Trinity Academy has a thriving PE department and a strong tradition of fielding hockey and rugby teams that compete with state and independent schools in Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife.
In S1, pupils have a double period of PE each week, and they rotate through a variety of sports – for example, badminton, rugby, volleyball, basketball, hockey and tennis.
The school has 2 small gym halls and the assembly hall for indoors PE as well as a fitness suite with treadmills and other equipment. Outdoors PE takes place at Bangholm, five minutes on foot from the school, off Craighall Road, where there is a large outdoor facility with rugby pitch, astro turf, and in summer athletics/cricket facilities.
There are various after school clubs (cricket, badminton, table tennis, basketball, dance) and coaching sessions for hockey/rugby.
Hockey and rugby are the main team sports at the school and give pupils a great chance to compete across all levels. In 2018 there was great success for the senior 1st XI girls hockey team, winning both the Scottish Aspire Cup and the East District Plate and they retained the Aspire Cup in 2019.
Teams are open to all S1’s. All pupils are really encouraged to have a go at hockey or rugby, even if they think it’s not their thing. No prior experience is necessary. Being part of a team can make for a great positive bond going through school and can lead on to participation in an exciting senior tour (see Trips and Tours). Other sports teams at the school in recent years have included basketball and cricket.
Once pupils commit to extracurricular sports, they join the ‘Sports Club’ and an annual fee is charged (£40 in 2018/2019) to cover costs. Some away games require a coach for which pupils bring a contribution for travel (£2).
Kit is required (black and yellow hockey/rugby junior and senior shirt) with black skort/shorts and socks. There are Trinity Academy hoodies too – worth getting initials for a bit more money when they all get left in changing rooms! Kit can be bought online at PSL or at Aitken and Niven. The Parent Council is working on setting up sales of second hand sports kit and if anyone has difficulty in purchasing kit then the PE department are sometimes in a position to lend kit.
Matches are almost always on Saturday mornings. A list of fixtures is made available on the school website sports club pages. There are also further FAQ’s for hockey and rugby on these pages which provide information on the kit needed, training times and arrangements for games.
Twitter quickly becomes essential if your child participates in team games. Keep an eye on twitter on the morning of matches as these can sometimes be cancelled at the last minute if, for example, a pitch is frozen. It’s also great to follow results and sometimes post-match photos on twitter. The Trinity Academy PE and Sports twitter account to follow is @Trinity_sports1. Parents are encouraged to share match results through the Parent Council facebook page.
School of rugby
The School of Rugby programme is an inclusive programme welcoming all levels of ability and rugby experience. It is an initiative whereby staff deliver a weekly structured rugby programme involving curricular and extra-curricular sessions. This means that pupils in School of Rugby have a slightly adapted timetable whereby they have rugby sessions in their week.
The School of Rugby aims to build participation so there are more rugby teams in Trinity Academy, opportunities for the development of girls rugby as well as non-playing opportunities for senior pupils in rugby coaching, refereeing, volunteering and running sport in local primary schools and rugby clubs.
At Trinity Academy the School of Rugby is currently offered to S1-S4 pupils who participate in two curricular lessons and three extra-curricular lessons per week. There is a School of Rugby timetable posted on the school website showing which periods the School of Rugby takes place on each week. It is pupils’ responsibility to check back with class teachers to see if there is work or homework to be aware of.
In the senior phase pupils are given the opportunity to complete the UKCC Level 1 coaching children course. While continuing to develop rugby skills, pupils also enhance their leadership, organisation and communication skills.
At the start of S1, pupils will be asked if they want to join School of Rugby. If they opt to do so, they follow the School of Rugby timetable so they will come out of class for two periods each week. Before this happens, a letter to be signed by parents/carers will be sent home, agreeing for the pupil to take part.
The School of Rugby provides an environment for learning inside and outside of the classroom. Each pupil involved in School of Rugby receives a report on their involvement and progress included in their PE report. Trinity Academy has run the School of Rugby for eight years. Participants have shown a significant improvement in their Key National Themes (skills) and their Physical Competency tests. As a result of such improvements two players from the school were chosen to represent Scotland at their age and nine players have represented Edinburgh.