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.

@StarfishDiver

We know lots of girls from esher, surbiton, Walton, Weybridge all going to GHS or Tormead. Those families apply to places like Surbiton, Notre Dame, Claremont, LEH, Wimbledon too but lots opt to come down to Guildford as it's so easy on the train. Big groups get the train together.

Thanks for the info StarfishDiver. From the sound of it your dd will be going to GHS too?

Prior's Field offer holders date was originally 5th Feb. Unfortunately postponed due to covid numbers but they did hold a virtual Q&A session.

Whatever the reason, whether it was covid or that they saw another schools event and felt they needed more time to match it - which is the rumour on the WhatsApp groups, rescheduling it so close to the deadline is really poor show. The chatter on the same groups I'm in, one is for a large prep in the area, is that they haven't done themselves any favours - a few parents who might have gone along and been persuaded, now don't feel the need and have accepted elsewhere. Most parents in the year 6 group, there's about 15 kids, all believe it to have been scheduled for such a late date on purpose - at least that's how its come across.

Our Prep has 19 in the year 6. One mum was on about the delay last week. Almost 20 days later, she said? Most agreed it was dragging out an already long process for the girls (and other, perhaps multiple, offers they might be hanging onto, which waitlisted DDs might be after!) for the sake of a bit of extra marketing . It doesn't affect us, but I can understand how it would be frustrating.

If priors field had an online Q&A, what's the point in the Saturday event we've been invited to? We've already seen the school at open day. I'm a little miffed it's so late in the game, feel obliged to go now before we make a decision, which I'm sure is tying up the other two offers were fortunate enough to be sitting on for waitlisters. Will they be throwing the kitchen sink at us, i really hope there are fair ground rides and a free hog roast?
In the end we may not bother, we have StCats and St Theresa's, so a good selection. This kind of marketing madness does mess with your mind though!

The PF thing hasn't been an issue at our prep. Most people know where they'll accept now and those unsure on PF vs one other school are going. Because they are unsure, they wouldn't have accepted or rejected another offer yet anyway.

It seems to just be a few unsure between PF or Tormead. They seem to be the two close tricky decisions- I guess country vs town and a bit more academic vs nurturing/creative. Everyone else is set on GHS, St Cats or Farnborough- plus a few others in the mix but all firm choices now.

That's interesting as the indecision at our Prep isn't between those two at all. Ours is around pure geography and most are torn between PF and StCats to due ease of transport. Some have forgone StCats and picked Tormead as its just as academic but suits a sibling drop of off for RGS.

I guess it also depends on where you are.

The choice between academic success and nurturing/creative is still an odd one. All the schools on the guildford circuit are 'creative' and pretty much all of them have a reputation for pastoral care, wellbeing, nurturing etc. E.G. Hasnt that been Tormead'S USP for decades now, education in a caring a supportive environment?

We're choosing Stcats (over PR and STs) due to its academic credentials and geography, tormead doesn't feature for us due to my work/school run. If you daughter has been offered a place at a more academic school, I certainly don't know why you wouldn't take it, they wouldn't offer if they didn't think DD could survive, and they certainly won't be lacking in creativity either.

The choice for us is simple, if your DD can get into an academic school, there's no choice. If you worried about your DDs ability to do well then go with the lesser academic credentials.

But we won't ve selling our DD short and know she'll do well, plus be very creative and looked after at the same time.

Smoke an mirrors around this whole 'creative/nurturing' thing is mad. It's just another way if saying 'we ain't that good at getting decent results, so we've made ourselves up another usp' (which other schools have anyway).

@JamieleeS

That's interesting as the indecision at our Prep isn't between those two at all. Ours is around pure geography and most are torn between PF and StCats to due ease of transport. Some have forgone StCats and picked Tormead as its just as academic but suits a sibling drop of off for RGS.

I guess it also depends on where you are.

The choice between academic success and nurturing/creative is still an odd one. All the schools on the guildford circuit are 'creative' and pretty much all of them have a reputation for pastoral care, wellbeing, nurturing etc. E.G. Hasnt that been Tormead'S USP for decades now, education in a caring a supportive environment?

We're choosing Stcats (over PR and STs) due to its academic credentials and geography, tormead doesn't feature for us due to my work/school run. If you daughter has been offered a place at a more academic school, I certainly don't know why you wouldn't take it, they wouldn't offer if they didn't think DD could survive, and they certainly won't be lacking in creativity either.

The choice for us is simple, if your DD can get into an academic school, there's no choice. If you worried about your DDs ability to do well then go with the lesser academic credentials.

But we won't ve selling our DD short and know she'll do well, plus be very creative and looked after at the same time.

Smoke an mirrors around this whole 'creative/nurturing' thing is mad. It's just another way if saying 'we ain't that good at getting decent results, so we've made ourselves up another usp' (which other schools have anyway).

I completely agree and having got an ' academic' school offer we were waitlisted on, we are going for that.

We went and looked at some alternatives (I posted previously on this thread) and could see through marketing too. Coming from state school (albeit a state that has lots going private, so practically a prep cohort), facilities and the sports offer/opportunities play a little bit into it but academics have a huge weighting.

I can see there are different mindsets though. Perhaps controversial... Some at our primary can't stand their DC being told off or pushed a little and rage on WhatsApp the moment the school give a little reality check. They are also a bit scared of private and imagine academic as being very pressured so go 'safe' with a softer option despite getting in somewhere more academic.

The Head at our Prep told a friend mum that a choice between Priors Field and Tormead/StCats (her two other offers) was a no brainer. They obviously have their 'destination school' list to maintain, but they also have serious amounts of expertise about what school will fit a child. Daugters friend is smart, capable, successful. Smoke and mirrors marketing nearly got the better of her.

Hopefully you all have offers now. Good luck choosing - its not as easy as we all think

Hi Coffeeandom , did you hear back ?

We have 3 DD’s at SWPS and the girls all decided to go there above other schools in the Weybridge and Guildford area.
My eldest is about to leave and has been successful in her Oxford University application as well as offers from all other Russell Group Universities. This is a testament to, not only her own abilities but, also to the dedicated and limitless support she had received from her teachers. She has also become and very motivated and proactive young adult which has been encouraged and nurtured by the school. She will be very sad to leave but has been so well prepared for her life beyond SWPS.
My other 2 DD’s are in Year 10 & 8 and thriving there. Academically they are challenged and stretched. Sport is fun and inclusive for all with a sports scholarship introduced this year. As with most other schools, a lot of the girls attend sports clubs outside the school and represent the school in that given sport. Rowing is the exception and SWPS produces rowers at a high level. Drama is also a lot of fun with the recent ‘Annie’ production very entertaining!! The music department is also very strong.
The school is a modest, high achieving school with a lot of hard working families making sacrifices to send their daughters there. It is by no means faultless, as we have yet to find the perfect school, but it has proved very successful for my 3 DD’s.
Bad behaviour is not tolerated and addressed accordingly. Pastoral care is also taken very seriously and no subject is taboo.
Mr. M has recently announced his resignation after 13 years and will be missed. He has left the school in a great position. What an exciting opportunity for the school to appoint another dynamic and devoted head? I am sure this will be a hotly contested position, as on the whole, it is a great all round school but my no means perfect…’Excellence not Perfection’.

Hi all, my family is relocating to UK this summer. My daughter (year 3) has been accepted into St Albans High school for girls, Putney High School GDST and Notting Hill and Ealing High School. We are also waiting for the result from Guildford High School. Since we are relocating, location does not matter, as long as it’s a safe and nice place to live as a family.

I know these schools are fairly academic. I would not want my daughter to be in a hothouse. She is a smart girl, but not always confident about herself, and she likes to learn through play. I would like to choose a school that can keep her interest in learning, be happy and make friends. Since I am from abroad and unfamiliar with the schools, any comment about the above 4 schools would be highly appreciated! Thank you so much in advance.

First of all, congratulations! They are all great schools! And your daughter did really well getting into them: if she likes the school, you won't go through 11+ stress as all your schools go up to 18. My daughter is in GHS: Junior school is very relaxed, and it is all about play and having fun. Lots of sports, music, drama, trips. Once girls move to the Senior school (Year 7) they become more competitive: school is excellent in terms of pastoral care; stress might come from parents or girls themselves. I think it is more about whether you would like to be in London, St Albans or Guildford.

Completely agree with @Behappy29 ,
@greenpastures2023 , you need to decide where you want to live. Do you like driving? Are you happy to spend your weekends driving to Surrey villages and around St Albans for birthday parties and play dates or do you want to move around London on the tube and bus? I would have thought Putney would give you the best housing and travel options but the site is near a busy road, do issues like quality of air and outside space concern you?
The education your dd will receive at any of these schools will be great so you need to think about housing / commute / diversity / transport etc and find the best option for your family.

Commute to London from both St Albans and Guildford is possible. We both work in London and commute (luckily less now), and you certainly get bigger houses / gardens outside London. We used to live near Putney before and decided to move to Surrey...but Putney High is a very good school if you want to be in London.

just found out that we got offer from Guildford high school too! May I ask how long is the train ride from Guildford to Waterloo? Fast train takes only 30 minutes? I wonder if fast trains are frequent or not.

I plan to learn driving but at least for the first year or so, I will need to rely on public transportation. My husband drives though so can take kids to school and play dates.

thanks in advance!

Congratulations! Fastest trains are 30-40 mins from the main Guildford station. GHS is next to the London Road station: there are slow trains from there to Waterloo that take an hour. It is manageable but there are train delays, strikes etc. Also from Year 7 she will get to school herself.