How can we apply for a place at Holy Trinity?

If your child is due to start school in the Foundation Stage next September (that means that they will be turning 5 years old at some point between next September and the following August) you need to apply online through Wiltshire Local Authority http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/schoolseducationandlearning/schoolsandcolleges/schooladmissions.htm

If you want to transfer your child who is already in school to Holy Trinity, please contact the school on 01380 813 796, or email admin@holytrinity.wilts.sch.uk and we will support you through the process. Holy Trinity is its own admissions authority because it is a Stand-Alone Academy.

Please phone the school to make an appointment to look around and chat to the headteacher – we do not hold open days since we would rather personally meet each family interested in our school.

How are places allocated?

A copy of our admissions policy is available on our website, under the tab “Information for Parents”. In summary, if we are oversubscribed, we allocate places

• firstly to those who legally must be awarded places (vulnerable children in various categories),
• then we award places to those who live our catchment area (Great Cheverell, Little Cheverell, Erlestoke and Coulston) with siblings of those in catchment having first priority,
• then we award places to those who have siblings in our school but live out of catchment,
• then those who live out of the catchment and can present a valid Christian Faith application
• lastly those who live out of the catchment area but don’t fall into any of the above categories.

In the event of a tie break in any criterion, distance from the school is used to separate the candidates.  Well over 50% of our children come from outside our catchment area.

What do we need to look for when we are trying to decide on the best school for our child? 

This depends a lot on your own educational philosophy. If you walk through a school and it feels happy, welcoming and purposeful, and if you have a sense that good values are at the heart of the school ethos, that is a very good start. This means that your child will be valued, challenged and happy at school.

If you see that behaviour is good, that children are engaged with their learning and are being kind and polite to others, that is another good sign as it means that your child will be part of a loving and effective community.

If the adults are cheerful and welcoming, that is a good sign – it means that they are enjoying their work and that means your child will have a rich experience at school.

If the school’s academic outcomes are good, year after year, and have been so for many years, that can reassure you that your child will be well taught and will learn the necessary skills and knowledge they need to live happy and fulfilled lives.

You are welcome to ask any questions you wish about the school – providing the information is not data protected, you should receive frank and honest answers. You might want to ask about bullying, homework, behaviour, staff turnover, parental engagement, the broader curriculum, vision for the future, plans to change any aspect of that particular school, the philosophy of the school – and so on.

Ultimately, you need to have a good “feel” about a school when you walk through it and you have to have a sense that your child will thrive in this environment.

What time does the school day start and finish?

• The school day starts at 8.30am.Children must be dropped off between 8.30am and 8.40am. 
• The school day ends at 3.00pm.
• Total 32.5 hours per week

Does the school provide breakfast clubs or afterschool care?

We provide Wrap Around Care, with Breakfast club starting at 7.45 am and After School Club operating until 5.30pm (or a short session that ends at 4.15pm). More details under the “Wrap Around Care” tab.

What is the uniform and where can I buy it?

The school colours are NAVY and GREY.

Clothing: Jumpers/sweatshirt/cardigan with logo – navy

Shirts                                 – pale blue or white

Blouses                             – pale blue or white

Skirts/pinafore dresses    – grey or navy

Trousers/shorts                – grey, black or navy (no leggings or ‘fashion’ trousers, please                                              avoid jump suits)

Summer dresses               – checked blue pattern 

Socks                                 – white, grey, black or navy, or grey, blue or black tights

Shoes                                – sensible black school shoes,(no trainers, open toed sandals,                                              high heels or boots)

 HAIR Hair must either be short enough that it does not fall over the face, or swept back from the face with clips or hair bands, or it must be tied up.  We ask that all hair accessories be moderate and sensible and in the school colours.

Jewellery Small, stud type earrings may be worn in pierced ears and small wrist watches may be worn. NO other jewellery, wrist bands, necklaces, or rings may be worn. No nail polish, hair dye or make up should be worn to school.

Mobile Phones No mobile phones or other similar devices may be brought into school.

P.E.           Navy or black shorts, white T-shirt, soft trainers and a draw string PE bag.

Bags        Plain dark blue reading book bags (portfolio type bags) are available from the Tesco site or other suppliers so that children can carry reading books and reading records. Other school bags must be small enough to hang on your child’s peg – we cannot accommodate rucksacks so PE kit needs to be in a small draw string bag.

It cannot be emphasised too strongly that all clothing should have your child’s name on it.  Children often do not recognise their own belongings, so having your child’s name on all items of clothing can save time and stress to your children, teachers and parents alike. There is a lost property basket in the school office.  Please ask to see it if your child loses anything.  Any suitable clothes not claimed after a term will go to charity or the PFA fabric recycling effort.

Uniform items are available online from My Uniform https://myclothing.com/the-holy-trinity-church-of-england-primary-academy/8368.school. Uniform can also be bought from OHM clothing in Snuff Street, Devizes.

We keep a stock of various sizes in school if you wish to try before you buy.

All uniform items can be purchased from

OHM Clothing
Snuff Street
Devizes SN10 1FG

http://www.ohmclothing.co.uk/product-category/holy-trinity-primary-school

or online from  My Clothing  (a small donation goes to the school from this website for each purchase)
https://myclothing.com   Enter the school postcode SN10 5TL

or from Galileo clothing in Devizes

sales@galileoclothing.co.uk

We do not have space for children to bring rucksacks into school, so please purchase the flat book bags and drawstring bags for PE clothing.

Where can we park when dropping off or picking up children?

There is some parking outside the school – we ask parents not to park in the lay-by and to use this area as a “Stop and Drop” area. There are  spaces in the Pavilion car park which the parish council very kindly allows us to use but we do ask parents to be considerate when parking across the road. Children’s lives are in danger if people park dangerously. If possible, please walk into school or form a lift club with other local families to reduce the number of cars outside the school at busy times. There is parking further down in the village and a very pretty walk up Green Lane should there be insufficient parking outside the school.