Matt, who left Trinity last summer, writes:

“Receiving a bursary so that I could go to Trinity has given me the best start in life that anyone could have asked for. My mum was worried that I wouldn’t fit in at my local secondary school, but also that we wouldn’t be able to pay for a private education. However, after looking around Trinity on their open day and finding out more about the life-changing bursary programme offered to students by the John Whitgift Foundation, we knew I had to apply.

"Throughout the seven years I spent at Trinity, I grew so much as a person and did so many things that I would never otherwise have been able to do. At the forefront of my mind is visiting Malawi in 2019, and how much I appreciated this experience. Equally, I would never have developed my love of sailing, which is something I had never tried before coming to the school. Despite the pandemic disrupting the final months at Trinity, I look back on my seven years there as being stretching, exciting and full of very happy memories.”

Matt is currently studying Geography at Durham University and pays tribute to the support and encouragement of his teachers.

“The support I had from my teachers was out of this world. They pushed me in lessons to always strive for my best, giving me the confidence I needed to apply to Durham. Even during the lockdown period, all of them were on hand to help if I needed it, and they continued to provide their amazing academic and pastoral support remotely. The Geography department even put in place various extracurricular activities for those of us who were applying to continue the subject at university. Being President of Trinity Geography Society was an amazing title to put on my UCAS application. The Geography department and the whole of the Sixth Form team massively helped me to reach my goals.

Trinity’s teachers are dedicated and professional, but, most importantly, caring – and always have your best interests at heart. Without this deep care that the teachers have for their students, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

Despite the continued disruption to normal study practices at university, Matt has settled well into his new course.

“Although I’ve only been in Durham for a few weeks now, I am really enjoying the course and the people I am living with. Looking to the future, I would love to study a masters in Geography after my undergraduate degree. Despite not knowing exactly what career path I want to be heading down, there are a few things, I think, that will be an essential part of my future. Volunteering is something that I wish to continue throughout my life – I would love to revisit Malawi to help over there.

"The bursary award I received allowed Trinity to give me so much throughout the seven years I was there, and, ultimately, I want to give back to Trinity as much as they have given to me.”