Tormead V St Catherine's

[sedster]

My DD has been offered places at both and although St Cats was originally our first choice, I'm now very confused - mainly for financial reasons. We are not super rich by any stretch of the imagination so the reduced fees at Tormead would be very welcome. However, I've heard quite a lot of negativity recently about Tormead so any feedback about either would be very welcome. I don't want her to feel inferior at St Cats because we aren't jetting off to the Maldives every Christmas etc....

My DD has good friends at both (she is at the 'other one' herself). Neither give any cause for concern and we know very rich people at Tormead and regular people at st cats! There is a mix at both and you def won't be out of place in just a regular income fAmily.

For me, the diff would be between location and the day/ boarding mix - so whatever suits your location and family best.

I know them both well too - there's a big difference between a central Guildford location and a semi-rural one, especially as they get older, in terms of access to town, socialising with RGS boys, etc; and Tormead is perhaps a little less pushy and a bit more arty. Agree with gettingalifenow that the parents have similar characteristics at both - we too are at "the other one" and have never had any problems in spite of no Maldives here either.
Either school is good, and I know lots of people who've been happy with both; for me, the town location is a huge plus in terms of life experience etc, but your view may differ for exactly that reason!

A comment I had from a Tormead girl recently was, that the new headmistress is trying to "make Tormead more like St Catherine's". The new head of Tormead was a deputy head at St Catz.
There is always some moans when a new head comes and changes things; and the one thing I have noticed is she is much stricter about Blazers, which the old head had been letting slip (eg. I see girls wearing the Blazers again, when they had not been for a few years).
I know girls at all the Guildford area schools, and they are certainly not jetting off the to Maldives all the time, most are normal families who are making sacrifices to pay the school fees (I do know one family sailed near Greece last summer, another went to a Cottage in the Brecon Beacons).

Thanks everyone - that's very helpful!

I'd looked at both of these schools... they are both good, wanted both daughters to be in a friendly set up... I've wondered about St Teresa's, very recently, any view on this school? Seems to have a good write up in the Good Schools Guide, sems friendly, results on bbc education sight better than I thought they would be as they are less selective... there are so many good schools in Surrey, very different to where we've movd from... how do you choose!

I know all the guildford schools well, my DDs were also at 'the other one' but we have a few family friends with girls and tormead/st cats and my DDs and DS (RGS) mixed a lot with friends at tormead especially.
Tormead's new head has a mixed reputation from being highly firm but fair, trying to make it the posh day girls school and being very strict to the extent those who choose tormead because it used to be more relaxed and caring are leaving. I personally have heard from family friends they like her approach and think the school needed 'tightening up' again as it had become too relaxed.
St Cats is very mixed opinions too with some loving it, some hating it. I have heard there is fairly low staff morale with many of the best teachers moving on very quickly. The new facilities there are amazing. Would say St cats is probably a richer atmosphere simply because it is boarding but also know many very down to earth families who struggle to pay the fees. At tormead huge numbers leave for sixth form to godalming college.

I would say they are both very different schools. Tormead is a far smaller site but has the advantages of links with RGS and being near town. I know some of DDs friends who have done very well there and have just began at top unis. I always thought st cats seemed great at getting all girls involved via the house competitions and activities, it seems to have a great feeling of taking part being what counts.