Rgs guildford to go Co-Ed

[FabulousFlamingos]

Very interesting move - let's see how that pans out!

Nursery, reception, year 3 and lower sixth 2027.

Year 7 2028.

Each to their own. You can choose elsewhere if you prefer. I am very pro co-ed, particularly for girls with no brothers, having attended all girls boarding myself, and watching my own dd at a co-ed school, but everyone's experiences are different, and families have their own cultures/traditions to which they may prefer to adhere.

The argument that RGS has 'traditionally' been a boys school and should therefore remain one is moot. Just because something has always been done a certain way does not mean that it should not adapt. I'm sure people were not happy in 1945 when Royal Holloway began admitting male postgrads, and then in 1965 when male undergraduates were allowed.

"But what I find hard to move past, is the fact that a boys’ school that has operated since the 1500s as a boys-only institution can suddenly claim to understand what girls need educationally, pastorally, or developmentally. That expertise doesn’t appear overnight, and it’s precisely why established girls’ schools exist."

Exactly this.

No one in their right mind would feel comfortable sending their daughter to be one of 60-70 girls in a school of 1100 boys that has been nothing but a boys school for 500 years - juat imagine the sweat and lynx Africa for a start - let alone the fact that they havent a scoobies know how girls, particularly younger girls operate.

Im sure they'll spend the next 1.5 years trying to persuade parents otherwise! 🙄

Of course everyone chooses what suits their family — totally agree on that. But my point isn’t that RGS should stay boys-only simply because it always has been. Tradition alone isn’t a reason to keep anything the same.

The issue is that expertise in girls’ education isn’t something a school acquires overnight simply by opening its doors to girls. Girls’ schools (and long-established co-eds) have spent decades building pastoral systems, safeguarding frameworks, academic approaches, and cultures specifically designed around how girls develop, learn, socialise, and lead. That’s not a sentimental argument — it’s a practical one.

Saying “I like co-ed, so RGS can just adapt” skips over the fact that real adaptation is a huge and complex process. It took universities like Royal Holloway years of structural and cultural change before they were meaningfully co-ed — they didn’t just flip a switch. The same will be true for any school moving from centuries of boys-only education to trying to deliver excellent provision for girls from day one.

I agre, change can be positive. But it’s equally reasonable to question whether a school with no track record in girls’ education can instantly offer the same depth of understanding and environment that established girls’ schools already provide.

That’s not about clinging to tradition — it’s about recognising the reality that educating girls well requires more than simply admitting them.

I imagine they’ll be offering some fairly hefty fee discounts to girls. I can’t see why you’d take the chance otherwise.

That would be nothing short of an outrage, thus highly unlikely... Nothing speaks volumes like we need girls so here's % off for your daughters, but the boysz well they can all pay full price for the same product.

Also, not sure how that would sit with HMC who has rules for members about dodgy fee behaviour against other members.

Not sure they'd get away with that one.

Agree, why some of the others are co-ed at sixth form and after decades introduce into year 7/9

I think its a good plan and is future proofing the school.
Personally I've always thought that Tormead should have done this years ago to get out of the GHS/StCats triangle.... No private co-ed schools near Guildford currently.

Also Charterhouse have completed this successfully.

Why Tormead though and why does it need to get out of the 'triangle'? Genuine question.

Tormead seems to have over 800 on roll now, plus Rydes Hill, compared to 600 ish 4-5 years ago - when you check its dfe figures online. Not sure they have a recruitment issue, they have a solid rep locally and seems to be outperforming stcats for pupil numbers and exam results. When really good girls schools aren't having issues attracting numbers, why give up your USP. That goes for all of the 'triangle'.

RGS are rightly future proofing because boys only schools are ever more on the decline and have fallen out of fashion in recent years, especially with the still relatively recent me too movement.

it actually does make way more sense for rgs to go co-ed as their boy birth rate outlook isnt good, boys only schools are sadly tarred with the same broad brush, and on top, include in that their steadily falling grades - that said, im not sure how easy they will find bringing in girls, to what is fundamentally a 500 year old boys only establishment.

Agree with much of the above, also a local parent. Tormead doing very well and also doing better than other coeds in the area eg St John’s.

I also think GHS will lose out unless they modernise and deal with some of the competitive culture in the school (between parents as much as kids). Even the fact that they play lacrosse not hockey is outdated and means you have to compromise if you have a bright child that loves hockey. If you can offer bright girls a more rounded alternative (which is one of the reasons tormead is doing well I think)… then RGS becomes a viable option.

I think to really attract top talent, girls or boys, RGS needs to up its sports game, even among the boys it’s not that strong (all the “sporty” boys go elsewhere, and people are increasingly looking for the whole package for their child when choosing a school.

Personally I think the best option would have been for RGS and Tormead to link together into a diamond structure (coed prep and sixth form with single sex secondary that includes lots of extra curricular work and sports together) That would have been a win win.

Interesting concept on the diamond, i always thought the city lacked a co-ed independent sixth form. Not really a co-ed school...

....plenty of decent co-ed state options and co-ed indies just a few miles if you want... guildford really had a good niche with girls and boys schools though.... no longer.

Prep is tricky, as like I said people buy into single sex and where it makes then most difference is at prep, then secondary. Sixth form, less so, where co-ed makes sense.

Given what they buy into, I would expect tormead prep girls to leave in their droves if the prep went co-ed, girls just learn better at that age in their own environment. Just look at the girls schools, like Halstead, that went co-ed, massive flop. I think nearly all of them ironically bailed for tormead prep at the time!

Chatting to my DS (left RGS 2020) about this. He’s sad as he thinks it will totally change the character of the school. He liked that boys only means dating etc is not a distraction in the classroom and that all types of boys were equally respected, whatever their background, wealth, interests etc.
He also thinks it will be GHS that loses out as what he’s heard from friends who went there ‘no-one likes it, too many mean people, too pressured’.

Find this move to co-ed rather confusing. We moved to the area over the summer in a last minute exit from London and applied to RGS for our DS at Year 1 entry. They had space but after assessment they said he wasn’t RGS material. Our DS is bright and enthusiastic about learning but he’s 5 and a fidget so really it sounds like they just want more “sit still” type kids that fit the mold and will guarantee them exam results. So it’s not that there aren’t enough boys, they just want a certain type of boy of which there aren’t enough. Guildford is screaming for a non-selective boys school or co-ed. Despite living next door to RGS (and Tormead) we have had to send our DS to a co-ed prep miles out of town.
Now faced with the dilemma about what to do with DD who starts reception in September next year. She would thrive at Tormead but feels wrong to now separate them. Guildford really is tricky for schools especially when it comes to boys.

I agree with you — the whole RGS move to co-ed feels less like a bold educational vision and more like a practical reaction to the fact they haven’t been getting enough of their ideal boy for a while now. Their intake has always been quite narrow, and there simply aren’t enough of those “perfectly still, high-performing from age five” boys in the area to sustain that model. Their results have also been edging down over recent years, so suddenly opening to girls doesn’t feel entirely coincidental.

One thing people often forget is that Guildford already has Rydes Hill. It’s been co-ed in the younger years for ages and is moving fully co-ed up to Year 6. We considered it for our DD many moons ago, and it was our backup to Tormead at the time. Families we know rate it highly — especially for boys who might not thrive in a high-pressure or selective environment. It’s relatively small, but I guess nurturing and not an exam-factory. It’s also historically succeeded in getting boys into RGS when that’s been the right choice, alongside girls into the usual Guildford Seniors - GHS, TOrmead, StCats, etc..

On the Tormead side, the Prep is genuinely lovely. We had daughters there before they grew! — everything is built around it being 100% girls, and the culture, teaching style and opportunities all reflect that. That’s something I genuinely worry about with RGS: after being boys-only since the 1500s, the idea that they’ll suddenly master girls’ development, learning styles and pastoral needs in about 12 months feels… optimistic. It’s a huge cultural shift, not something you can just bolt on with a new brochure or an AI generated advert of some girls in their uniform. Tormead, St Cats and GHS have been educating women for hundreds of years and are clearly very good at it.

If you’re worried about splitting your two, don't quote me, but there appears to be a daily shuttle between Rydes Hill and Tormead for families with boys at RH and girls at Tormead, the bus passes our house every day. Might help with logistics - maybe ask?

That said, if your current co-ed prep is working for your DS, there’s no reason to uproot him, but I wouldn't pass off Tormead if you're next door for your DD.

Guildford is tricky for boys, absolutely — but you do all these options, even if RGS isn’t quite the straightforward co-ed solution they’re trying to present. We'll have to wait and see!

Seems like such a strange choice for a town with four independent girls schools and only one for boys, especially given the three excellent co-ed state options too.

We’re in Farnham nearby but turned down an RGS place in favour of Salesian College where DS couldn’t be happier. Highly recommend for academic boys looking for single sex secondary education (sixth form is co-ed).

I agree it’s a really odd move — it has to be numbers, because girls already travel from miles around past perfectly good co-ed options (including Guildford’s excellent state schools) specifically to choose a Guildford girls-only education, so I’m not sure where RGS think this sudden influx of girls is going to come from, especially after being boys-only since the 1500s and now having about a year to pretend they understand girls’ learning and pastoral needs. Sounds like you made a great call with Salesian for your DS — the co-ed sixth form is a great idea though, I always thought that Tormead or St Cats would go that way eventually, it protects girls only in their fundamentally key learning years, from age 4 to 16, and then lets them get some co-ed experience before university or work. Mine did the single sex Sixth Form at Tormead, went great, but a lot do leave for Co-Ed options.

I also think GHS will lose out - mainly in terms of collaboration. RGS is unlikely to continue with its current joint activities with GHS once it has enough of its own girls. I’m thinking in particular of musical activities such as the Joint Chamber Choir and the choral concerts and musicals.

I’m surprised to hear the comment about no one liking GHS though. My girls were both at the senior school and were extremely happy. They didn’t find it too pressured and neither reported any meanness. I was aware of a lot more of that at their primary school!

@Fifthtimelucky I think it depends on your year group. It only takes a few, and there are some particularly unpleasant competitive parents with particularly unpleasant kids. I think it’s probably worse if you’re into sports and better if you’re more into music or drama.

I think it’s a real pity. I’ve had children at various schools including RGS and one of the girls’ schools. They function very differently and RGS seems to “get” boys. The dynamic between RGS and the girls’ schools works for both but that will come to an end when RGS will have its own girls.

Assuming the ultimate aim is a 50/50 split, that adds lots of places for girls but removes options for boys, half of whom will then have no Guildford option.

I wonder whether it’s also driven by all the overseas RGS schools being co-ed - or a bit of a project for a head teacher who may well retire soon anyway.

@Schoogle You might be right. Mine were more musical than sporty, though they did have some sporty friends.

I hope things haven’t changed though. My youngest is now in her mid 20s, so obviously things may have moved on since she left.

Wasn’t the head of the prep previously at Tormead? So I guess he is fairly well equipped to lead a co ed.

The Times Parent Power has come out today and RGS have done very well! Ranked 22nd, along side Hampton who are 23rd. So I don't think it is a results issue, rather just the changing landscape of independent schools.

GHS. And one person won't make a difference, takes many years to change a culture and a very long standing staffing body. The seniors will be an even harder task.

Last year they were 22, the year before that higher still, so there is a slow slope downwards, but a slope none the less.

Only they will know the capabilities of their forthcoming year groups too - they may have predicted grades and performance that is a steady decline, as their in take broadened to fill places as the number of boys available has dropped over the years.

Speculations, yes, but we can't just base it on the results that have occurred, they will be looking at the calibre they are taking on now and the predicted grades of those they already have coming through towards public exams.

An easy way to fill this is try and bring girls in - however a simple let's start in sixth form would've been better in my opinion. By getting used to girls, gaining experience dealing with them, etc. etc. builds credibility and confidence in potential parents. It seems a little gun-ho to do so much at once, and not what schools normally do, who go through this process.

The likelihood anyone will want to send their 4 or 11 year old daughters into a establishment of over 1000 boys, with 500 years of only teaching boys, in a school fundamentally set up for boys, is somewhat optimistic in my view!

Hi. Does anyone have any experience of class sizes currently / how close they are operating to capacity in the pre-prep / KS1? Indications from the Gov website suggests the school as a whole is operating fairly close to capacity.