Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Education

Join the discussion on our Education forum.

Surrey prep schools - would love your opinions please

56 replies

Nam3 · 24/09/2021 13:22

Hi there

I would very much welcome your opinions on Surrey prep schools - we are moving and I want to make sure I am getting it right.

I have a DD who will be sitting 7+ assessment and a DS and DD in tow (who are now young but I need to consider options for them as well with the move).

My DD will be moving from an academic prep school in London and I want to make sure that I find the right school for her. I do want a school which prepares the girls well for 11+ so she can aim high (should she turn out to be academic - I think too young to tell at 6). So far she will be sitting assessments for :

  1. Guildford High Junior school (if rumours are correct on competition, not sure she will get in although I am working with her on thr weekends on for at of exams
  2. Rowan Prep, Claygate
  3. Halstead Prep, Woking
  4. Feltonfleet (visiting next week so not sure yet about this school).

We visited Milbourne Lodge and I found it to be a boys school hence have now discarded from our shortlist. Whilst I am considering both girls only and Coed to 11/13, GHS is the only one I found which is 4-18 with good academic results etc etc.

Am I missing any other great schools to consider?

Thank you so much in advance!!

OP posts:
starlilly88 · 27/09/2021 20:39

You've also got Hoe Bridge and St Andrew's in Woking which prep well, Halstead is very close to St Andrews.

NetflixParents · 28/09/2021 09:55

What about Seaton House School? That's hugely academic, very nurturing and a proper small family environment. That's if you don't mind the lack of fancy stuff that money pays for.

DottyShrimp · 28/09/2021 18:08

I would add in my vote for Halstead if GHS doesn't work out. We did a move down from West London last year and looked at all these schools. My DD was middle/low in her very academic London girls school. While we adored her old prep, we are glad we made the move as being out of London is working for us. We found GHS was similar standard to top London preps (but obviously to get in at 7+ there aren't many places so you have to be very high standard). Most other schools seemed desperate to give us a place though.

We loved Halstead (it didn't work for us location wise in the end) but my DD got a place. Academics are brilliant but it is also a fun school. Leavers' results are really impressive.

St Cats worked for us but depends on your location/logistics
Rowan girls was lovely - similar to Halstead - but again tricky location from Guildford
Fletonfleet was a bigger co-ed environment which felt like a big change from DD's girls' prep. Otherwise, couldn't fault it

Have you looked at Rydes Hill? They also get lots of girls into GHS and other highly regarded seniors.

GHS is incredible for the right girl from what I hear from friends with DC there. Tough to get in at 7+ though.

We personally didn't like Tormead when I compared it to the other schools. We found the 'to 18' commitment too much there. I wanted my DD to keep her options open and get proper 11+ prep (different if you get into GHS or St Cats with the highly regarded seniors) as I knew from Year 1 to Year 6 they can change quite a bit.

DottyShrimp · 28/09/2021 18:15

Agree with PP who said look at Hoebridge too.

Halstead, Hoebridge and/or St Andrew's would be good ones to look at for your boy and girl situation. You can then live aorund Woking.

Lindseylovescake · 28/09/2021 20:59

Agree with @DottyShrimp that Rydes Hill is lovey, they do take a broader intake, however as they are small, they really do focus on everyones individual needs. They've always been known as incredibly nurturing and friendly. They seem to provide a good "value add" to those who might join at the bottom of the academic scale and finish much higher than they would've done elsewhere. For smart kids, they focus on their needs too and do get them into decent locals like GHS, Tormead, Priors Field and St.Cats.

PP you also mentioned that you didn't like Tormead for its 'to 18' model. Remember of course that just like the other three main schools, most wouldn't pick them solely for their Junior provision, with a view to move at 11+. As such none of these three schools prepare for the 11+ like a traditional prep school might, they expect girls to stay, and that't certainly not a bad aspiration to have!

I also agree that GHS is highly regarded, in fact it's "nationally highly regarded" as a top 10 school. However, down the chain, I think the term "highly regarded" becomes "highly subjective".

So, when you compare Tormead to St.cats, for example, it's very much courses for horses (especially as exam performance seems to be slowly closing even in the years even preceding covid). What I mean by this is that they are both very different physical offerings (small compact town / large open country), the culture is different too, with Tormead a little more "modern" with a leafy, suburb feel to it, whereas St.Cats has stacks of "traditional", countryside hues!

I think the OP just needs to decide if she wants a really good pre-school to get her DD ready for whatever she might want (in a few years time, i.e. things could change!) or whether she wants to commit straight into a large (girls only) through school, like one of the 4 in Guildford, or, of course, somewhere else locally.

Best of luck OP! SOOOOOOO many great schools... In a great part of the world!

ScumbagDave · 28/09/2021 21:00

Some friends have DCs at Feltonfleet. They love it. I also know someone who works there and she is lovely.

Lindseylovescake · 28/09/2021 21:01

**prep-school, not pre-school!

Think it's time I went back to school! :-)

Nam3 · 29/09/2021 21:09

@starlilly88 thank you!! I have enquired about visiting Hoe Bridge. I can see it delivers results at the 11+ stage just need to see what the boy :girl ratio is and does that actually matter?! I don't know. 🙄

OP posts:
Nam3 · 29/09/2021 21:10

@NetflixParents seaton house would be too much south for us (in terms of driving to North London). Otherwise it looks great thank you!!

OP posts:
Nam3 · 29/09/2021 21:12

@ScumbagDave We liked Feltonfleet, couldn't fault it. It is just that it mainly feeds into coeds at 13, it is as pricey as a London prep school but I could see how happy the children were and clearly thriving. In 2 minds about it.

OP posts:
Nam3 · 29/09/2021 21:16

@Lindseylovescake thanks so much. Such a balanced view. I am thinking Halstead now for our girls if Ghs doesn't work out at 7+.
Or put all 3 of them in Hoe Bridge - it would be so much easier in one school. Not sure whether it would matter to my eldest DD to move into a Coed school (who has been at a prep girls only school till now?!)

OP posts:
Nam3 · 29/09/2021 21:17

@dottyshrimp what are the nice AND suitable parts of Woking to live in if we go for Halstead /How Bridge?

OP posts:
Lindy2 · 29/09/2021 21:18

Notre Dame School and St George's are also in the same area as Feltonfleet.

I've no personal experience but if that's a geographical area you're looking at you might want to consider them too.

starlilly88 · 29/09/2021 21:31

Going from a girls prep to Hoe Bridge or St Andrew's would be quite hard. Most people do it the other way - prep at HB/St A then Halstead from Year 3. Probably 10 mins drive between HB and Halstead, a few mins drive from St A to Halstead. Plenty of people have their girls in Halstead and boys in HB/St A as boy/girl ratio isn't great in co-eds. Theres also Greenfield but only goes up to 11.

Pyrford, Hook Heath, Hockering, Horsell are the better areas to live in Woking area, although most areas are ok. If you live in Horsell, you can walk to both St A and Halstead, and to the station.

Nam3 · 29/09/2021 21:44

@starlilly88 thank you!! So very helpful 🙏🙏

OP posts:
anonymouse · 29/09/2021 21:55

Just be aware that the housing market in Horsell is still a bit nuts. Houses going over asking. It is a lovely area to live in however.

CraftyGin · 29/09/2021 21:58

I am happy to talk about Bishopsgate and Aldro.

RuSchool · 01/10/2021 22:55

@CraftyGin - yes please do tell, especially re Aldro

Eshermum73 · 02/10/2021 21:51

There are lots of sisters in my son's year at Rowan and I've only ever heard glowing things said about the school. You can then combine by sending your younger son to Shrewsbury House PP which has a nursery from age 3 and is excellent.

You are obviously looking in a wide area and so I would echo some of the comments made given how heated and in short supply housing is across Surrey you should maybe have a couple of options depending on what house you find.

I also have friends at FF. it is a lovely school with great facilities and parents but it is very much a all round type school and your children won't be as challenged if they're academic as other options, notably Rowan.

Claremont Fan also worth a look given up & coming. Downsend in Leatherhead another good co-Ed option.

Nam3 · 03/10/2021 22:05

@Eshermum73 thank you for sharing your thoughts. We liked Rowan academically a lot, but lack of on site sports facilities and slightly claustrophobic feeling to the building. No doubt a very focused small school. I would love to get in touch with some mums with DDs at thr school - please feel free to PM me if you can help? Thank you!!

OP posts:
BoyMum321 · 10/11/2021 12:16

Possibly a bit late to this thread but a big vote here for Ripley Court. I have 2 children there and they are thriving in y4 and 1. Great mix of academic encouragement and sport/music etc. Happy to answer any qs if you DM me. Good luck!

Bin85 · 13/11/2021 10:18

There's also St Hilary's prep in Godalming

Ilovechoc12 · 14/12/2021 19:16

Nam3 - did you pic a school?
X

NetflixParents · 14/12/2021 19:41

The latest sunday times rankings just came out. Worth checking it out! Separate ranks for prep and for state

Nam3 · 21/12/2021 22:36

@Lindseylovescake and @Ilovechoc12
Apologies for the delay in replying. So far, our DD had 3 offers from Halstead, Rowan and Feltonfleet. I think she would have gotten in without my prepping her in these schools. We are now waiting for results from LEH, St Albans High school for girls prep and last assessment is GHS in Jan.
I am very happy to follow up once all the results are in.
I couldn't thank you enough for your thoughts and advice.

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread