Tormead GCSE results 2019

[Starlilly88]

Anyone know where I can find Tormeads results from last year? Not on their website or league tables. Trying to see how they compare to the other local private schools

We are going to move into Surrey next year. Can anyone comment about Tormead and Notre Dame for Year 10 girl? We are not locals and just know little about these 2 schools. Which one is more academic? more nurturing? What are the changes that has been brought in by the new Tormead Head Master? Appreciate any recommemdations.....million thx!

Hey @szeszesally, a warm pre-welcome to the area. Academic wise, Tormead is way ahead. It has been for quite some time, comparing the latest results (2019 as I cant find ND's 2020 results). GCSE 9-7 for ND was 50% and TM was 75%. At A-level the A*-A at ND was 47% and TM was 67%. You can google this and interrogate the data for other years and subjects if you want. Nurturing wise, TM has a great reputation for Pastoral care and being a high performing school, but without a hint of 'hot-house'. New Head master wise, nothing but positive comments on MN, seems to be doing a good job. Someone else will have to talk about the changes inside the school, but I experienced his leadership (DS at his previous school, Latymer Upper) and he was well respected and liked there too by student and parents alike. He had to deal with significant challenges at LUS whist we were there and parent perception of him was that he was extremely likeable, straight forward and a good leader, but formidable and not one to 'mess with'!
Not sure about ND on the nurturing front, but im sure someone will pick up this thread and help now ive bumped it! Merry Xmas all.

Really appreciate your opinion. It is great to hear that Tormead is both good at academic and nurturing. You know since it is a day school, I hardly find any comments from our local agents (Hong Kong) and seems most of our parents are focusing on those boarding schools. I also can’t find Tormead in any league tables as well. That’s why any comments from the UK locals would be highly useful and resourceful to me! Actually I am going to accept the Year 10 place offer, but a bit stuck in choosing the GCSE subjects. My girl is not good at science subjects and actually doesn’t like them, and I am struggling between choosing dual science or 3 science. However, Tormead claimed that over 90% of the girls would choose 3 science which is better for later A Level and even Uni studies. Can someone please advise on how to make the decision on the combination of GCSE courses? Thank you so much!

@szeszesally

Really appreciate your opinion. It is great to hear that Tormead is both good at academic and nurturing. You know since it is a day school, I hardly find any comments from our local agents (Hong Kong) and seems most of our parents are focusing on those boarding schools. I also can’t find Tormead in any league tables as well. That’s why any comments from the UK locals would be highly useful and resourceful to me! Actually I am going to accept the Year 10 place offer, but a bit stuck in choosing the GCSE subjects. My girl is not good at science subjects and actually doesn’t like them, and I am struggling between choosing dual science or 3 science. However, Tormead claimed that over 90% of the girls would choose 3 science which is better for later A Level and even Uni studies. Can someone please advise on how to make the decision on the combination of GCSE courses? Thank you so much!

Choosing the three sciences is only better for ALevel if your DD wants to pursue one of the individual sciences at ALevel. If she's not good at them, and doesn't like them, it is unlikely she will choose to do either one at ALevel. Double science is very good for those who don't find it their strength, and you have to do that anyway, as part of the "suite" of GCSE's. Doing double also gives more flexibility in choosing other subjects, which are not restricted in type at Tormead, 10 is the usual number (with double science being 2), your DD should be able to choose what she is interested in and what she will do well in. The core subjects are English Literature, and English Language, Maths, Double Science, and an other modern language. Your other choices are then open from everything else available. You really only have to bear in mind what your DD may want to do at ALevel, as it is useful to have studied that subject at GCSE. However, there are also extra subjects at ALevel, which are completely new to all students, and don't need to have been studied before, like Politics for example.

@szeszesally I agree with what @BigWoollyJumpers has said but also suggest that you might want to limit GCSE choices to only 2 from the following list of subjects - Music, PE, Art, DT, Drama.

This is because these tend to be more time-consuming and, if studying any more than two from this list, your DD may struggle to manage the workload of her GCSE studies.

Good luck!

actually I also think in the same way as @BigWoollyJumpers said. But just get confused when Tormead saying that 3 science would be a better choice and over 90% of the girls are doing that. Moreover, the school said that we have the option to drop one of the science later at the end of the term but not for combined science. I also found that the GCSE result of combined science is far below those taking 3 science. Is this a hint that the school is focusing on those girls taking 3 science but putting less efforts and resouces on those taking combined science? At this moment, my daughter would like to pick Classical Civilization, Classical Greek, Latin and Food Preparation & Nutrition with combined science. Do you all think it is too risky to do like this because it seems not broad and diversify enough? Actually these are all new subjects to her and I really worry if she can handle them and persist in studying these subjects in A Level. Getting more and more questions in mind.....

@szeszesally , has she learnt Latin already? My ds has been learning Latin since he was aged 9 and is almost GCSE level at 14 although not choosing to take it beyond Year 9.

I think combined science results are probably lower as the girls that take combined aren't as good at science anyway, so will get lower results

@starlilly88

I think combined science results are probably lower as the girls that take combined aren't as good at science anyway, so will get lower results

Exactly this. Science is really well taught to all girls. Same teachers, all specialists. Biology is very strong as they have an amazing dept, look up Kytos and Mr I Explains on Yourube and Spotify. Also physics, engineering, and chemistry all strong. Double science just has a wider range of students, everybidy has to do it, so you will always have some who struggle.

Classics, Latin and Greekk are great but to do all is unusual. Latin has aLready been taught from Year 7, so she may struggle, Greek will be from scratch, but very few do it. Class Civ is interesting, a cross between history and literature, religion and myth. DD has done it both for GCSE and ALevel.

Girls usually do one of either geography or history, and often something arty, art or drama or music, not all though, because they are time consuming.

My daughter is very interested in those Greek & Roman Myths, ancient history and languages. She picks Greek and Latin just because they sound interesting and useful to the study of classical civilization. Actually these are all new subjects to her with only little knowledge. Seems like it is difficult for her to catch up with Latin since all the girls have studied for few years already and Greek is not popular as well. I think I need to find out more course details and discuss with her. Thank you all for your precious comments and at least now I have some ideas about how are the girls choosing GCSE subjects.

By the way, can you explain more about the Greek course with scratch? Is it something like self learning from the computer? Also, does anyone experience in dropping the subject? Is this a option for those girls cannot meet the normal standard? Can the girls choose another subject after dropping one of the subjects? Please advise.

@szeszesally

By the way, can you explain more about the Greek course with scratch? Is it something like self learning from the computer? Also, does anyone experience in dropping the subject? Is this a option for those girls cannot meet the normal standard? Can the girls choose another subject after dropping one of the subjects? Please advise.

Sorry no personal experience of the course. The girls get a taster term in year 9, so just get a feel. It is taught face to face by a specialist teacher. A friend of DD did it for ALevel and is the only student, which is great on one level, with dedicated teaching, but quite lonely I think.

Some girls do drop subjects for various reasons, illness usually the main one, though not the core subjects, and you would not be able to pick up another one once the term has started. You wouldn't be able to catch up on the missed learning.