GHS and WHS Ethnic Diversity

[dvadithala]

We applied for both GHS and WHS schools. We are Indian Origin living in the UK of 10 years. When we went to GHS, we felt there isn't much diversity. Is this correct? How is the mix for WHS?

Both schools are full of bright girls from wealthy middle class families with a spare £25k per child to spend on education. If you want a truly diverse school that welcomes all DCs regardless of sex, class, income, ability, race etc then a co-ed state school is your best option.

Good answer Cake!

Have a look at their websites which will probably give a realistic reflection of the diversity (or not) of the schools. The SW London state grammars for girls (Nonsuch, WHSG and Tiffin Girls) are probably much more mixed and have a higher % of girls from SE Asian backgrounds than their GDST equivalents.

The grammar schools are indeed very diverse.
Out of GDST Schools, Sutton High is relatively diverse.

Can't disagree with Cake but DD is at WHS and I would say the school is fairly diverse although the majority of the girls are white but not necessarily British parents. Lots of nationalities and cultures but all irrelevant to the girls.
Have yet to come across any Uber wealth either- some of the stories I hear from friends with children at other schools are eye opening...

Thank you very much for all the answers.

GHS is not particularly diverse, but then nor is the local area, either Guildford itself or the wider area. I imagine the close you get to London, the more diverse the population becomes.

I'd say most of the BME girls at GHS are from a Chinese, Asian, or mixed race background. I was not aware of any issues, either reported by my girls, or the parents of their friends. The parents of BME children that I knew (some BME themselves, some white), seemed very happy with the school.

The reference to £25k fees is a bit misleading. At GHS they're £17.5k. Obviously still out of reach for most people, but bursaries are available.

Also picking up on one of Cake's points, it would be a mistake to assume that independents are necessarily less ethnically diverse than state schools. GHS was much more ethnically diverse than my local comprehensive or the state primary school my children attended.

I also have to say that I don't think GHS's ethnic diversity is much different to Guildford State schools (Woking is more diverse).

OP, if you and your DD are of Indian origin then please don't feel put off coming to GHS. Although the majority of the girls are not of the same origin, your DD will definitely not stick out and there will be many others of a broadly similar origin.

Schools aren't going to be more diverse than the communities they serve, on the whole (although in London anyway, the more selective they are, generally the more Indian and Chinese pupils they have). The two schools you mention are in not very diverse areas so unlikely to be madly diverse.