Trinity School in Croydon will be extending co-education from its sixth form only to students of all ages.

The school will welcome its first co-educational intake in Year 6 and Year 7 in September 2027 and will be fully co-educational by 2031.

Trinity School was founded in 1882 by the John Whitgift Foundation and moved from central Croydon to its current 27-acre site in Shirley Park in 1965.

The school continued its evolution with the introduction of girls to the sixth form in 2011, and notable alumnae include Olympian Imani-Lara Lansiquot and Lucy Ellis Keeler, Women in Business and Finance chair.

Alasdair Kennedy, headmaster, said: “This is a really-exciting new chapter for our school and the wider community.

“Extending our co-education provision reflects our longstanding commitment to nurturing outstanding young people and preparing them for their future.

“By expanding what we have been doing for older students since 2011, we are building an even-more-diverse learning environment that benefits everyone.

“From cognitive skills and critical thinking to creativity and cultures, the greater the range of perspectives and experiences that students are exposed to, the better their learning and personal development outcomes.

“We are proud of our socio-economic and culturally-diverse student population and look forward to extending diversity through co-education across all year groups.”

A recent report by the Independent Schools Inspectorate praised the very-high standards met across academic lessons, co-curricular activities, and pastoral care. And it awarded Trinity a ‘significant strength’ for the quality of its own community, and its support of the local community.

Kennedy said: “We have a welcoming community, with excellent teaching and learning and outstanding co-curricular opportunities.

“We are in a strong position to extend our co-educational provision and look forward to taking this forward over the next five years.”

The decision is fully supported by the senior management team, school governors, and the John Whitgift Foundation, of which the school is a part, and which provides a significant bursary programme.

Chairman of the Trinity School Committee, David Seymour, said: “The governors at Trinity are delighted that the school is expanding to be fully co-educational by 2031.

“Staff at the school have worked very hard throughout the planning stage to ensure there will be a smooth and measured transition to achieve this over the next few years, and we are confident that there is a strong team in place to take this project forward.

“The governors are determined to ensure that, despite these changes, the fundamental character of the school will not change and that it will continue to nurture outstanding young people from all backgrounds in an environment where pastoral care is strong, academic achievement is high, and students develop the values and character which will help them enjoy fulfilled and valuable lives in the future”.

Fiona Fletcher-Smith, chairman of the Court of Governors at John Whitgift Foundation, added: “This transition marks an important milestone in our commitment to providing high-quality education to all students.

“Our continuous support, through the strength of our investment, will ensure that Trinity School maintains its tradition of excellence while embracing this new chapter of co-education.

“I am confident that this initiative will both enrich the learning environment and continue to foster the development of well-rounded individuals prepared to thrive in our diverse and dynamic world.”