Rydes Hill joins Tormead

[Notonyours]

Interesting development in Guildford. Rydes Hill gets Tormead security, facilities and benefits and Tormead parents gain access to a nursery and co-educational offering for their boys / siblings.

The rationalisation of the market continues, but this also seems like a clever move for Tormead and Rydes Hill, who was undoubtedly feeling the current economic pressure.

Interesting announcement as not the first in the area so I wonder what else is in the pipeline - so many prep schools around there and some small. Tormead prep were doing a lot of activities with RGS Prep so I assumed they were considering some sort of merger there, especially as they are closer geographically. Perhaps just providing more co-ed opportunities while maintaining single sex schools.

Yes an area that's certainly not short of schools! Agree, I think it's quite smart, getting yourself a popular, ready-made nursery, plus a co-ed(ish) prep school.

Given how popular girls' only education is, and how viciously parents defend it!, I assume tormead and the prep itself will stay girls only, and Rydes Hill will become co-ed, like you say offering a 'boys' option.

On RGS, I'm not sure, theyre so big, seem to rant on about boys education a lot, so I don't think they'd be up for going co-ed by merging?

To be honest, I don't think it would fly with the girls' parents for the reasons I mentioned above, no one wants to specifically pick a girls school for it to be flooded with young lads - no disrespect, I have my own! Haha

Very interesting! I actually live near Rydes Hill in Worplesdon, that's great news as my daughters friend was looking at them for nursery, but was worried about its ongoing future. I'm usually quite cynical on most things on MN, as my posting history can attribute, but this is actually great news.

The nursery has a wonderful reputation and now the school has a strong, much bigger partner in Tormead, that longevity will do them well.

If anyone from the school is watching though, one piece of advice for the new 'merged team's is that my daughters best friends' admissions experience was not the smoothest! But I will let her know about this development. Hopefully eith Tormead on board the only way is up.

After all rydes hill has been part of our local community for many a year.

Ps. Agree with PP, tormead is a very popular girls school, which is picked for exactly that, a girls safe space learning environment, I would be surprised if the main campus went co-ed, doesn't make sense. Maybe more collaboration instead?

Agree, smaller schools like these are great, and in rydes hills case the nursery seems to be it's shining star, to loose these things in areas like Guildford, where nursery childcare is like rocking horse poo, would be tragic. I saw the news ans was so pleased someone saw the value in keeping it going.

Like all these schools, these mergers come about because someone was desperate, given Tormead is the partner, I expect RH was on the way out, so has been saved from the scrap heap.

Good news for the kids.

Defo the way of the future, small schools folding into bigger ones or going bust is what will happen.

In the days of sh*t VAT, pensions tax and NI increases, these kind of mergers are what we need.

Just think of the hundreds of kids at Rydes Hill, so many of which are nursery school ages. If that school had closed all those parents would seriously struggle to find places for their tiny people, so they can go to work!

The quicker this government sort this out or simply get voted out, the better!

Well done to both schools for doing what's right for the girls and boys.

We're looking at Tormead for 11+, taking it to the pay-day wire and very keen but like all these things, taking all the time we need.

We have a younger 2 year old boy and this is great. Looks like the leaked leter to tormead to parents means single school drop offs and discounts for siblings. For us that's choice done! Amazing!

What's the letter - can you share?

I went to Rydes Hill and adored it. I went back recently to look for my own kids and none of the facilities had changed since I was there 25 years ago. This would make sense financially.

Any decisions that stop this pathetic government's attempts to shut down the private sector are welcomed by me

Yeah it's very tired, you could see the 'cash' had run out. We looked at it for Reception and decided not to for that reason. That said the kids were happy and the nursery staff have a very good reputation. I know many a parent who will rave about the veteran Mrs Beaven or the lovely Miss Messinger! It's super news that the school and the girls have a future and i guess lots of investment on the way. This government has a lot to answer for.

Have to be fair, this government was voted by majority of British people - means most of the people in UK are welcome the idea of shutting down private schools. I have decided to transferred my children to state schools - having been paid so many years private school fees on top of heavy tax and NI contributions and without using any state schoolnl fundings, I am really getting sick of this so I decided to stop paying more and start to enjoy my tax contributions from now on.

Have you seen the news that The Royal school in Surrey is closing on 31 August, very upsetting for those pupils and staff.

Labour have a large majority, yes, but it is wafer, and I mean the 'cheapest tesco value wafer thin ham width' thin, you can possibly get!

In fact just 32% of the population voted Labour!

The evidence on how terrible they're policies are, including the VAT on PSs which is backfiring now, as we see this will actually cost them money, plus the legal challenges, alongside state schools rejecting breakfast clubs as they are not financially viable, plus cock ups over academies etc. Etc., is growing. In fact in the opinion polls, Labour have tanked to the lowest of any government in history during their honeymoon period year! Starmer is only 10 points above Putins approval raiting!

Obviously it is your choice to do whatever you want with your tax and state place, but the point is schools like this, small prep schools and specialist schools serve small communities and for them to go bust or close due to ridiculous taxes, is scandalous. This just upsets kids and costs money.

......

Any back to the thread!

Yes I saw the Royal School is closing too! And that's owned by United Learning. I wonder who's next...

Very!

The Prep Department of Rydes Hill is closing. All the girls affected are being offered a place at Tormead Prep. Rydes Hill will continue as a co-ed nursery and pre-prep only, but will retain its name and uniform etc.

I totally understand. We are also working parents paying for private school fees for many years with hoping to give our children the best in their education. I am really sorry for ryde's parents. Small prep schools won't survive in this change. This is probaly just the beginning in surrey area.

I don't like talking politics but we are indeed suffering from those politicians making policies just in favor of their own political position but not for the benefits of people. I feel very frustrated and very worried about the country's future.

Sorry to throw in this maybe rubbish feelings. I am a parent in the similar situation.

So sorry to hear about this upheaval for current parents, another casualty of Labour's war on aspiration. Madness.

For anyone reading though, rest assured that tormead is a fantastic place which guildford is lucky to have, and I'm sure the girls moving will be welcomed with open arms.

Good luck to everyone, especially the effected students and their teachers, stay as positive as you can, the world right now isn't great and we need to embrace every small win or silver lining that we can.

No problem about bringing politics into this, but it's not accurate to suggest that the Rydes Hill Tormead merger is a direct result of current government policy or 'Labour's war on aspiration'. Rydes Hill has always operated hand-to-mouth and it has been really struggling for the last 4 to 5 years: the nursery was the only part of the school that turned a profit and the school has been propping up the Prep department with money from its dwindling reserves. The Labour government has been in power for less than a year of that five year period.

For ryde's case that is the straw that broke the camel's back.

For the first two months of 2025, there are over 10 prep schools announced closure. That is definitely not a coincidence. That is the direct result of current government policy or 'Labour's war on aspiration'. Nobody can deny it. We will see more closure on the way, especially in Surrey area.

I'm affraid that I have to disagree somewhat.

A great many of these prep school's, of a similar size, have been bouncing along the bottom for decades, but surviving! Rydes hill was actually starting to move back into profitability, if you view its accounts. The nursery was feeding into the prep school and growth was In sight. But what they (all these small schools) have all been doing, is providing a educational service to communities, plus employment, plus paying their tax, and in a lot of cases providing specialised SEN support.

The Tormead merger is irrelevant to the crux of the issue, although it is worth noting that the saviour of the school and the benefits for all parents and girls (and boys) of both schools will be positive going forward.

What is relevant is the way this school was forced into closure. It was the implementation of ridiculous hikes in eNI (causing havoc across all UK sectors and will likely cause incredible damage to the labour market post April, I own a company of 65 employees, 4 have recently moved on and i will not be replacing them) and the removal of rates relief, for what are, whether you like it or not, schools! She (our horrendously underqualified chancellor) may think these are businesses, but like rydes hill, the majority of our independent schools turn no profit, do great, great good, take pressure off rhe state, and have now been wrecked by a deliberate policy of spite.

All I can do is thank Tormead for stepping in, wish those effected negatively all the best, and never vote Labour again.

It's nice to hear some good news out of all the bad at the moment. Kids stay together, a schools long lasting name is saved and as many employees as possible saved from loss.

I've posted elsewhere, but it's evident that independent schools in saturated Surrey, and likely across the country are now gloves off fighting for roll.

In the local area alone there is talk, and some confirmed cases of, in excess of 25% discounts being offered to parents to lure them in. When times are tough I guess some cash is better than no cash - especially as your overheads don't change.

I expect to see many more closures in Surrey in the coming years, with many of the lovely, small prep schools we have going first, followed by senior schools with no prep school of their own to feed them.

This prophecy will then self-fullful as parents seek larger establishments that are clearly doing well and financially viable, likely "through schools" who can offer consistency, avoiding the risk of one's child being out on a limb should any smaller school go bust.

It's a car crash out there right now, a tragedy (excuse the hyperbole) and both Racheal from Customer Complaints and #whereisBridget have a lot to answer for.

Does anyone know how many will be moving over to Tormead from rydes hill prep? Anyone aware of their class sizes for years 1 onwards?

If you mean tormead, I guess no changes until year 3, as Rydes Hill is staying open and will be a pre-prep through to end if Yr2.

On the rest of years, not sure, although the letter does say that classes will not exceed their normal limits and the opening of a new teaching building at Tormead Prep means extra capacity and space. Tormead also go's from one class per year to two in year 3.

It looks to have been very well planned and thought through, minimising impact for tormead and rydes hill, whilst strengthening both schools position.

We've just accepted out tormead 11+ offer, and very excited for Sep, be interesting to see how many in Yr7, as the process was incredibly popular.

More so wondering how many will be coming across to Tormead from rydes hill in years 3-6. I guess not all currently at rydes hill will accept and move to Tormead, but wondering how many are currently at rydes hill in the years 2 3 4 & 5 (as they will be the year groups transferring to prep for years 3-6 from September). I know there is space but wondering for future class sizes.

I don't imagine they're very big classes at rydes hill, hence the issue with it having to close down! I don't know any numbers specifically though.

I can't imagine all of them will come across either, as someone mentioned on a FB post last week in the ENT group, at rydes hill a lot of parents were on large discounts/scholarships- another reason why they weren't doing well financially.

Are you a parent at either school, or a prospective parent? I think best thing to do is just contact tormead and ask - if your a parent, the copy of that letter I have says there are coffee mornings for parents where all questions will be answered.

Also it does say that the tormead class sizes will not exceed their normal sizes in September and that spaces have been tactically left free for rydes hill kids. So if you're worried about large sizes, by the look of it, nothing changes for tormead prep parents.