Guildford schools

[Retrodad12]

Hi all- looking for advice to Guildford schools and I know this topic has been done before. Looking at Cats, GHS and Tormead for 2 daughters who will be trying for year 3 and year 7 next year!
Heard great things about all- attracted by the idea of possible scholarships at Year 3 for Tormead according to the website- any advice on this school or the admissions? Also seen that GHS tend to be difficult scholarship wise. My eldest daughter is a violinist and fairly academic but may not be 'scholarship' material. However she really wants to aim for one but i don't want her to be let down. Any advice on either school for Year 7 and 3 scholarships at all or entrance exams? We like the idea of Cats in the country side and are totally confused! Will be moving from another area and looking forward to living somewhere 'prettier'!
Thanks.

@AroundGuildford

Also watching with interest (!) as we have a few options too. Can I ask about Tormeads central location - are they at a disadvantage due to lack of space on their campus for activities and sport? St Cats has had a lot of negative press recently? Does anyone know if it is deserved and what are current opinions? Does anyone have experience of St Teresa’s?

It is noted that a lot of these schools have further open days which may be very helpful. It is a big decision and looking to learn a bit more about all of these schools! Thank you.

My DD is at st cats in year 8. Younger DD has sat 11+ this year.

St cats issues aren't a problem for us. I think it's historic, or was a group where perhaps things weren't dealt with perfectly and parents spoke loudly. But my DD has had no issues. We have found pastoral care really good and fair.

St Cats is different in that it is more traditional, big on resilience, house spirit, getting involved, keeping busy and good academics too. I guess where priors field or maybe tormead would sit with two girls who have a fall out (anyone with daughters knows how this can be a weekly occurrence in girl world) and have a lengthily chat, call in parents, investigate for days and shower tlc, st cats would have a quick chat, agree a way to move forward, girls sent off to get on with school life and house mistress keeps a close eye and checks in. Might have a quick word with parents and do more if worries continue. For me, approach 2 is much more sensible and actually better for well-being and teaching girls about real life, not going overboard with attention and making mountains out of molehills in such situations. It depends what you feel and what you think suits your DD. Maybe I'm more old fashioned.

Don't know much about St T other than it merged with Cranmore. It is popular for its equestrian centre and horse mad girls love it.

We loved St Johns and are undecided if youngest will go there or st cats, offers depending. Tormead isn't for us- wasn't sure what it's usp is really beyond being back up town school- as PP say. Love GHS but not right for our DDs.

It's all horses for courses really. There's something for everyone.

Priors Field and Farnborough Hill have always been the less academic schools, with that comes less pressure, more free reign, and to do well a lot more personal motivation is required. With that in mind, if you feel they are the right place for your DD then go for it, as that is truely the most important factor! I know two girls on the admissions circuit this year and both have been offered priors field and waitlisted Tormead. They are at two different, Guildford area preps.

Sorry to hear your goddaughter had a wobbly time, I know a lot of friends that have various ages of DD there and they are all very happy, grounded and content, with good friendships.

Good luck with your choices !

PP, I cant comment on priors field, but I can certainly say that Tormead is also "big on resilience, house spirit, getting involved, keeping busy and good academics too.", yes, they are very slightly behind stcats on academics, but when it comes to issues, they deal with things well; my sister had a small issue with her DD and she was very happy with how professionally the issue was dealt with. I have no personal experience with stcats, however from reading the extensive MN threads, their approach (which you reflected) to pastoral care seems to be what got all the parents, whose DDs were on the receiving end of problems, all upset and riled up?

On space, Tormead does have the smallest campus, but that's pretty standard for an inner city school. Apart from extensive one-site playing fields, they do have everything else. Priors field and stcats have the countryside, so if that's your bag, you couldn't ask for more. Again, it all forms part of what you are looking for in a private school..... what do you want your £15k a year to look like?

@AroundGuildford, good questions, we thought most of them through too. For us the campus size was never an issue, it's compact, but has more than enough space outside, it's waaayyy bigger than nearly all of the outstanding London schools we viewed a few years back. There's a mixture of old traditional (but not, unlike some, echoey & damp!) buildings and some amazing new facilities. We have been told there's more on the way too. Sport wise, they play everything apart from lacrosse (which st cats and ghs play) but they also do others, such as rowing, which other local schools don't do. Sport seemed to have a massive focus, alongside clubs such as the DofE, which my DD is really into. From their twitter feed, which we unashamedly follow, they seem to play competitive Sport and do well, a lot. Maybe have a look?
For us, we just liked the city feel, but with tradition and good academics. We also like the direction of travel, with new things on the way, and on the open days and activity days DD was made to feel welcome and had a wonderful time. For us, St Cats was a second choice, but the 'traditional', vibe they use as their usp simply isn't for us, but that said, it doesn't mean it won't be for you! We've decided to accept our Tormead place, but like the other schools they have an open event one evening too, so maybe another opportunity for you to look around?

@Cyclingisfun Congrats on the Tormead offer and acceptance, that is great news! We will go to the open evening as you suggest to have another look. We went to the first open day and it seemed really progressive with a lot of attention on science and computing rather than some of the more traditional subjects which we l thought was fab. Is it known for this or just an assumption we have made?
@SilverPolarBear Thank you for the views on St Cats. If you don’t mind me asking are you in St Cats prep and moving up? If so, do most do so or do they look at other schools too? Can I also ask the draw to St Johns? (Not a loaded question, I just dont know it)
Also on the academics, am I correct in saying PF very good in the creative subjects like art, GHS and St Cats traditional such as maths, English, French etc (and Tormead science as I asked above)
Appreciate this is a very fortunate situation as they are all excellent schools!

@AroundGuildford

Sorry posted by accident

@AroundGuildford We aren't St Cats prep. Our prep has no senior. From my DD's year 8 year group at St Cats I think the majority stay on from prep to senior. We haven't found St Cats to have a subject bias like decribed but maybe I haven't looked for it. I don't find schools having subject biases a good thing. I have no idea what my 11 year old will like long term. Right now she loves science but so did older DD who having been encouraged at st cats now loves drama (wouldn't have ever predicted that!).

In terms of St John's, we went looking for another option to apply to. We wanted a co-ed option on our list as friends with slightly older DDs were finding by sixth form they start wanting that and once they moved lots of them said they wished they had just gone co-ed from 11 or 13. And the world is changing on that front (I say that and my other DD is happily in a girls' school and I know it is horses for courses). We were extremely pleasantly surprised and see why it is heavily oversubscribed and had exploded in popularity.

We like the co-ed element and thought it would feel a more wild/tough/less cosy school compared to our experience of all-girls schools so far. But it really wasn't. It felt safe and happy. The co-ed element sits alongside the really caring, close-knit house setup (for day pupils too). The house system (like st cats) brings an element of get stuck in and have a go and the feeling the students are encouraged to be busy and involved with no one left to their own devices. The opportunities are also just huge there. There is the traditional side of offering cadets/CCF, singing in chapel, high standards of sport and music but alongside loads of options - even mountain biking and climbing. I also look at the sixth formers when picking a school and looking around st john's, the six formers were the type of children I hope my DDs will be. This was true of st cats too. Very decent academics too and worth the journey as it is actually easy by bus/train.

For us it feels like a co-ed RGS - a school we loved when looking for DS - due to managing to have that feel of having that traditionally boarding school style feel of there being something for everyone and valuing all types, despite being a town school. Alongside strong results too.

I sound like an advert for it but it very unexpectedly has quickly become a very real first choice for my DD. I am sure there are cons, like with every school but we never previously thought to look in that direction and were pleasantly surprised.

Thanks so much @SilverPolarBear. All very helpful.
We were a bit stressed when waiting to see if DD passed the exams, now just as stressful to try and decide where to go as very fortunate to have options!

Anyone know when we will get GHS result? I read some where that it's soon?

@alidasi any time in the next couple of days i think. No definite answer as GHS dont normally give a date as far as i am aware.

Thanks pricepoint!

@alidasi I had an email on the 18th of Jan confirming which address they will post the response to. The email also said they will post tomorrow (Friday 28th) by first class mail. So we should get the letter Saturday or Monday. We got Farnborough Hill and Tormead. Don't expect to get GHS but thought we would give it a go!

[quote ReallyDontHaveAClue]@alidasi I had an email on the 18th of Jan confirming which address they will post the response to. The email also said they will post tomorrow (Friday 28th) by first class mail. So we should get the letter Saturday or Monday. We got Farnborough Hill and Tormead. Don't expect to get GHS but thought we would give it a go![/quote]
Oh yeah! I remember now. Too many emails re 11 plus driving me insane

Great advice everyone and a really interesting thread as a result. Good luck to all who had offers and those who are waiting. I do know someone who received a Tormead offer and another awaiting to hear on GHS and it seems a tricky decision!

Hi Everyone, just after a bit of advice on anyone who has any experience of GHS wait list? We received our letter yesterday and dd is on the wait list. Any idea how long this list generally is or has been in previous years and is there any liklihood that they even go to wait list? Thanks in advance!

Which year is it for? Re wait list I think it depends which year as there's more applicants some years than others. Wait lists are funny in that there can sometimes be last minute movement and some years has taken quite a few girls from the wait list

(This is just info I've gathered from researching and reading posts.) It might have changed this year

Congratulations on the Tormead offers . Did anyone get GHS offers? We are registered for 2023.

Waiting lists depend on the year. Worth contacting the school to check how far your DD is. GHS is very popular but some families turn down offers as decide to stay in London or can't get several children into Guildford schools (or to GHS), some take other offers, especially if bursary or scholarship. Not all families on the waiting list decide to wait: we know families on a waiting list and accepted offers in London schools (independent and grammar).

Apologies surreydad I didn't see you post, so hope mine didn't seem insensitive. A waitlist place @ghs is a great achievement.In the last few years at our prep one girl was offered a place from the waitlist. Definitely worth calling and asking where your daughter is on the list.

Thank you for the replies. I'd forgotten to say it was for year 7 entry (11+) for this September! I will call them tomorrow and ask how far in the wait list she is. But I was wondering if anyone had experience from previous years to share.

Does your letter say by when will they let you know re wait list?

By 3rd march

Offers have to be accepted by 9.30am 2nd of March to allow people who are waiting for results from state schools. Hopefully they can give some guidance on where she is on the list.

@Surreydad12. Did you hear back from ghs ?