To do my bit for GHS!!...
I am not at all posh i am a working single mum (not blonde, skinny or 'surrey power mum')and my daughters who are a couple of years into seniors love it! I think if you're daughter is academic enough to get a place she will be more than able to cope and thrive.
My daughter worked hard for her GCSEs which amazed me as she did not need (much!) nagging or motivation from me, I know a tormead girl who is receieving £200 per A grade at GCSE for her results, my daughter simply wanted to do well and knew how to revise. She is not top, pretty much just below middle of the year group in most subjects. The support is excellent my daughter went in for help from teachers during her study leave or throughout the year would be confident about asking for extra help, and my other daughter who isnt so motivated or confident about asking for help is still doing well and gets the help and push when needed.
One of my daughters is very loud and confident, the other quite shy, my other who has now left was shy but certainly changed as she got to year 11 and grew and grew in confidence, but I feel the school caters for all very well and in particular the pastoral care is outstanding, my eldest had some problems and said she felt the teachers generally were mostly all very approachable and she feels particularly in the older years when problems to tend to arise the school helped her hugely not just 'solving' the problem but checking up and showing care and reassurance the school is alwyas there for pupils afterwards. In the yougner years, yes, like any all girls school their is bitchiness but one thing that stands out is all the girls do have strong friends and the school deals well with friendship problems, recognising what is major and what is normal and making sure the girls learn from any situations.
GHS is excellent if your daughter is sporty, the sports centre is amazing, also music and drama are very strong. But if you're daughter isnt there is plenty of other things to do, sport was great as my eldest who loved lacrosse played for the shcooll, wheras my youngest who hates it now doesnt even have to do it in her pe lesson she has a choice of a variety of more fitness focus recreational sports.There is houses now which my youngest loves doing the competitions and i feel this has made GHS much more for everyone rather than just the top lax player, top geniuses, top actor and rest forgotten as i feel it used to be. It has changed a lot in the last few years with new SMT and a much more relaxed enviorment but still outstanding results.
We cant afford too many trips etc and this was a big worry for us before but its not too much of an issue, the trips arent too expensive and yes we have found things like the ski trip and watersports holidays are a no go for us, but the girls have been fine with it and havent missed out or ever expresed upset about missing out! I get on well with my daughters close friends parents and fit in fine.
GHS really really isnt the high pressures powerhouse it's made out to be, yes it achieved highly but not through pushing and pushing, the girls dont have tons of homework at all, but they do do the work when set and are motivated to do it well.
Its not for everyone, but GHS certainly has been fantastic for my girls and my eldests reaction on leaving, feeling great sadness and feeling she will miss her friends, the teachers and community, but excitement and confidence about the future really sums up the school. :)