As an ecumenical Christian school that welcomes families and students regardless of their religious faith, Trinity seeks families who are excited about our mission and who want to foster a love of learning in their children. We believe the best gains in education are made when school and home share a common educational philosophy and partner together in encouraging exploration. This is why we want to give prospective parents a full understanding of who we are, what we believe, and what we do.

Each student comes to school as a whole person, and our process is designed to give us insight into his or her intellectual, social, emotional, and physical dimensions. The primary questions we ask about our younger students are, Will this student flourish here? Is this student ready for school? For which grade is this student ready? For our older students, we ask, Will this student be successful here, taking advantage of all that Trinity has to offer? How will this student enrich our community?

To make wise admission decisions, we attempt to balance the needs of the student, the needs of the entire school and class, and the concerns that you have as a parent. Thus, we take into account several types of input: parental insights and desires, teachers’ references, our own observations, age-appropriate assessments, and student feedback. Our youngest students are given developmental and behavioral assessments; for older students, we measure aptitude and achievement.

Mission Statement

In accordance with its mission, Trinity School seeks to attract families and enroll students who want to be part of a community with shared values and a shared educational philosophy. Our goal is for each Trinity student to succeed abundantly in academics, in character growth, in relationships with others, and in developing a humble self-confidence. Learning is hard work, but learning is also a joy, and we want children to enjoy their Trinity education and to cultivate a lifelong love of learning.

Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill admits missionally qualified applicants of any ability, color, ethnicity, national origin, race, religion, or sex, to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, or sex in administration of its educational and admissions policies, offers of flexible tuition, or execution of athletic or any other school administered program.

The Admission Committees draw from all application materials, including classroom observations, proven assessment techniques (the Gesell developmental assessment for our youngest students and the ISEE/MAP/SSAT aptitude tests for older applicants), teacher references, parent and student questionnaires, and conversations with Trinity's division directors and teachers. Due consideration is given to the class dynamics of the cohort for which a student is applying and alignment with Trinity’s rich and unhurried philosophy. While not every applicant is a good fit for Trinity School, each decision made by the Admission Committee is made with the student’s best interest at heart.