Tormead School - Current opinions?

[Green321]

I’m looking to gather some views on Tormead school in Guildford. Both the prep school and senior school. How academic is it? How well are the prep girls prepared for senior school? Are the children happy? Are the teachers inspirational? Thanks so much.

Yes, the hiring makes sense when you break it down.
I wonder which one you think needs firing??!! 😂

@FabulousFlamingos, hope you don't mind me picking up the thread around the sports development proposal (Urnfield), and @AndreaKnowsBest comments as I am part of the "local pressure group", opposed to this development which is in a protected landscape (the Surrey Hills). Like Tormead, we have been frustrated with the council's planners, but for quite different reasons.

The reason everything has taken so long is not, I would suggest, because they are "frightened" by the residents' group, but because the quality of material submitted by the school to get the construction started has not been good enough to meet the conditions set down by the planning inspector. Most of the conditions to start the work were actually approved by the council back in June. These were then subject to a legal challenge over the summer which was uncontested (by the council and the school) because the school's planning consultants had not followed planning procedures correctly. So the school had to re-apply.

Yes, the badger activity and setts on and adjacent to the site are now the key sticking point and the school is working on version 3 of a plan to manage the ecology of the site, including related to protected species such as badgers and dormice (versions 1 and 2 of the ecology plan having had missing and conflicting information within them, so that the council did not sign them off). Bear in mind the planners also seek advice from experts such as Surrey Wildlife Trust before approving ecology plans.

Apologies for going a bit off piste in terms of the thread, as I cannot make any comment on whether I would recommend Tormead as a school, but I think it is important that any prospective parents understand the complexity and controversy surrounding the promised new sporting facilities.

Hi @HasAnyoneWalkedTheDog , thanks for your post. Yes a bit off piste tbh and doesn't really address my question. I'm also not bothered about any complexities, as a prospective parent, just when it will be done for my potential place at Tormead.

I live in merrow and follow 'goings-on' via our local WhatsApp groups and the FB page, so I'm aware of the 'pressure group' activities - it seems you're more in the business of frustrating various projects, like this and Newlands corner playground, etc., than positively contributing towards them.

Unfortunately most residents view you as the "anti-children project activists" of merrow, and in this particular application "the NIMBY rich people of downside road'. Perhaps some of you do have nature's best interest in mind, but it doesn't come across as such.

I think the school, from the presentations ive seen at open events and other parents i know, are genuinely trying to do their best, but disappointed as that at every turn the 'pressure group' come up with a new way to derail the project instead of working with them to help. It simply cannot be that a school would have a full-on, blatant disregard for nature, I just dont believe it, what I do believe though it that people like you enjoy watching developers suffer and enjoy banjax and delay.

Thanks for your insight, but on a thread about schools, it's a bit irrelevant and somewhat gets my goat-up as a local resident family. I know I'm not alone.

Best wishes.

Gosh, that's quite a strident reply @FabulousFlamingos with a number of incorrect assumptions about me, including that I am anti-children (my 2 teenage kids might sometimes agree with you), that I opposed Newlands Corner playground (what??), that I am rich and that I live on Downside Road (incorrect on both counts). You are right however in assuming I do place priority on nature, and not just for the wildlife, flora and fauna, but because of its value to us as well.

As you say your only concern is when it will be completed for your daughter, I would just say there is no guarantee.

These are interventions on an educational thread that no one needs. It was only a matter of time until the members of the residents group diversified into other online realms. One can only asume they're here because their voice isn't being heard/listened to elsewhere, or that progress is being made (another condition was discharged a few weeks back)- otherwise, why bother? It cant be to 'educate parents' as we all know the score, the school have been very open and honest, afterall their public dealings are public, as a charity and Guildford County is an Academy Trust.

@FabulousFlamingos , its best just to ignore and move on, and not become antagonised. I recommend no one replies to them on here, as it's just bait.

The fact of the matter is that it will happen, it is guaranteed, likely this year. It's a basic project with relatively basic environmental issues. There are some seriously experienced people at the school in the parent community that work on massive projects like the M3 Wisley junction, huge housing deveopments, etc., as planners, architects, ecologists, consultants, etc., and they all point out that this project has been blown totally out of proportion! Do remember that even if the Urnfield contained the largest badger sett known to mankind, the law still provides guidance and provisions to mitigate that and conduct work anyway.

Finally, given how woefully underreasourced and vastly inexperienced the LA are these days (all public knowledge!) in planning, whether there have been failings or errors on behalf of the school or not, it is abundently clear that the council simply want everything done to the 1000th degree, to avoid any risk of legal comeback from the group. I don't think they are scared, per se. These are battles they can't afford, let alone competently argue. It's just a matter of ass covering at this stage, nothing else.

As I said - just ignore them. Move on. End.

Back to the point of the thread.

We have just started senior school totally underwhelmed - thinking of moving DD to St Cats Bramley. Would love to hear views , finding Tormead mediocre on all fronts

I attended Christmas drinks on Friday and there were some Tormead parents there. I don’t think you’ll be the only family leaving. It sounds like disorganised chaos. Bums on seats was mentioned quite a lot.

Shame to hear you're not impressed by tormead, we're in year 7 and very happy, vibes on the WhatsApp group are also very good.

I'm aware from DD that there is a girl looking to leave year 7, but i think she came from StCats prep anyway. Having just enquired, there is another my DD says has been talking of leaving, as she wasnt happy about a recent sanction. We, personally, support consequences for bad choices... one of the reasons we didn't choose St.cats, as at the time it was rife with unchallenged bullying and Alpha-Girl behaviour.

I'm sorry to say I have to disagree, we are finding it quite outstanding, with very happy girls all round. There have been no talk of bums on seats, although there is a clear focus on recruitment, which is a fact of life these days - wouldn't be surprised if these two posts are in fact StCats employees who have decided to post negatively.

Finally, there weren't any drinks Friday, further raising my suspicions of a red-herring here! However, on Thursday there was a Christmas Spectacular, which was amazing, hundreds of girls performing, amazing creative talent, and all us parents watching, so much positive energy in the room and at the drinks and mince pies after lots of great chat.

I seriously think this is a veiled recruitment attempt at worse and two disgruntled parents at best, absolutely not the majority.

@Velvet3 Apologies, I now see you attended Xmas drinks. Asume elsewhere.

Although your posts do jump around a bit, first you're a happy prospective, then you're a disgruntled (reads like) existing?

Fishy fishy.

Anyway, I'm pretty prolific in the year group, class, tpa and other senior whatsapp groups, as I have no life (lol) and there is zero chat about bums on seats, zero chat about chaos. There's also no chat on the gate to that affect.

But they'll always be the ones who go around chatting 'downers', usually because of their own situation - ironically they usually / always think people agree or care about what they're saying - most are just being polite. We have one lady who's leaving simply due to a house move at the moment, she is doing just that, we think its to make herself feel better about having to leave, it's quite odd.

HANG ON - Are you that person? 🕵

Apologies, not sure why my post had so much spare space between the lines?!

What odd replies from a couple of Tormead parents. I don’t have children at the school, hence my first post. I do look behind the scenes to see if schools are recruiting etc but my question regarding the high level of recruitment was answered in a reassuring way.
The Christmas drinks on Friday had nothing to do with Tormead.
The post above about Tormead’s marketing department being on Mumsnet rings slightly more true!

.. my emails pinging left right and centre!

@Velvet3 , fair play, I recall you asking and responding positively, it was the same question I had as well!

I'm considering too... I've actually spoken (using a phone!) with @AndreaKnowsBest, lovely lady, prob meet for a coffee to chat schools/houses b4 Xmas. So, also, tbf, she is real, not marketing!
Just like any school, +ve parent comments from supportive fams do actually exist, i mitigate the risk of it being one sided by actually speaking with them, its much more reliable than just MN.😂

And, tbh, you did confuzzle even me a bit, when I read your post this am, it 'felt' like you were at the school, defo different to before. I'm sure no one really cares anyway what happened at your friday drinks sesh, i cant ever remember mine afterwards, so well done! 🍷

@FabulousFlamingos apologies, I realise I should have tagged @SchooldilemmaSurrey in my post this morning. It was a direct reply to her comment. Probably looked a little odd standing on its own.
None of the above comments have put me off Tormead. My DD went to the activity morning and we are still considering the school above others. The ‘moaners’ will often shout louder than the ‘settled and happy’ It’s great to have varied views.

@SchooldilemmaSurrey Views not great, I actually posted constructively on another thread where I think you had asked for advice on joining StCats? Anyway, the thread says it was deleted on the author’s request, not sure why you changed your mind, so I’ve been a bit more candid and less diplomatic here.

So, as you asked, we joined St.Cats just a few years ago, offered a place and very happy that DD got in tbh. However, v quickly found it to be an awful place where we (as a family) simply would never fit in. It’s very rah, very countryside, parents aspire and expect their daughters to be amazing at everything, as a result it’s quite competitive. The pastoral care is nothing but a tag-line and doesn't exist in reality, we scratched just below the surface on a minor issue and got no-where. I have no experience of the prep school. We chose to leave and went to a nearby independent school - not as academic, even though DD was bright enough to get into stcats, she’s doing well and very happy, and we fit in with parents. We consider ourselves to be normal people.

i know Tormead only from our initial open day visits. Seemed good but simply wrong side of the Guildford one way system for us. If you’re looking and are in the Bramley area, there are other schools you should defo look at before committing to stcats.