Major expansion plans for a leading private school in Croydon have been made public, marking a historic shift as it prepares to admit female students for the first time. Trinity School in Shirley has published a pre-application outlining a significant redevelopment of its 27-acre campus, a move directly prompted by the closure of The Old Palace girls' school last year.
A New Chapter: From Boys' School to Fully Co-Educational
The proposals, brought forward by the school's owner, the John Whitgift Foundation (JWF), are designed to support Trinity's transition to becoming fully co-educational. The school, which has only admitted girls into its Sixth Form since 2011, will begin welcoming girls into Year 6 and Year 7 from 2027.
Head Teacher Alasdair Kennedy, who has led the school since 2016, described the project as "a real opportunity to rethink the whole site." The JWF considered building a new girls' school but concluded it was not viable, given the number of other independent girls' schools in the area and the challenge of attracting sufficient pupils.
The expansion aims to increase total pupil numbers from the current 1,050 to 1,398 by 2031, accommodating approximately 350 new students. The JWF has committed to fully funding the project's costs.
Transforming the Campus: New Buildings and Social Spaces
The heart of the development focuses on the school's front entrance, which Mr Kennedy said is currently "just a big car park." The vision is to create a more inviting, welcoming social space for students.
The key elements of the scheme include:
- A new three-storey sixth form centre with social study space and a café.
- A three-storey fitness suite and ten new classrooms to ensure equal access to facilities for incoming girls.
- A two-storey walkway linking the new buildings, connecting back to the main school via a covered courtyard.
- The demolition of four existing staff houses and the replacement of the maintenance building.
- Reconfigured entrances, pedestrian routes, and drop-off areas, with a redesigned parking layout providing 175 marked spaces.
- New landscaped gardens and outdoor social spaces.
The plans explicitly state they will not encroach on the southern part of the site, which is designated as Metropolitan Green Belt.
Planning Hurdles: Traffic, Housing and Design Details
Croydon Council's planning committee is set to discuss the pre-application on January 15, ahead of a formal submission. Council officers have stated the overall layout and scale are "broadly acceptable," but flagged several areas needing refinement.
Traffic and parking are primary concerns. The plans would reduce on-site parking from 186 to 175 spaces. Officers acknowledged the need to attract staff but warned it could increase car dependency and traffic on adjoining Shirley Road and Addiscombe Road. They have requested an improved travel plan.
The loss of the four three-bedroom staff houses also conflicts with council policy to protect family-sized housing. However, officers suggest this could be partly offset by staff using recently approved flats nearby on Addiscombe Road. They also indicated that the wider educational benefit of the expansion may outweigh the housing loss, a point councillors will debate next week.
Officers have also requested more detail on architectural design, materials, landscaping, sustainability, and public art. The school's plans have already been reviewed by Croydon's independent Design Review Panel, which highlighted the parking concerns.
If approved, the development will mark the most significant change in Trinity School's history, reshaping its campus and character as it opens its doors to a new generation of students.
