Guildford High School 11+ Results

[waitinganxiously984]

Does anyone know when Guildford High School send out their offers this year? Is anyone else waiting anxiously?

For those slating St Cats online learning provision, whilst I have heard negative comments about the provision in their Prep school during the last lockdown, the online learning provision in the Senior school has been excellent throughout.

when I visited last year the sports facilities looked like they really needed to be upgraded

Don't be put off by this perception. The reality is that they have bused the girls to Surrey Sports Park and Spectrum for various sports, both of which have excellent facilities. They also use places like Craggy Island for climbing. As a pp said, they are also investing in major re-developements of a dedicated sports field nearby. Again, not on-site, but it is only a 5 min bus ride away.

I (and DD2) have been very happy at Tormead. DD1 was happy at GHS, but when she looks back at her experience with older eyes, is quite disappointed with her school years compared to DD2's. Interesting isn't it?

That’s reassuring to hear for us and also pleased you had a positive experience @corriebob. It’s just a shame that’s not the perception that’s ‘out-there’, or the experience of everyone I know at the senior school. (I know most schools found it hard to deliver junior school age online learning!) So I guess we can deduce it must therefore have been at least hit and miss. However, like I said, as a local, I know StCats of old and it’s a good school, just a shame that either through bad PR or just pants decisions the general consensus seems to be that the last 12 months haven’t been their best!

But with lockdown hopefully ending and corona hopefully going away, we can, and should, all look past the last 12 months when forming a well rounded decision.... indeed we applied to (and got) St.Cats for our DD this year, despite.

Just been checking out St Cats and Tormead websites for exam results...I know exam results aren’t the be all and end all but need to look at all the factors when choosing. St Cats definitely have the edge with the GCSEs (looking at 2019 as last year was over inflated everywhere)...64% 9-8 and 83 % 9-7....while Tormead was 53 and 75. Tormead didn’t list 9s but St Cats has 40% of all grades a 9 which is very impressive... the list of universities for St Cats is also pretty amazing....

@waitinganxiously984 This is true for GCSE, however in 2019, for example, Tormead's A-level results were better than StCats, especially at the high end. A32% compared to StCats 29%. A-A Tormead 67% to StCats 64%, A*-B pretty much level on 87/88%. Each year different cohorts do better than others, the tables always show these undulations. If you average them out, you are however right that StCats edges slightly ahead on GCSE results.

Uni destination wise, the 'volume' of leavers going to top universities is higher at StCats, however Tormead's sixth form is 1/2 the size, so proportionally, they can be comparable. It's also about choice, in 2019 the Tormead exam results were better at A-Level, but no one went to Oxford (one assumes they could've, as most years multiple students do), however a lot of the cohort seemed to choose medicine and sciences elsewhere. St Cats, with lesser A-levels sent a few to Oxford that same year. Finally cohort size has a massive impact, Tormead has smaller year groups, especially at A-Level, therefore it only takes one girl to drop the ball and have a unfortunate exam day to completely lower all the results... when you have a bigger group, 'unfortunate days' can be averaged out/absorbed.

...As you can see 'the tables' are all good fun, aren't they?!

With these two schools, academic wise, we're comparing apples and pears really. What I always thought it was about was simply where you want to go for every other reason, because whichever school you choose, as long as you work hard, they'll get you to where you want to go.

PS. apologies in advance, im a forensic statistician by trade and went through all this when picking for my daughter..... it didn't really help, but made me feel good! haha

@waitinganxiously984 PS. I think this thread may have been hijacked by StCats and Tormead chat, we best return to the right thread!

PS BIG well done on the academic scholarships! Further reassurance that there ain't much between the two! GOod luck with the interview too.
Rob.

@robberto yes I agree that the A-level results are very similar but I find GCSEs are usually a better benchmark to compare as all students sit broadly the same set....by the time you get to A Levels there has usually been a fair amount of movement in and out of a school and there’s also some “massaging” of subject choices (and numbers of a-levels) that can influence the stats. Still pretty impressive for both schools which is reassuring!

Congrats on the offers and good luck with choices! I remember the nerves!

The Guildford area 'trio' are all great schools, all suiting different girls IMO.

My DD was at GHS back in the day and loved it. She is still very close with her 'GHS friends' and they are far from the soulless academic focused souls people can make out GHS to be. It is a wonderfully academic yet fun and relaxed place producing girls with real personality.

I have noticed there have been A LOT of desperate posts on here about how Tormead is changing with the new head. Talking to parents with DC there, the change on the ground is not much beyond excitement of a new head - who some love and others are indifferent about. The hype all seems to be on here weirdly. At the end of the day, it is still what it was in many ways and it is a wonderful school for girls who want something a bit cosier than GHS and more town-based than St Cats.

I have always wondered if Tormead will go Co-Ed with the shortage of an RGS alternative locally and plenty of choice for girls? Especially with a new ex co-ed head...

@SparklySnake I agree with you entirely on your assessment of the three Guildford Schools, Tormead is definitely the cosier of the three, I guess it's their USP - fundamentally it's why I chose it for my daughters. They did themselves proud there and were comfortable.

I do, however, fail to understand your comment about 'desperate posts', why would all these posters who are applying to the school be 'desperate'? Why would anyone be desperate? Seems a strange comment to make.

I think the changing of a Headteacher at any school is a big deal, especially so in the educational melting pot that is Guildford! I imagine the chat would be just as loud if it StCats or GHS were changing leadership and put a "LOT" of posts right now down to that....

I don't have kids at the school any more, but stay in touch and generally people seem very happy with progress since September, especially in the JS and Sixth Form, where a lot of time and effort is being put in, also the remote learning, I've been told, is a million times better than last summer. But again, just a side of a story.

Co-ed would be an interesting concept - but I don't see why they would to or need to though? They seem to hold their enrolment and results every year..... why bring in boys, don't they bring results down? haha! (my son will hate me for that one!)

@SparklySnake your post made me chuckle...... you do know this is Guildford right? ...and these are girls' schools? I actually think the chat has been quite subdued given those key, gossip inducing factors. Tormead has certainly had its fair share of bashings on here over the years, like all the schools have had, fundamentally mumsnet is full of ups/downs, bollocks/truths... its what keeps us all coming back for more! :-)

We should let them have their moment if they are indeed doing well - nothing i've heard amongst parents, to be honest, suggests otherwise. Good for them. Great little school, im sure it will continue to do well under good leadership...

...As will St Cats.
....As will GHS.
...and the world will keep turning. Happy Sunday all!

Oh all well done on the GHS offers girls, top marks!!!!

Apologies, I absolutely did not mean it in a harsh way. As has been said, all are great schools including Tormead and I am proud of the town for being so well known for its super schools.

Just noticed that there are so many posts of similar tone with 'inside knowledge' suddenly. It is funny how a new head can stir up so much speculation. But lovely that there is an excited buzz.

@sparklysnake I agree! This post (and there is another one too) has a lot of super gushy hype about Tormead....on the other thread there is even someone claiming to be a Deputy Head of a junior school stating that Tormead is the school that she is most excited to get girls into and slagging of St Cats....all very suspicious as offers went out this weekend...

@Kangaroo921, I've read those threads and i think it's literally one person that repeatedly claims to know some info (and they probably dont!), as they're a parent at the Junior School....another who is an ex-parent? The rest are actually asking legitimate questions. HARDLY MI5 stuff! jeeeeeeeze. (insert pace-palm emoji)

I come here often, and this TM chat has also been going on for months, if you can be arsed to go back that far, I can't, I don't care. But, why don't you go check through it....

...ok.....So suspicious? hmmm, I think your bar for crime novels might be pretty low!

I've seen plenty of blatant over-posting on here from the direction of the other two schools in my time... a lot in fact.

So, like I said if some parents at Tormead are "over-posting" then who cares. Maybe its a sign they are actually happy chappies? I used to post all the time on my son's school threads, because i wanted his small school to do well, so he would do well.

Maybe your comment is a sign of jealousy? Are you a worried St Cats admissions clerk? Who knows! Your post seems suspicious to me!

See where i'm going... move on.

Actually, looking back at historical threads, there are quite a large number of posters with DC's at Gford schools. I have seen many over the years, who come back and give their opinions. Surely that is what MN is all about?

Lots of us (and I am one of those regular posters) have had children at both GHS and Tormead and often at RGS and Lanesborough too. We will also have been through the prep system locally. It's the nature of the game. If you live in and around Gford and are in independent schools, then you are likely to have very good knowledge of those three schools, and note the changes that occur over time.

Just trying to be helpful . I have had a lot of direct messages as well, and always try to be balanced and truthful, to the extent that my experience has been, and am always very upfront about horses for courses.

@SparklySnake, no worries, and my rant wasn't directed at you, at all, personally. So don't take offence. I think it was more of a general 'vent'!

Sadly it just grinds my gears when people notice, for all the wrong reasons when someone else is perceived to be doing well. Why do we always have to consider success as 'negative', 'suspicious', 'gushy', oh they must be 'cheating'..... why not embrace it? The planet is f**ked up enough these days and i'd prefer my son to grow up in a world where we celebrate success. It doesn't help if all us old moany gits don't set the right tone!

AND I TOTALY agree..... great schools = great house prices! Long may it continue. Have a good week all and enjoy the snow.

Hi Everyone
Anyone got GHS waiting list? Any chance to get in ?

@Sobana, a few years ago my friend's DD was on the waiting list for GHS that never came through but I suppose every year is different. Have you asked the school where on the waiting list you are and how large is the waiting list this year?

@Sobana, echoing what Oreo2019 has said, my DD's year had far fewer than normal from some of the local prep schools as they were waitlisted and never got off the list (which they'd normally have done). I think it's become harder over the past 3-4 years for admissions teams to gauge offers as more people apply from London in case and some are always going to move out, others only have it as a backup. This year is going to be really up in the air.

I'm sure the school will tell you in few weeks whereabouts you are on the list in bands rather than specific numbers though I think. My DS did the 11+ reasonably recently and we were told a couple of weeks later (as we'd asked to be notified) that he was a high single digit number on the waiting list...........but that they hadn't used the waiting list in the past couple of years so unfortunately it's just a case of waiting.

Do you have other offers yet that you'd be happy with? Unfortunately I think each year some people end up paying a deposit to the offer in hand school then getting a wait list place and having to decide to lose the deposit or stick with the school they've accepted. I don't envy you going through it this year in particular.

Thank you @oreo2019 and GU24Mum. She was indicated as in the middle of the waiting list. We got St Cat and SWPS but there are mixed reviews about St Cats, we're quite undecided.

FYI this is an extract from a 2018 thread re GHS offers

Add message | Report | Message poster | Quote | See allanrolnotrom Wed 26-Sep-18 16:27:12
I know this is an oldish thread but I also know people will be reading this in subsequent years. Contrary to what GuildfordMom101 has said if your daughter did not pass the 11+ entrance to GHS, they certainly have not 'Failed' and whilst the waitlist may not move dramatically, it can be certainly more than 2-3 people that get places off it. This year for example I know someone who declined outright, another who declined off the waitlist after being made an offer and was quite an able girl and another who declined after having been offered off waitlist quite late in the day - the offer was made a couple of months after the acceptance deadline, and this girl was nowhere near what you would call 'highly academic'. She was a middle set girl at prep school in English and a lower middle set in maths. It was clear that GHS had run down its list until they got to her. Even her parents had to admit it was a mystery that she was offered and they had sat her on a whim. Not everyone at GHS is a genius. Obviously, most are very able but there are girls who made it through by fluke and others who did not get offers despite getting offers and scholarships elsewhere. There is a degree of randomness in all of this. Most of the time the choices are logical but a good 10% are a bit inexplicable. Another point people need to take into account, GHS girls don't do well because they went to GHS. GHS does well because of the girls who go there. Those same girls would do just as well had they gone to SHS, SWPS, Tormead et al. It wasn't the school that made them successful, they would have been anyway. Unless they go to some sink school somewhere massively challenged, these girls will do well.

Thanks for reposting this. I have missed it when I scan it before. Gives some hope, but as mentioned she would do even in another good school. Thanks.

I agree with some, but not all, of @GuerrillaShoppa’s post. On the waitlist issue, I think it really is different year to year. For example, the current Y10s are a bulge year with an extra class, because that year the ratio of acceptances to offers was higher than expected. While I don’t know what actually happened, I wouldn’t be surprised if, that year, once they decided to add a fifth class, they then had spaces for a few on the waitlist.

Agree that GHS girls are bright, but by no means all exceptional or geniuses. What I don’t agree with is the claim that their academic success is purely a result of the ability of the pupils, and not at least in part due to how they are taught at GHS. Roughly 40% of each year group are from the junior school, which is more mildly selective (and, while selection at 11 is indeed a bit random, at 4 it is much more so). Almost all the junior girls do go on to the senior school. Also, if you look at applicants to places, the ratio for GHS is much lower than for the top London schools. The fact that their results are nevertheless similar does suggest there is quite a lot, academically at least, that GHS do to get the best from the girls.

I’m not saying it’s perfect; it is not, and there are certainly aspects of the school I am less keen on, but overall it’s been an excellent choice for my DDs.

Aha - thanks @AGHSmum - that adds some background to the post.

That said, I think September 2018 (when the original post was made) relates to the current Year 9s, so there is always some hope of movement on the waiting list for those feeling as though they are in limbo. As @GU24Mum has said, the circumstances of applications this year makes it very difficult to predict. Admissions teams in all schools must be having a very tricky time.

Just surfing the thread, curious but not impacted - not sure it is helpful but just to add that the Year 10 though a bulge year due to offers made plus level of acceptance still took a small number from wait list that year.

This year is unlike any other year though, so who knows.

My friend told me, this year around 20 waiting list.
So how many children get in chance?