Surrey Girls schools 11+ - Tormead, St Ts etc

[starlilly88]

I'm currently still deciding on schools for my DD and only a short time left to register. Would love any recent opinions on Tormead, SWPS, Manor House, Notre Dame, St Teresa's and Priorsfield. DD not up to St Cats or GHS academically and not right for her anyway. I know a bit about some of them but nothing about Manor House or Notre Dame

Hello! One daughter at SWPS and one at Claremont. SWPS very down to earth - bit like a grammar school. Broad range of families and 50% state school intake into year 7, which was a big plus for us. It is cool to be clever but it is not the be all and end all. Claremont - beautiful grounds and lovely, friendly feel - school is very good at communicating with parents. Good luck with your search

Very happy with Tormead. Handled the last couple of terms really well, full timetable and lots of support. New Head this term seems very capable and continues with regular updates and very pro-active. PM me if you want specifics.

Would she consider going co-ed to somewhere like St Johns. Fantastic facilities and great pastoral care. All the children seem incredibly happy and you never hear a bad word about it from parents.

DD only wants girls schools and I think she would be better off there too. I am looking forward to meeting the Tormead head - hard to get an idea of what he's like via their website

Tormead gets a shout out from me too, I can personally recommend so happy for you to PM me. I also watched one of their online open mornings with a friend who is looking to go there (for the senior school) and it was very well done. Gave a great insight into the school, despite having to be ‘remote’, given the current Covid situation. New head has made quite a strong impact with current parents and is well received, he’s been comes from an outstanding school in West London (Latymer Upper) so has strong credentials. School wise, it’s a town centre school but in a quiet residential area. Caring with a strong sense of community, it’s also academically strong but isn’t a ‘hot house’ type school. Good luck hunting, Surrey has much to choose from .

I'm a local parent and have taught in a few schools locally too.

Tormead seems to be on an up. It is a small site though and lots leave for sixth form. It always lacked any wow factor for me. Traditionally it was seen as the choice if GHS or St Cats weren't right, but more academic than the likes of Prior's Field, Notre Dame, St T and Manor House.

Manor House is super if your DD would suit a really small environment and lots of nurturing followed by a larger or co-ed sixth form.
St T has had problems and re-branded itself repeatedly. Now in a merger with Cranmore and haven't heard good things at all.
SWPS always had a good rep. I think it is less 'private school feel' than the others.
Prior's Field looks great and is good for the right girl. Lots move on for sixth form at more public schools or Godalming college. It is a bit disorganised and really highlights one or two girls who have done very well, while hiding a lot of girls who have really struggled but the school haven't helped find their path. I would be much more impressed if it was a school that celebrated the girl who found her passion in textiles and was off to a niche uni course or art school to pursue this etc... rather than the one girl they got into Cambridge.

Agree check out places like St John's too.

Agree with the above that Tormead seems to be on the up. Agree with the Prior's Field thoughts too... It is also true that they (like other local independents, but not GHS), in recent years have lost students to other (free) colleges.

I know a few who went to the aforementioned Godalming college for example. However, the Godalming results have been coming down in recent years as they get bigger and bigger with less focus on the individual, I think students might start to change their thought processes. Its always been joked that girls leave at sixth form to experience 'boys' in education and additionally to experience a university style learning environment... despite the 'joke', this is true to a certain extent. It is, however, all personal choice. For us, A-levels, when those results are so critical, our thought process for our DDs was always to consider 'who knows our girls best', 'where do they feel most comfortable' and 'where will they get the support they need without having to spend weeks settling into an new environment again'. With all the stress (and learning bubbles) of covid, I certainly know girls at St Cats and Tormead what are now thinking of staying on to sixth form instead of moving...

That aside, you've been given some great, well balanced advice from everyone above, lots of options in the area, good luck!

He is really nice and so pro active. Another shoutout for tormead. Wonderful place.

Someone said to me that Tormead wants to get the best out of its girls, not just the best results. I would endorse that - we’ve been very happy with it at junior and senior stages

Thanks all, good to hear so many positive reports about Tormead, I'd like to meet the head but no tours this autumn.

@HyperHippo what have you heard about St T? I was very impressed with the headmistress.

Manor House - no one I know has gone there, is it too small? And no sixth form either

Priorsfield I might avoid as there's so much mixed feedback

I like the fact the SWPS is more down to earth, the head seems quite proactive too

@starlilly88 I won’t speak for Hyperhippo, however I have heard that the merger was badly managed with little, almost no, parent communications. If you peruse some of the forums here there are tales of Parents removing their girls - as the girls only side of things has come to an unexpected end... I guess not what they signed up for. Others who are there will know more and I’m getting my info from other forums (search Cranmore and a lot comes up).

Tormead and St Cats wise.... Tormead have virtual open days left, where you can meet the head. They are live, not recorded and you can ask questions. St Cats seem to have a similar thing going on too. Have a look on their websites. I see Tormead has a couple of places left before the end of the month, at cats perhaps do too, you have to contact their admissions.

Good luck!

@pico1234 sorry to derail thread but interested in what you say re Godalming as am considering it for next year, but have some reservations...

On the DfE league tables, it shows their performance as improving over 3 years, with a higher progress score than many local schools, indie and state (although I realise that if you have an able cohort they will achieve highly at A level - hence low progress scores). Am I missing smth?

To the OP, does your DD like drama/sport/music? Are local friends important to you ? Would you prefer some independent travel, or rely on school minibus for eg...

Hey all, my DD is at Tormead Juniors. I assume by the location of your forum post that you are considering year 7 entry, so I'll just give a broad summary of us. Tormead was our choice due to the academic focus, "without the pressure". It has a wide variety of clubs activities, sport, drama and music, without it being pushed/expected upon/of the girls. The class sizes are also great, especially at A-level. They also allow girls to suggest, set up and run their own clubs, supported by staff if need be - should they want to do something not already available. I really liked this approach and it teaches the girls to take responsibility, lead and commit. My DD loves gymnastics, which Toremad is outstanding at, they are good, but not amazing, at many other sports, however they do very well and most importantly we enjoy the sport - we've always found that the School doesn't take 'winning everything' too seriously, which again receives pressure on the girls. Learning wise, last term was tough with Covid, and some of the online provision at the Junior school was up and down - I hear the senior school did much better at this. However, we have already met the new Head and he has started acting upon a survey he commissioned of parents over the summer about their 'remote experience' and the difference already is noticeable - I also hear that year 9 had to be sent home for a suspected Covid case a few weeks back and their online experience was seamless. So we're super pleased with how things have picked up. Downsides - smaller site, so no vast playing fields and outdoor space (St Cats and Prior's Field have this in abundance if that's your preference!), and a smaller cohort than say GHS. Also, the facilities are modern, clean and well thought-out (the Junior school is beautiful), there are a few areas that still need a spruce up. Excuse my disjointed rambling - but might be worth mentioning that we have been told that Tormead have a brand new (walking/mini bus distance) sporting facility and athletic fields on the way in the next year or so. Overall we're happy and will stay for senior school.

Health warning though, if outdoor space, the Surrey countryside and all the bits that comes with that are your focus for your girl, then a city (albeit a leafy, quiet residential area) site is what Tormead is (like GHS).

Tormead - I hear the senior school did much better at this

I can confirm that the senior school had 100% timetabled on-line learning from the offset. It even started that last week of March. Summer was fully live lessons, on-line marked homework, assemblies, PE, the lot. They even had end of term timed exams. This term all classrooms and the sports hall have live camera's, on-line lessons for those who are at home self-isolating. The set up at the school with regards to SD and keeping in bubbles, is also very, very well organised.

My three went to SWPS. I agree that it is very accessible and grounded.

I think your first screen, OP, is on how easy the school is to get to.

My friends daughter has just started at SWPS and they are very pleased. They were offered a place at Notre Dame aswell.
3 other mums of girls at SWPS, in higher years, 10 & 11 for eg, are also pleased.

Hello Ladies
I'm new to mumsnet so I do hope this is OK yo ask. My daughter will be starting year 7 at Tormead this September. We live in weybridge and she won't know anyone. Does anyone know if they do a new girl's day/induction where she might get to meet the other girls?
Many thanks 🙏

I know this is a little late but I do want to speak up for St.Ts. My daughter has gone through the school from Year 7 and is now in Y13. They have been wonderful.
There is NO TRUTH in the “girls only”
Side of things coming suddenly to an end. Indeed, all girls who were in the senior school at the time of the merger will continue in all girls until they have completed their education.
Years 6-11 will continue to be all girls, then sixth form will become co-Ed in 2025! With the boys coming to the girls school (which is definitely the right way around to do it...... I have experience with an older DD who went into a boys school mixed 6th form - a disaster).
I don’t think taking your information from reading other people’s posts is a very healthy way to report back on the suitability of a school if you don’t have direct experience of the school.

Sorry - I should have added. If anyone would like a review of St. Teresa’s from a parent of 3 girls who have all been though (youngest in Y13 now) I’d be very pleased to give an informed view.

Hi Antoniette,

We're thinking St T or Manor House for our DD, she's very outgoing, is a bit of a Tom boy and loves her sports.

The issue we have is, she unfortunately hasn't shone academically, however recently she blew us and her teacher away with times tables! Who knew 😁

We're coming from Danes Hill and would like a school closer, we're even considering CFS.
That said I quite like the link the MH girls have with Reeds for 6th form, the only reservation is its very small which may not be ideal for my bright bubbly lady.

Any thoughts?

Hi. Not sure how old your DD is?
Our experience with St T’s for my 3 very different daughters is that they have done everything they can to get the best out of each child. And that has meant 3 different approaches. With current headmistress of the Senior school and current senior staff, there is a strong ethos that girls and young women should be aspirational.
St.T’s isn’t a selective school (amazingly) - if a child joined in the prep school then there will be a place for her in the Senior school. It’s one of the most impressive aspects of the school. They stand by their girls and they stand by their own teaching.
A word of experienced warning re:6th form in a boys school. My eldest went to Reeds for 6th form. Had a great social life - but a dreadful academic experience. I was really taken aback by the sudden drop in expectations of her capabilities because she is female. She is very strong and had no problems “dealing” with the casual sexism from the boys (other girls have not coped) - but it was a much bigger struggle to deal with the lowered aspirations for girls that was pervasive. Such a shame. I would never have a daughter go from all girls into the mixed sixth form of a boys or mixed school again.
I suspect a girls school that has a mixed 6th form (where the boys come into the girls school) would have the same issues. Staff in girls schools are incredibly pro-feminist and I love that!

Thanks so much for the feedback.

Its such a tricky time trying to find the right school and balance.

I also wondered how friendships maintain when some of the kids travel in so far into school. So much to think about.

One of the hardest decisions to make! Because of the age gaps between my DDs I found myself supporting choosing senior school, 6th form and Uni in the same year!! (The stress was insane!). My DD has managed friendships fine, although a bit more driving can be involved to get them to various friends homes . One thing you might like to know is that the school reaction and delivery of service throughout Covid had been excellent. Good to know they can step up to almost any emergency and meet the challenge with humour and great organisation.

We are new to the area and looking for a school for DD. Currently considering GHS, Tormead and St Cat’s? I expect they are all academic but we are a bit concerned about Tormead. The old headmistress was traditional and very academically focussed but I have heard the new headmaster is taking a more “woke” approach to education. Has anyone heard anything about this? Is it damaging the school results?

Hi - I have girls in the upper years of the Senior School and certainly have not been concerned by a "woke" tack being taken by David Boyd since he arrived.

As to an impact on academic results it's a bit early to tell - he only assumed responsibility from Mrs Foord after last year's public exams were taken and this year's will not be known until mid-August. Even then, he has had limited opportunity to make many changes as we have been in the middle of a pandemic and remote working was in place for a significant portion of the year.

My advice is to do your research, visit the school as and when you can to see and judge for yourself. Also try to find people whose daughters already attend the school to decide whether you like the product - the girls themselves. We remain very happy with the school and both my daughters are staying for the sixth form. Tormead girls are quietly confident, down-to-earth and comfortable in their own skins - qualities DH and I value highly.