Outstanding Prep School in Guildford
Rydes Hill is a Catholic Prep School educating girls from 3 to 11 and boys from 3 to 7. As a non-selective, one-form entry school, we are blessed with small class sizes in bright airy rooms, set in beautiful grounds in the Guildford suburbs. Our doors are open to families of all faiths and beliefs and we are immensely proud of the deep bonds that unite our close-knit community.
Our parents often coin a phrase that we are ‘small but mighty’ as our achievements reach far beyond our small stature. Indeed, it is our size that enables our teachers to have a genuine understanding of what makes our children tick, which in turn informs their individualised learning paths. Far from expecting our children to beat to the same drum, we empower them to embrace their unique passions and talents and stay true to themselves. This is reflected in the breadth of scholarships awarded, with our 2020 leavers receiving 16 scholarships from academic to drama, music, creative writing and sport.
As a non-selective school, we are living proof that every child, be they naturally shy or over-flowing with confidence, can summon the self-belief to take to the stage. All children who sat Speech and Drama exams over the past three years have been awarded a distinction (an astonishing 200 distinctions from 200 exams). Witnessing shy or timid children transform into confident orators through their Rydes Hill journey is one of our greatest source of pride.
Our ‘small but mighty’ spirit is evident on the sporting field where we frequently out-compete prestigious independent schools triple or quadruple our size. In 2020 we reached the IAPS National Championships in both Netball and Swimming spurred on by the collective roar from our supporters!
Rydes Hill were recently ranked 22nd in the Top Independent Preparatory Schools in the Sunday Times Parent Power 2021, placing us amongst the academically elite. Whilst we wear this accolade as a badge of pride, we know the real secret to our success is far from being elite. Our doors are open to all, we celebrate difference and we have both feet firmly planted on the ground.
If you wish to have a discussion with our Registrar or request a Personal Tour with our Headmistress, Mrs Norville, simply fill out the form at the bottom of this page. In the meantime, we hope the video below gives you a snapshot of life at Rydes Hill: