Tormead 11+ results

[madamecafe]

Hey parents, my DD has a sport scholarship event with Tormead this weekend, just wondering if the school will send out the results for everyone at once (scholarship or not) or if they are posted separately? Sorry, new to the system, just trying to work out how long the 'long wait' will be! Thanks ;-)

[pico1234]

Congrats on the opportunity for a sports scholarship! Tormead is a great school, I hope your daughter does well and manages to bag one, every penny counts, right!? Scholarship or not, I believe the results are all sent out together, I've heard on the grapevine from a friend with DD doing the 11+ that they will be sent next week. I also heard on the grapevine that this has been a really big year for applications. Our DD is in the junior school and moving to the senior school, new head is ace. Again, best of luck to your daughter!

[Strandguildford]

I think they always (at least they used to) go out on the same day. One of my DDs had a scholarship and I recall getting them at the same time as her other mates. Agree with PP it’s a lovely school, good results, loads of value add for my daughter, so fingers crossed for your DD if that’s where she wants to go for secondary.

[starlilly88]

@pico1234 Oh no, I'm not feeling confident about DDs chances if applications up this year. Already not many places for external applicants. Results are being posted out next Friday 22nd

[pico1234]

@starlilly88 I'm sure your daughter has done very well! My DS loves it, lots of good mates and genuinely friendly (no tigers!) parent community too. Fingers crossed for you next week!

[GuildfordMum77]

Hello, does anyone know how many external places are available this year? I know lots of prep school girls are staying after the free pass was given. Starting to get a little nervous... thank you

[starlilly88]

I didn't know a free pass had been given to the junior girls. How many are there in the junior school? Agreed that the numbers look worrying. The website says about a third of the intake is usually from the juniors, so normally leaves around 60 places for external

[WarrenBird]

The school attracts a good number of applicants every year and the calibre is always pretty high too. The general understanding amongst parent friends and whispers from those in the know, is that including the junior school, there is usually 3 for every place, ie if a year group is 90, they get around 270 apply. Also, when I say 'calibre', the school is obviously academically selective and gets good results, however they are also interested in the whole girl and the potential to grow and improve.... I alway felt they were never simply looking at an applicant and wondering whether they might become an oxbridge statistic for the website, or not!

I know pretty close hand that the Junior school were given exemption from the 11+ test this year... but to say 'free pass' wouldn't do the kids the justice they deserve. The new headteacher told parents that given the stressful year the girls have had, the last thing they need is an 11+, when the school is already entirely up to speed with their academic credentials anyway, as the girls have been with them for 6 years already! I actually wonder if the exam will go permanently, because if you can get into the Junior School, Tormead always strived to produce a child, by year 6, that could excel into the senior school anyway..... I bet the current year 5 parents, all have their fingers crossed for that! haha :-)

[Robberto]

We're in the juniors, definitely taking a year 7 place, and not just because DD isn't doing the test, she's actually taken the GHS one too. Letter from head explained that he felt that given the school knows these kids of old and can vouch for their credentials, skipping the test in such a stressful year anyway would be the right thing to do. Rumour is that he (The Head) doesn't believe in the tests between Juniors and Seniors in general, and his previous school Latymer Upper in London doesn't have one either, and thats a crazy academic school! I think the thought process is, if you can get into the Juniors, the school devote themselves to preparing you for the seniors, so a test is a pointless hoop, I happen to agree and I hope the test stays gone for those below us in the JS.

Year 6 this year has about 40 kids I think, two full classes of around 20 in each.

Back to my first sentence, we have decided to take the place as its a top school, my daughter loves it, we genuinely have good inter-parent and parent-school relationships and direction of travel under new leadership is promising.

The very best of luck to you and your daughters!!!!

[GuildfordMum77]

Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend by flippantly saying ‘free pass’. I think it was absolutely the right thing to do for the girls, and would have really appreciated the thought process had I been an existing Tormead parent. It affirms my view of the new head, and the school ethos in general, as being fair, measured and supportive - all excellent and appealing qualities that any parent would look for in a school!

[Strandguildford]

@GuildfordMum77 I don’t think anyone took offence to be honest, so don’t worry! :-)
Which Guildford schools have you applied to? Are you just looking at girls’ schools or co-Ed too? You seem keen on Tormead, which (bias alert -my daughters went) is the best balance of city centre school, good results and lovely community.... but the other Guildford girls’ schools are also great in their own similar/differing ways. I’m sure your DD will do well!

[GuildfordMum77]

@Strandguildford thanks - things can definitely be read in two voices, don’t want to upset anyone in what is already quite a stressful time for multiple reasons! DD has sat Tormead and GHS which in an ordinary year would have been fine, but the goalposts have definitely moved this year. We dropped a couple of others in September, when all looked a bit more predictable, but regret that now. It’s made me super twitchy for the post arriving on Saturday!

[Strandguildford]

@GuildfordMum77 It's been quite a stressful year hasn't it! Don't fret! You could end up with offers from both, and then you'll have another hard decision to make! I guess GHS would be your/DDs favourite if that ends up being the case, given its academic reputation?

[Rosesurrey]

@GuildfordMum77 I know how you feel, although I’m far more nervous than DD!
We’re at a prep school in the area and DD and all her friends are waiting to hear on TM too. I hope they all get to go to the places they want (wherever that’s TM or elsewhere) and take at least a few mates with them too! There’s plenty of good schools locally so they’ll do right wherever they go I’m sure. I have to say though I have been really impressed with the Tormead 11+ process this year, super proactive and professional, makes a couple of others we applied for feel a bit shambolic.... plenty of COVID excuses, but if some got it right, why didn’t the others? If you get into TM send me a PM, in case we do too!
Good mood music about the school at our prep, so fingers are crossed. Are you coming from a prep or state school, are you applying for a scholarship as wel?

[GuildfordMum77]

@Rosesurrey We’re also at a local prep school, no scholarships for dd unless she pulls a surprise academic out of the bag! How about you? Certainly trying to shield dd from my nerves, although the online chatter between the girls in her year group is getting louder, so she must be aware. Not long to wait now...
@Strandguildford not sure what we would do if we got both - two quite different schools in many respects!

[Rosesurrey]

@GuildfordMum77 same here, lots of excitement and 'planning' going on about who's going to be in who's class..... oh dear! fingers crossed. We're prep also, theres about 10 of them, from what I can tell, that have applied from our school to TM, a few have obviously applied elsewhere too, as you do! Yes not long to go, post is going out as planned by the look of it, it now says it on their website when you sign on. We managed to blag a place on a online open day the other night too, as my husband didnt get to go to any of them before - they are staring to do a few for those looking for the following year. It was a nice reminder of why we liked the place so much, just keeping positive that DD has done well!

[Strandguildford]

@GuildfordMum77 agree they’re different, or at least that’s the perception! GHS obviously get better results at GCSE/Alevel as it’s self fulfilling that good results attract clever applicants, which then get good results, who attract more clever applicants, etc!
That being said Tormeads results, by independent school standards, are also pretty damn good, and when I tried to
Interpellate their league table position last year, they’re appeared to sit in the 60’s in the league tables, which is great considering their are many, many hundreds of independent schools in those tables.

So with the results being pretty eve between the Guildford schools, I guess it all comes down to where your DD will be happy, where she fits in and where you think she’ll be herself and grow.... sounds easier when it’s written down, doesn’t it! Good luck making your choice... surely it’s results today/tomorrow?

[Yossahughes]

I think TM definitely se d results today for tomorrow’s post. Does anyone know what the timescales are for the other Guildford girls schools - GHS and St Cats?

[Strandguildford]

@Yossahughes Not sure. Probably on their websites.

[PollyTastic]

Waiting on results too, hoping Royal Mail does it thing and they arrive tomorrow! Got a St Cats one to come too @Yossahughes , so hoping to hear from them by end of January. Did you do their 11+ too? I think it’s a shame it wasn’t brought forward like Tormead’s, I think DD would’ve got more out of it. DD did her best, so keeping fingers crossed for the elusive ‘two offers’.

[Yossahughes]

@pollytastic yes we did St Cats and GHS too.....wish I knew when the results were definitely coming as its going to nerve wracking every time the post comes!!

[PollyTastic]

@Yossahughes do you know the date for the St Cats ones? I worries I must have missed something as all I can find is ‘end of January’. At least I know the Tormead offers were posted today.... hate not knowing!
Has your DD decided on her perfect school? I guess you’re hoping for GHS? We didn’t apply to it, mainly because all her year group are either applying to TM or St Johns... plus a few moving to London .

[Yossahughes]

@pollytastic I don't have any information about St Cats beyond end of January so could be anytime I suppose. No favourites at the moment - I suppose our favourites will be the ones that say "yes"! We are equidistant between Guildford and Wimbledon so we have a few choices that are closer to London but not holding out much hope for those as the competition and number of applicants has been so high!

[PollyTastic]

@Yossahughes haha that’s a very fair comment! Practically I guess GHS or Tormead would be best for your commute, but I guess it really does depend on those ‘yeses’ coming in doesn’t it! Yeah, it seems the applications volumes really are super high this year for independent schools, we were always keen, but the online learning provision in the sector has just been so much better, which has shone a positive light on private education. I heard that GHS and Tormead are doing an amazing job with online learning, getting some really excellent feedback from a TM mum I know about this term also. It’s sort of out a downer on St Cats for us, as I heard they were terrible last year and despite the smoke screen communications the chat on here ain’t much better. Hummmmpf! What to do!?

....come on postman!

[Yossahughes]

@pollytastic yes St Cats handling of the pretest process was very disappointing and really put us off the school - which is rubbish for them as I loved it when I went to visit. I think the ways schools have dealt with the pandemic has been quite an eye opener...

[Yossahughes]

@pollytastic St Cats just sent out their results....DD has a place so I’m really relieved to know she has somewhere!