Best areas to live in Surrey for Guildford High School families

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Hello, my daughter has been offered a place at Guildford High School, and we are now seriously considering relocating closer to the area. I would really appreciate any honest advice from current or former GHS families on the best areas to live in.

We are looking for somewhere with a lovely family atmosphere, a good community feel, a safe environment, and, ideally, an area where girls naturally build friendships and can meet more easily as they grow older.

At the moment, we are considering areas such as Merrow, Pewley Down, Charlotteville, Burpham, Shalford, and nearby villages, but we would love to hear real experiences about where the majority of GHS girls tend to live and which areas work best socially and practically for school life.

We are also trying to balance:
• school community and friendships
• commute into London
• family lifestyle and activities
• future teenage independence

Any advice would be hugely appreciated
Thank you 😊

Is this for the secondary school? If so, the girls come from a wide geographical area. Mine had friends in Esher at one extreme, and in Petersfield at the other!

They seemed to have quite a few friends in Clandon and East and West Horsley, but most lived in places like Farnham, Godalming, Haslemere, Liphook and the various villages in between.

I’d say all else being equal, go for somewhere with a train station so they can get themselves to school. They are likely to make friends who use the same line.

If you’re talking about the Junior School, I don’t know from personal experience because mine didn’t go, but I had the impression that most girls lived much more locally.

Edited to add: my girls left a few years ago so I don’t know if it’s still the case, but the school used to put those who lived in the same area into the same year 7 class, so that they travelled on the same train as their classmates. That worked very well and my 28 year old daughter is still in close contact with her train group!

You could consider Claygate near Esher, it’s a direct train to London Road. There are also trains to Waterloo if you need to commute. Rowan Prep in Claygate is a feeder to GHS secondary.

Future independence and commute to London means walking distance to a station that goes direct to Guildford main or LR Guildford and into Waterloo. For obvious reasons, any location like that will have a number of GHS girls travelling in from it. The places you list don’t have this (shalford has a station but I think you have to change to get to London)

Yes, secondary, Year 7 — thank you.

Thank you

Yes, thank you. Understand this may still be the same situation at GHS. We currently live in Kingston, but we hope to relocate within the next 6–9 months, or, at the latest, within 12 months.
I suppose my concern is that she may initially be placed based on our current location, even though we are planning to move closer to the school. As we still do not know exactly where we will relocate, I was hoping for guidance on the areas where girls primarily live, so we can focus our search and better support their friendships and transition over the next few years.
Thank you again for all your answers.

Thank you Sheila

There are lots travelling from Esher (with a change) Claygate, Surbiton - anywhere that has a direct train to London Road - it’s as quick as the coach over Hampton court bridge to LEH in the morning. I have a relative who lives in the godalming area and she sent her dd to St Catherine’s Bramley instead to avoid the Guildford traffic. Being on a train line is really helpful.

There are lots travelling from Esher (with a change) Claygate, Surbiton - anywhere that has a direct train to London Road - it’s as quick as the coach over Hampton court bridge to LEH in the morning. I have a relative who lives in the godalming area and she sent her dd to St Catherine’s Bramley instead to avoid the Guildford traffic. Being on a train line is really helpful.

The easiest place is Guildford at least there are shops / cinema / ice skating etc all things the girls want to do on a weekend / holiday time. That way when the trains are bad like yesterday / early morning sports / late night pick ups there is no drama getting home as she could walk.

Girls live everywhere to the depths of Surrey down the lanes, Guildford, Camberly, Slough, Woking and even coming from Clapham Junction / Southfields.

However, I’d live less than one mile walking from a train station as that way you’re not always the taxi!

Also, I’d stay people generally group on location plus other key factors such as whether they are musical and doing all the concerts or into sport / matches.

Generally for meet ups in school holidays my girls go to Guildford town centre to shop or hang out in friend's houses.

Guildford itself has nice areas, lots to do, shopping (not as good as Kingston) theatre, cinema etc. however check how far from station if a London commute is needed. Station parking can be an issue and Guildford is very spread out.

claygate could be a good bet.

I just got engrossed looking at houses in Guildford, there are some fabulous properties, large houses, fab views, South Hill and Pewley hill both look nice. Way cheaper than I imagined. OP if you move to Guildford and plans change then it’s very accessible to many other areas.

if you look at places such at Godalmingvabd Farnham then station parking is limited

Thank you all, that’s really helpful. Yeah, I am tired of being the taxi. :(