Tormead Vs St Catherine's Bramley

[Fiddledee]

Tormead - kids appear very happy, staff I thought seemed miserable and unwelcoming (seen the school twice and had the same impression each time) plus know a primary school teacher in the area that says that the staff are disastified at the moment not sure why. Very small site with limited facilities. Seemed a bit like a great state school with fees!

St Catherine's, Bramley - teachers appear enthusiastic and very welcoming and helpful, super efficient and super tidy (maybe too tidy which may hamper creativity), lots of facilities. Kids seemed a bit less natural and more formal.

Any opinions if we have the choice?

Surprising - your findings at Tormead. We were going to look at both Tormead and Guildford High for our daughter but are now moving area. I know Guildford High seems to be the more trendy one at the moment and more academic. Not sure about St Catherines. Good luck and hope others are more helpful than me.

Friend runs St Cats. Great school. Go for it.

Tormead has a new head? The last one was popular but has moved to Manchester. I don't know if your impressions are true btw.

I know girls at all three, and if its the right school for them they seem to thrive.

I'm hoping that the new head would improve morale but she has only been in place for a few weeks. The fact that I had my impression of the teachers confirmed by a local teacher has me worried. DD very good a gymnastics so it is a good fit in that way although DD is an extrovert and I think GHS would be the most suited but we will wait to see if they agree.

I know one teacher at Tormead, they seem quite happy. One at GHS she is happy, and one who teaches both GHS and St Catz, she seems happy, actually I didn't get an impression of strong preference for either from her, although they are different styles of leadership.

I know all 3 schools - girls at one of them and friends at all three.

For us, the choice came down to at least two things - we wanted a day school, not one where the girls would push to stay over or weekly board.

Plus transport links. Although GHS and Tormead still need a train journey with a change for us, train to St Catz is impossible. The coach for St Catz doesnt come home til after prep - so girls get home here at about 6 if taking school transport. Not a factor if you intend to drive, of course.

Also, (so not just 2 things, then!), once they are in the 6th form, for GHS and Tormead they can get in and out of town really easily - not so St Catz.

When it came down to it, we changed our first choice after the entrance exams - the one we chose seemed much friendlier than the other and had what I thought was a better selection process which I thought would let them understand the girls better (than the other's approach could).

Academically, you can't fault any of them.

Thanks thekidsmom. All of them I would drive to until they can either get on the school bus - Tormead and St Catz have them from our village or go to the station two stops into London Road. So in terms of transport I agree St Catz I would rely on the school bus although coming home at 6pm could be seen as an advantage to a working parent.

St Cats has been riding high for a number of years. Have to declare an interest as I went their (many years ago) but have stayed in some degree of contact (I do occasional careers visits). There has always been a thriving day community there, so I wouldn't worry about that. The feedback I have heard from friends with 9/10 year old girls doing the school tours is that Tourmead is OK, but lacks a certain sparkle. Obviously, this is very subjective!

My Good Schools Guide says (among other things) for Tormead "Not the ideal place for girls who are bookish without any other strings to their bow, or for the rebel who may find it hard to toe the line." For St Cats "Increasingly fashionable , upmarket school with superb sacademics and facilities. Ideally suited for the clever and the outgoing."

St Cat's is posher.