Leeds Trinity University facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Leeds Trinity University

Former names	All Saints College Trinity College Leeds Trinity & All Saints
Type	Public
Established	1966 1980 – merger 2012 – university status
Religious affiliation	Roman Catholic
Academic affiliations	Cathedrals Group ACCU
Chancellor	Deborah McAndrew
Vice-Chancellor	Professor Charles Egbu
Students	3,715 (2015/16)
Undergraduates	2,855 (2015/16)
Postgraduates	770 (2015/16)
Location	Horsforth, Leeds , West Yorkshire , England 53°50′55″N 1°38′53″W / 53.8486°N 1.6480°W / 53.8486; -1.6480
Campus	Suburban

Leeds Trinity University is a public university located in Horsforth, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It started in 1966 to train teachers for Catholic schools.

Over time, the university grew and now offers many different courses. You can study subjects like humanities (history, literature) and social sciences (sociology, psychology). They offer degrees at different levels, from foundation courses to postgraduate studies.

The university was once called Leeds Trinity & All Saints. In 2009, it became a university college, meaning it could give out its own degrees. It officially became a full university in December 2012. Leeds Trinity is also part of groups like the Cathedrals Group and the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities.

History of Leeds Trinity University

Trinity and All Saints College in 1999

Leeds Trinity began in 1966 as two separate Catholic colleges. These colleges trained teachers for schools in Yorkshire. Trinity College was for women, and All Saints College was for men.

At that time, Britain needed many new teachers. This was because of a "baby boom" after World War II. The colleges helped meet this need.

In 1980, the two colleges joined together. They became one college called Trinity and All Saints College. Dr. Mary Hallaway became the first principal of the new combined college.

In the 1970s, the colleges started to offer more courses. They wanted to make sure they could keep going. New subjects like languages, maths, and sciences were added. Students could now study these subjects along with their teacher training.

Even after the merger, some courses had to close. This was because they were not seen as cost-effective. However, more and more students started to join the college.

During the 1990s, the college faced new challenges. Other universities were becoming more popular. The government also reduced funding for smaller colleges. Despite this, Leeds Trinity continued to grow.

New courses in Communications and Media became very popular. By 1998, nearly 2,000 students were studying there.

In 1991, Leeds Trinity became linked with the University of Leeds. This meant their degrees were officially recognised. In 2009, Leeds Trinity gained the power to award its own degrees. It then became a university college.

In 2011, students protested against higher tuition fees. This protest was one of the longest student sit-ins in the country.

In 2012, Leeds Trinity officially became a full university. This happened after the government changed the rules for university status. In 2016, the university celebrated its 50th birthday. They held special events, including talks by famous guests. One guest was Nobel Peace Prize winner Mairead Maguire.

Campus and Facilities

Leeds Trinity is a campus university. It is located in Horsforth, near the village of Rawdon. The campus is about 6 miles (10 km) from Leeds city centre.

You can easily get there by train. Horsforth railway station is only a 15-minute walk away. Trains to Leeds city centre also take about 15 minutes.

Between 2009 and 2010, the campus had big improvements. A new student accommodation building, All Saints Court, was built. It has 198 bedrooms for students.

View from the sports fields at Leeds Trinity University

Student Accommodation

Leeds Trinity has eight Halls of Residence on campus. These are places where students can live. All Saints Court is one of these halls. It opened in 2010 and has 198 bedrooms with private bathrooms.

University Library

The university library is in the Andrew Kean Learning Centre. Students can use over 500,000 online books and 115,000 printed books. There is also a special section with resources for teaching practice. The library is open 24 hours a day.

Science Laboratories

Leeds Trinity has several labs for different subjects. There is a sports science lab and a nutrition lab. These labs are used for fitness tests, studying diet, and practical food work.

For Psychology students, there are labs for studying the brain, human behaviour, and forensic psychology.

Primary Education Classrooms

The primary education classrooms have special resources. These include interactive whiteboards and early years materials. Students training to be teachers can practice using the equipment found in schools.

Sports Facilities

The sports centre at Leeds Trinity was updated in 2007. Inside, there is a sports hall, a gym with weights, and studios for classes. There are also two squash courts.

Outside, the university has three rugby/football pitches. There are also six tennis courts and a running track. In 2012, a new all-weather pitch was opened. This pitch is approved for both football and hockey.

How Leeds Trinity University is Organised

Leeds Trinity is a private Roman Catholic university. Before 2009, its degrees were approved by the University of Leeds.

The university is managed by its Board of Governors. The head of the Board is the Rt Revd. Marcus Stock, who is the Roman Catholic Bishop of Leeds.

Professor Charles Egbu is the Vice-Chancellor. He is in charge of the daily running of the university. He gets advice from his team, including the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and other directors.

The university's Chancellor is Deborah McAndrew. She is an actor and playwright. She took on this role in 2018.

Academic Programs and Reputation

Leeds Trinity University had 3,715 students in 2015/16. Most of them study full-time. About 35% of students are male and 65% are female.

Every degree program at Leeds Trinity includes a professional work placement. This means students get to work in a real business, industry, or school. This helps them gain valuable experience.

If you don't have the usual qualifications for university, you can start with a foundation year program. These are offered in subjects like Sport, Social Science, Law, and Computing.

University Rankings

University rankings show how different universities compare. In some guides, Leeds Trinity is ranked outside the top 100 in the UK. For example, it was 108th out of 131 in The Complete University Guide.

It was ranked higher in The Guardian league table, at 85th out of 121. The university did best in The Times/The Sunday Times table, ranking 67th.

Leeds Trinity is mainly focused on teaching students. It does not do as much research as some other universities. This can affect its position in overall rankings.

However, the university is known for its teaching quality and student experience. In 2018, it was in the top 10 for both in The Times/The Sunday Times guide. Many students are also very happy with their courses.

Research at Leeds Trinity

Leeds Trinity is home to several research centres. These centres work on different research projects.

Leeds Centre for Victorian Studies

This centre started in 1994. It is one of the oldest and most active centres for studying the Victorian era in Britain. They publish papers and hold events about Victorian history and culture.

Schools History Project

This project focuses on teaching history to students aged 13-16. They hold a yearly conference and publish materials to help with history lessons.

Working with Businesses

Leeds Trinity Business Network

The Leeds Trinity Business Network helps local businesses connect. It allows them to share ideas and support each other. This network started in 2011 and has many members.

Journalism Partnerships

Leeds Trinity has won awards for its journalism teaching. It works closely with the BBC. This gives students chances to get work experience and attend workshops.

Students learn how to work in a real newsroom. Many former students now work as journalists for major news companies. These include ITN, Sky, and ITV.

Notable Alumni

• 

  Steven Linares, a politician from Gibraltar

• 

  Jason McCartney, a Member of Parliament (MP) in the UK

• 

  Mary Davis, CEO of Special Olympics

• 

  Fiona May, an Olympic silver medalist in long jump

Politics and Government

• Nicola Chapman, Baroness Chapman – A British peer and activist for disability rights.
• Mary Davis – An Irish presidential candidate.
• Kris Hopkins – A Conservative Party MP.
• Steven Linares – A politician from Gibraltar and government minister.
• Jason McCartney – A Conservative Party MP.
• Paul McGrath – An Irish politician.

Arts and Media

• Xana Antunes – A business journalist and former editor of the New York Post.
• Kate Bottley – A Church of England priest and TV personality.
• Stephanie Busari – A journalist for CNN.
• Kate Fox – A writer and comedian.
• Nick Hodgson – A musician, formerly the drummer for Kaiser Chiefs.
• Lis Howell – A journalist, author, and director of broadcasting.
• Julian Jarrold – A TV and film director, known for Kinky Boots.
• Edward Jarvis – An author and historian.
• Rebecca John – A TV presenter.
• Shaun Keaveny – A radio presenter for BBC Radio 6 Music.
• Dorothy Koomson – A novelist.
• Rachel Mackley – A TV weather presenter.
• Maureen Meikle – A historian.
• Mark Morris – An author.
• Hughie O'Donoghue – A British painter.
• David Olusoga – A historian and broadcaster.
• Gervase Phinn – An author and broadcaster.
• Paula Pryke – A florist.
• Don Riddell – A sports journalist for CNN World Sport.
• Natalie Sawyer – A Sky Sports News presenter.
• Kimberley Walsh – A singer from the group Girls Aloud.

Sport

• Dayle Coleing – A goalkeeper for the Gibraltar national football team.
• Fiona May – A British-born Italian athlete and Olympic medalist in long jump.
• Ian Thompson – A marathon runner and Commonwealth Games champion.

See also

• Armorial of UK universities
• College of Education
• List of universities in the UK