Good prep school near guildford

[shorthillsmum]

hi...i am new to mumsnet, but thought it maybe a good place to get advice on prep schools in surrey. We currently live in the USA but are moving bak to the UK in the summer. So i am busy trying to find an area to live in surrey, a prep shool for my 6yr old boy (and in the future for my dd) and trying to find summer camps for ds, so he can meet some friends this summer. Any advice on the above would be really appreciated. I have looked at lots of preps online and currently like the look of lanesborough and barrows hill, but unsure how they compare to ripley court and rydes hill. Thanks.

[Ginberry]

Lanesborough is considered the most "academic" and feeds to RGS, the most academic secondary school in the area. It is single sex.

Rydes Hill is well thought of - Catholic. I have a friend with a daughter there and they are happy with it. Another friend has a some at Barrow Hill - also Catholic. This is co-ed.

Then on Woking side you've got Hoe Bridge and Feltonflee, both co-ed. TBH all have good reputations so it will come down to: how selective a school do you want at this stage, do you want single sex or co-ed, and do you have a strong view on a faith-based education?

[grovel]

You could look at Lambrook (www.lambrook.berks.sch.uk/). It has a Camp Beaumont summer camp (www.campbeaumont.com/ourcamps/lambrook-school/).

It's just in Berkshire but only 15 miles from Guildford.

[grovel]

Out of curiosity where are you in the US?

[shorthillsmum]

Hi... Thank you for the information, I really appreciate the help. We are in NJ.

[JoanByers]

I'm not sure how convenient Ripley Court is from Guildford, or anywhere really.

If you can help it, live walking distance from both school and rail station, and it makes a lot of sense to go for Lanesborough for a boy, Guildford High School for a girl, as they are both in the same area and more-or-less straight through from 4 to 18. This will be ideal if you have academic children.

[mummytime]

Or Tormead for a girl.
You do realise summer school holiday in the UK is only 6 weeks long? There are sports activities at the Spectrum (leisure centre). Local Churches tend to run one week summer holiday clubs. However it is far too early to book for these yet (May/June is when bookings open, but someplaces are very popular and places go quickly).
I would also definitely also apply to state schools as they are very good in the Guildford area, and you may be lucky and get a place in a good one (lots of boys at RGS start at State schools for example).

If you are looking at the Preps you mentioned, as some are single sex, I would also look at Aldro as well as others mentioned earlier.
If living in the Guildford area I wouldn't travel to Berkshire for a summer camo, as he would make no local friends and there are lots of more local ones (although lots are aimed at working parents).

[grovel]

My suggestion of the camp in Berks was based on the DS attending the school as well (from Sept). The OP says she is still looking for an area of Surrey to live in. Well Winkfield is almost in Surrey.

[LIZS]

Are you looking for single sex particularly ? Friend put hers in Barfields (co-ed) which is just outside Farnham and runs summer activities. "Surrey" is quite broad though , do you specifically need to be in Guildford ? Do any of the schools actually have spaces (and would he be Year 2 or 3?)?

[JoanByers]

Summer holidays for private schools are 8 weeks.

[sometimesinthefall]

Longacre School in Shamley Green is a wonderful co-ed prep, a few miles outside Guildford. For summer camps, apparently there is a very good one at Guildford High School.

[JammieMummy]

I considered and visited most of the girls prep schools (GHS, Tormead and some of those a bit further a field) in Guildford and I looked at Ripley Court. In the end we decided to go with Rydes Hill for our daugter. This was decision based on her needs, abilities and the fact that I didn't want a selective school or hot house at such a young age. If she is right for that environment at 11 then fine but I think 3 is a bit young.

My thoughts on Ripley were that it was brilliant for an outgoing, out-doorsy, active child who is resiliant and mucks in. It has great grounds and when we visited there were a lot of happy, fresh faced wild haired children everywhere (including one boy 'hunting for snails' with a teacher in tow at lunch time). However, it wouldn't suit our quiet sensitive daughter who (while very bright) really struggles with confidence and putting herself forwards. She would be lost in Ripley. We felt that Rydes offered a calmer more nurturing environment where she would be able to shine and be listened to, the head teacher was very impressive when showing us around knowing each girl by name and remembering facts about them. I could see how child would feel valued there, but while it is not selective it has very high academic standards (a parent I know who is a teacher felt it was more academic than Tormead - although I cant comment on this from experience).

Sorry I seem to have gone on a bit, but if you would like more or detailed information please feel free to PM me. Good luck in which ever choice you make.

[Tanith]

Aldro school is fantastic, once he's 7. Although it's an academic school (sends its boys on to the top public schools, many with scholarships), the younger boys in particular are allowed to be children and there's not the pressure that exists in some preps.

[shorthillsmum]

Thanks to you all, i really appreciate you taking the time to post. Ds is going into yr2, so i think we will be forced into the prep rather than state system, as i understand we can only apply for a place at a state school once we have an address (this summer), then would find out where a place was available only 10 days before the start of term. To ensure the best education without the gamble, we have focused on the prep route. We are not set on guildford, anywhere nice in a 30min commute from weybridge and with excellent schools.

[TheBossOfMe]

Downsend is also a lovely school - its in Leatherhead, so not far at all from where you want to be based.

[Chestnutx3]

Around Guildford the academic schools are single sex

For Girls (4+ entry assessments in November) - Guildford High, St Catherine's Bramley & Tormead. Not academically selective schools are - Rydes Hill, Manor House, St Teresa's - last two in Effingham. St Hilarys (takes boys to age 7) in Godalming is a good school for girls to go onto the more academic schools at 11+.

For Boys - Lanesborough and Cranmore (in West Horsley lots of international students), Lanesborough is small and doesn't have that transient a population so its pot luck whether they will have a place available

Pre-Prep only Glenesk in East Horsley, but given that your son would have to sit entrance exams for the boys schools early in Year 2 it may not be a good idea.

Co-ed - St George's in Weybridge, Feltonfleet, Hoe Bridge, Ripley Court, Longacre (wouldn't fancy the commute to weybridge).

I wouldn't rely on summer camps to make friends - Cranmore and Guildford High do run them (obviously boy/girl heavy respectively)

Good luck.

[CaroleService]

Milbourne Lodge (academic) and Shrewsbury House (v sporty) in Esher and Surbiton respectively.