It is my pleasure to welcome your child/children to Trinity Gardens School. Our school focuses on providing a high quality educational program aimed at achieving excellence and based in an enriching environment which will meet the individual needs of each student and support them as a learner to develop their full potential.

Trinity Gardens School through the school community and particularly its committed staff, endeavour to promote to each child the school values of respect, responsibility and learning, and the school thrives in this supportive and caring environment.

We are very proud to offer families a choice between Mainstream education and Steiner Education for children from Reception onwards. The school also offers a quality preschool education through our Early Learning Centre and caters for students with severe and multiple disabilities through a purpose built unit. A quality out of school hours program operates to assist families with care and offers exciting programs.

Trinity Gardens School sets high academic and social standards, which are consistently met. Enrolments across the school campus have risen to over 400 in 2008. This growth reflects confidence in the diversity of curriculum offered, standards of excellence and the commitment of the staff in nurturing the unique gifts of each child. It is anticipated that enrolments will be capped at around 500. A school zone is enforced when classes at particular year levels are full.

The school maintains a strong focus on Literacy and Numeracy, viewing these as the carrier of opportunity. The school consistently achieves well above the state average and like schools in the SA Statewide Literacy and Numeracy tests. These outstanding results are achieved through careful monitoring of each student’s achievement, whole school consistent practices, ongoing professional learning for staff and timely intervention. Targeted support is put in place through the use of trained classroom assistants for students with special needs or with English as a second language.

The Virtues program supports social learning and to develop each student’s social responsibility. This program has now been successfully integrated into Trinity Gardens School. All children are encouraged to live by the virtues, creating a culture of character and supporting students to develop resilience and optimism and live using the best within them. The program integrates learning about the virtues of human character into the existing curriculum, the student behaviour management practices, student counselling and daily classroom life. At Trinity Gardens School everyone speaks the language of virtues and this provides a common way of talking about behaviours.

Currently the classroom programs are supplemented with three specialist areas: Italian, Physical Education and Music. In addition there are many school sport teams such as soccer, cricket and basketball. Private tuition is available in violin, piano and guitar.

A current school priority is Information Communication Technology (ICT) and this is supported with the teaching appointment of a Coordinator. Exciting opportunities exist to integrate learning technologies in all learning areas through using ICT as tools for learning. A computer suite houses 30 up to date computers and computers pods are located throughout the school. Each classroom is equipped with a computer with internet access that can run powerful software to enable students to present their learning using a multimedia platform. The introduction of electronic whiteboards has added a new dimension for learning.

The school has a zero tolerance to bullying and conducts an annual bully audit to ensure we are aware of any issues. Students are explicitly taught what to do if they think they are being harassed. As a result of our openness there is very little concern. Behaviour management is centred on restorative practices where students are counselled to repair or fix problems with relationships. This approach aligns with the Virtues program and recent research.

A strong, active and involved community is a sign of a successful school, and Trinity Gardens School certainly displays this asset. Evidence of this is seen in attendance at AGMs (where elections are held for position on Governing Council), all children wearing uniform and the huge amount of support received in the wake of the sad destruction of our new gym in late 2006. Parents are always welcome to contribute to the life of the school in a variety of ways. Currently a very active team of parents is involved in formulating the strategic direction for the proposed Children’s Centre.

Outstanding success in national grant applications has enabled the school to make many upgrades to the outside learning environment including: two new playgrounds,
a piazza, shade structures, sandpits, seating and underground oval watering. The new school gymnasium is due for completion in late 2008.

We are very proud of the cultural diversity present at our school. Although there is no dominant group we have over 20 countries represented and enjoy flying the flags of many countries along with the Australian, South Australian and Aboriginal flags.

Please contact the school with any enquiries or to arrange a tour. Information mornings or evenings are held regularly. Our newsletters are published on our website and contain up to date information. Your child and their family will be most welcome to join our school community.

Vicki Stokes
Principal