Prep schools in Surrey

[dolly1]

We are currently living in London but planning to move to Surrey by time ds is two (he's due in Spring). Not sure where yet - prob Esher or Guildford or Weybrigde - net is very wide at the mo.
But I was wondering if anyone could give me an idea of good prep schools in those areas please?
Happy to put name down at birth for four or five along with deposit and then confirm nearer the time when we have actually moved.
Just don't want to to miss the boat and find that by the time we get there they are full up. Not bothered about losing deposits.

Any suggestions? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Know all the schools in our area but no point putting name down with them.

We are thinking of Charterhouse for when he is older but that's a long way off yet.

Thanks in advance.

ps any nursery suggestions would be great too!

Guildford 35 minutes into Waterloo.

barrow hills in witley

my sister sent hers there

Barrow Hills is one we're looking at lou33, your sister's DCs enjoyed it there? Where did they go on to afterwards?

Thanks ladies. Loads of good advice there.
My husband was a boarder (I wasn't) so he is really keen for our son to board too. And I must say that all his mates are really nice, well rounded, 'normal' guys. I know people worry that boarding school will have a very negative effect on kids but from what I see of them it's the total opposite.
Just thought I'd explain why I'm planning to have him board. But weekly, not termly and not if there was any real reason why he shouldn't - I know some kids just aren't cut out for it.
It's because of the boarding thing that we chose Chaterhouse - i.e. good school that will be near where we live so easy access.

Anyway, I digress. I think Guildford is def an option. I work from home but my husband works in the city so he has to be able to get into town quickly. What's the point of having a lovely home if you're dh is commuting for hours I think.

We saw a lovely house on the basingstoke canal on the internet - not actually going to look at any yet - but it was basically in Woking and I've heard Woking isn't as nice as Weybridge and Guildford. Don't know it as well as those too - so sorry if I'm offending anyone who lives there and feel free to tell me I'm wrong.

I suppose what I worry about is moving so far out of London and then losing touch with my social life etc. But I do believe you can often have an even better circle in smaller places.

Ah well we just need to the little one out and then start looking! I guess I should be focusing on that and not moving! Always one for a project!

It's not that far out of London - I was there at a friend's house the other day, and I often work there too.

I grew up here, and know Woking well - and my very biased opinion is that it's not as nice as Guildford. We moved out of London (lived in Putney) and also looked a house backing onto the basingstoke canal in St John's, Woking - and the area was quite nice as I recall. Horsell is a popular village just outside Woking too. However we eventually settled back "home" and having family so close has been great.

You could look at Worplesdon - has a good service to London - is a village, but not far from Guildford.

Oh and the social life here is pretty good. DH has been complaining I'm out 3 nights this week. It's a friendly area and you will make friends through school. We have dogs, and I've met quite a lot of people through walking them on the Commons - and we also go out for a drink every so ofen!

You often meet people and find out you have acquaintances in common, and you get to know your friends' friends too.

Woking is nowhere near as nice as Guildford.

I also think that Guildford isn't as nice as Weybridge/Esher and the smaller Surrey villages.

Actually, I mean the centre of Guildford - the small villages and outskirts of Guildford are lovely.

Reeds in Cobham maybe? You need to give us some idea of what you want in a school - mixed or single sex, if single sex what if you then have a girl? 2nd Esher as a great place to live, also Cobham. And what age to board from?

The centre of Guildford that backs on to the Downs is what you are after - get a scooter or walk to the station. I am sitting here looking out of my window I have a beautiful view if about fifteen miles. Guildford is quite hilly, which is an advantage for views and keeps you fit

And the surrounding villages are also beautiful - ours has a couple of pubs, newsagent & post office (for the timebeing anyway!) take-aways, Spar, hairdresser, pharmacy, beauty salon, village green, village school, village hall, playgrounds, tennis club - plus miles and miles of common land great for walking and riding either bikes or horses.

You're still close enough to get into Guildford (or London) for a night out, and for shopping etc.

Kaz33 that sounds lovely - my husband is obsessed with us having a view. Ideally from a nice period property. Does that sound like your area? Saw a really nice red brick one on find a property the other day which seemed to have great views.
And only the other day I said if we did move to Weybridge he should get a scooter to nip up to the station - bit too far to walk from the town center every day and most of the nice houses seem to be on the far side of the high street.

Surr3ymummy sounds like you were in a very similar boat to us. Guildford (and the surrounding area) is sounding more and more appealing. Still want a bit of buzz as, as I said, I'm not a country gal at heart. Social life sounds great.

Titchy I think I'd like a mixed school. For the very reason that if we did have a girl next they could go to school together - make my life easier.
But just so focused on having a son at the mo cause that's what we've got IYSWIM?
Boarding from about 12 I reckon, or there abouts. But, and I don't mean this to sounds sexist in the slightest, if we had a girl next I'd want a day school for her prob. Just how I feel. Not sure a girl would get on so well boarding but def not ruling anything out yet.

Seen a few nice houses on the net between farham and portsmouth roads - is that a nice area in Guildford? I think that might be the area you are talking about Kaz33?

Think Kaz is probably other side of Guildford - I'm Farnham/Godalming way.

Compton would be worth looking at - lovely area, and you can go straight down the Farnham Road into Guildford.

You want to look on Pewley Hill towards Shalford, or you can go towards Merrow. Or behind the Farnham road, but not such big gardens but great access to Downs in all those locations.. The houses in the centre of Guildford have some lovely period big houses but very small gardens.

www.propertyfinder.com/cgi-bin/rsearch?a=o&id=501939365

thanks kaz33 - very nice of you to take the time to do that. You do get a lot more for your money out of London eh?!
I think dh and I need to make a little drive around there one of our Sunday afternoon activities. On route to lovely Petworth house and it's great tea room! Have you been there? Such a nice place for a spot of lunch. Sound like my gran!
So good to get advice from those who actually live in the area. Do they have a really good nct down that way too? About to start my classes here and will do a refresher class for the next one to meet more people.

they did enjoy it

one went onto king edwards

they have just moved tho, but one is still attending as she likes it so much, and one has moved to another in frensham

You could also look at Shrewsbury House in Long Ditton, Esher is close by for comuting and it feeds Charterhouse. For girls there is Rowan in Claygate. Also look at East Molesey to live or Thames Ditton

I don't know Surrey but I endorse the comment about looking for the feeder schools. Every child from my sister's school who applied to quite a hard one to get into at age 7 had got in from that feeder school.

You can't make too much of feeder schools. At the end of the day, senior schools will take whoever passes the pretest. If the boys do well in their pretest, they will be offered a place, and then all they need to do is meet the CE requirements. There is no social kudos nowadays.

Sorry to Hijack your thread Dolly! I hope you wont mind.

We moved to Guildford over the summer (all the way from Godalming) have DD and DS at two of the local well known ind schools...moved to be able to walk to school and for them to be near their friends and life....

Seems that there are a lot of Guildford ladies here - do you have a Guildford meet-up? Also anyone in or want to start a book club - sorry again Dolly - I am really keen to get to know new folks - so hard in a town I find. Thanks!

On thread - I do genuinely feel that feeder schools are a consideration - in this area at least - don't know about elsewhere to be fair. The academic and oversubscribed schools do have preference and certain dominant feeders that they will share and each of the prep schools has links and leavers profiles will show this if you ask about them - not looking for a fight just my opinion locally.