and we talk about it a great deal. When you hold a door open, literally, you’re caring about somebody else. You're showing them a pathway; you're providing them an openness, a warmth, a hello, a greeting and eye contact, an opportunity to say thank you, and an opportunity to engage in some way, either verbally or otherwise. [We encourage] that habit of heart; of, yes, trying to enhance your own skills and prepare yourself for a future, but also being part of a team. Little, tiny, important social engagements are actually setting up kids to do the right thing.
The culture of "family" was strong in the halls of TCS, acceptance and openness was universal as students came from countless different countries, cultures, and socio-economic backgrounds. One of the most prominent displays in the historic Osler Dining Hall is the countless array of flags of countries from which students have hailed. Many students fondly debate over which flag belongs to what country, and who in the school comes from such a far away land. Further, although TCS was established in the 19th century as an Anglican school, it is home to several religions, cultures, and practices of the multicultural students. These different cultures are often displayed proudly in morning chapel lessons geared toward the learning of new cultures. Finally, tuition costs of TCS may deter some students from applying, but the school offers an unusually high number of scholarships and grants programs to allow students to attend the school who show promise and drive. Overall, TCS is an eclectic international tapestry that fosters acceptance, learning, and overall "worldliness".
TCS accepts high achievers from all corners of the world for a number a different qualities. The one consistent and universal quality that the students possess is heart. Show them that you have the strength of character to contribute to a bright and incredible international community, and they will welcome you with open arms. After all, clearly displayed under every coat of arms at Trinity College School is "Beate Mundo Corder". Blessed are the pure in heart. Good luck!
Outside of being generally bright, TCS doesn't really have a 'typical' student because we come from all over the world, and the common assumption that a boarding school student is a rich, white kid doesn't stand. TCS has a robust financial aid system that serves further to diversify the student body both among Canadians and international students. As a recipient of financial aid myself, I certainly felt that my presence at TCS was the great equalizer and that my family's net worth had nothing to do with my ability to be a part of the community. My family sent myself, my two sisters and my cousin to TCS. There is a significant age gap between myself and my younger cousin, and it's been a pleasure to watch the school both evolve and stick to its roots since I first set foot on the campus. The school's collective values have not changed - integrity, connection of the heart and the mind, responsibility, courage etc... But it has also become a place that is more open to debate about key issues that impact the diverse student body - ethnicity, language, origin, socio-economic standing, gender and sexuality. Intersectionality is something that I value and I respect that the school has evolved to prioritize it.
When I think of the boarding and day students I can say that it feels more like a city with different people from different backgrounds, but when I isolate it into the boarding students, it feels more like a small town because you see these people every day and you live closely with them especially since all the students are split up into distinct "houses". As expected, I think the students who do well at the school are the ones who enter the school with a positive attitude and are able to carry that positive attitude over the course of the year because it becomes increasingly important the longer you are in the school, they also need to be hard workers who are not afraid to ask questions and they should also be open in order to socialize well, but they should have the strength to not change themselves or their values in order to "fit in". On the other hand, I find that the students who are always looking for shortcuts in their work and are lazy tend to struggle academically, also, if they close up themselves from everyone they struggle socially. I honestly do not think there is any school where every single person feels included, that is just the fact of life. But I must admit that upon your arrival into the school people do make an effort to welcome you and include you, it then becomes your decision on how you want to reciprocate their welcome in the way you feel will be the best for your student life at TCS.
Trinity College School is a co-ed school with a student population of approximately 500 students. The school has a combination of both day and boarding students who are assigned to a house according to gender upon entering the school. The house is the student’s home base, with students from every grade. The older house members act as a mentor for new students to ease them into the TCS community. Each house has weekly meetings and often has friendly house competitions between houses, which only strengthens the sense of community. Throughout the year the Prefect’s organize themed days and outdoor fun and games, dances and a coffee house. All these activities help the students get involved in developing a tightly knit community filled with school spirit.
—Kim McConnell, parent (beginning 2013) (see
full review)
Trinity College School has an outstanding student body. The variety of students, the size of the student body and spirit add together to make a wonderful environment for learning and living. Students come from all over Canada, plus different countries, which adds to the richness and diversity of the student body. The students learn about other countries, languages, and the greatness of other cultures. There are boarding students and day students, which makes a perfect size of the school. Each student is a part of a "House," which encourages being part of a smaller group within the larger student body. Each House consists of all four grades of students and encourages students of different ages to interact and get along with each other. Smaller House events and larger full student body events do an outstanding job of creating a spirit of fun and understanding of each other.
—Erica Brown, parent (beginning 2020) (see
full review)
As I mentioned before the school is like a small community. The student body size is ideal and the school makes a huge effort to balance the male to female ratio. The spirit among the students is wonderful and a reflection of the staff and leadership of the school. There are many opportunities for student-led leadership and in general a collegial and family-like atmosphere. The student houses further allow for small tight-knit communities within the larger school community. The strong community bond and traditions at TCS, foster strong community-minded, global citizens. Students learn to be advocates for themselves and their broader community through the example of staff, teachers and the administration of the school. Further to this, leadership opportunities allow for all students to find courage and strength within themselves to succeed.
—Jeanette M Lane, parent (beginning 2012) (see
full review)
The school is welcoming and open to parent involvement on many levels. I have spent many years volunteering and meeting new friends and families through the Parents Guild. These parents have become friends and the sense of community that exists inside TCS spreads out to the community surrounding it because of these relationships. This encourages a common goal that exists from the family homes to the school. Not only do the children feel supported but as parents, we feel included, involved and have the opportunity to feel the special spirit at TCS.
—Jeanette M Lane, parent (beginning 2012) (see
full review)
TCS is the anchor in a small town. The students are well respected and welcomed all over Port Hope. Many staff and families call Port Hope home. The existence of the school goes back many generations making it an important part of the town. The students are able to get around on foot to stretch outside the boundaries of the school. The school is lucky to have ample space to be indoors and outdoors. They are surrounded by nature but very accessible to trains and highways for travel.
—Jeanette M Lane, parent (beginning 2012) (see
full review)
Kathy, head of admissions, is very professional and friendly. She has worked in TCS for many years and knows a lot about the school. She can also tell parents whether TCS is suitable for their child. Every year, the admissions department will go to different parts of the world to hold admissions meetings. There are more than 100 international students from dozens of countries in the school. Every child meets TCS admission standards and stands out from many applicants. There are about 15 students from China every year. These students are mainly excellent students from Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Shenzhen. We applied for TCS, provided TOEFL and SSAT middle-level scores, and participated in the school's independent enrollment examination. My daughter was accepted by college admissions officers almost immediately.
—Susan Zhang, parent (beginning 2016) (see
full review)
I really liked the number of students in the student body. It was diverse enough where you would meet people from all kinds of countries, but small enough where personal connections could be fostered. The main thing that stood out to me about the TCS student body was how many countries are represented. This is especially evident when I go on the snap map during a break and see that there are people from all continents. The school also had great spirit and it was bettered with tight-knit-inter-house relationships and events such as breakfast Olympics. The dynamic between students was great too, everyone was making an effort to do something nice and make a difference in others' lives; TCS students genuinely like the feeling of doing a nice gesture. Though it is diverse, it can be noticed that friend groups are still somewhat related to nationality. There are exceptions but it is a pattern that students from the same country tend to stick together because friendship often happens much more naturally. It is not that students are not willing to make friends with others from another country, I think it just takes time and more getting to know each other.
There are approximately 450 students in the Senior School with an equal male/female balance. Approximately half of the students are boarders and about half of these boarders are international students. The size of the school is ideal in allowing the students to really get to know kids in their individual grades through shared classes. Extracurriculars and service learning allow for further interaction with students from other grades. There is an inclusive, tight knit sense of the community that the students embrace. The Prefects and Student House Leaders go a fantastic job in building school spirit by planning fun and creative school-wide activities throughout the year. During Awards Ceremonies, it is amazing to see the students celebrating their teammates successes. From our experience, we have found both the international community and the boarding at Trinity are two of the school's greatest strengths.
—Leslie Gibson, parent (beginning 2017) (see
full review)
On the first day, new students and their families are greeted by returning students and provided a tour around the campus. I particularly like the school's approach to maintaining a 50% boarding and 50% day student population in addition to a 50% male/female ratio. I remember a friend whose son started at TCS a year before ours did and he said "it was kind of weird at first how nice everyone is but that's TCS." I have also personally witnessed positive peer mentoring where a grade 12 student went out of his way to make a fellow student feel comfortable in an uncomfortable situation by engaging other students to model the supportive behaviour. There is no doubt in my mind that TCS is an environment where students are encouraged to be their best selves.
—Arundel Gibson, parent (beginning 2019) (see
full review)
