Greycoat Hospital - what is it really like??

[tigerbear]

Hi all,
Much to our complete shock, our DD has been offered a place at GCH.
Never in a million years thought she’d get it, and like everyone else who applied, we didn’t get the opportunity to do a tour of the school or meet any of the teachers, so we have no real idea what to expect.

DD is very upset at the thought of going because of fear of the unknown, because her close friends aren’t going, because it’s quite a distance from where we live and so on.
(She’s aware that she’s incredibly lucky to have been offered a place, and feeling guilty that she’s not happy about it)

Any advice and info on what the school is REALLY like from those whose DD’s are there (or attended recently) would be massively appreciated.
Ie, where do most of the students live (I know it’s very diverse and scattered, but just wondering if a lot live very near, or the majority live on the outskirts? We’re SE London, so worried about the commuting time. Not sure if we should consider a move closer into town (but our budget wouldn’t go far)

• what are the start and finish times of the school day, length of lunchtime/breaks?
• is it very strict?
• what are the facilities like?

It all seems like such an unknown entity/mystery - any proper insight would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

I have children in state and private, and in my view they are not the same: trips, communication with parents, opportunities to take part in the creative arts, facilities, class sizes, even quality of food at lunchtime, there really isn't any comparison.

But results may be the same! So it all depends on what you think education is for, and where you think your child will thrive.

Thanks both, I believe the reference to the private school was more to do with the overall support given to students throughout their time and not limited to the final results. And also in terms of opportunities, I was under the impression that there would be exclusive ones due to their connection with the Westminster foundation and therefore comparable to private opportunities. This is what I’ve grasped taking to some parents, but would love to have a wider view indeed as I might have got it wrong.

@Uninem i have just sent you a PM

I’ve just read back this whole thread, having initially been the OP. My view of the school has changed so much - have just realised that last year, I posted to say that if I had the choice, that I wouldn’t choose GCH again.

*My view now is completely the opposite!
I’d 100% recommend GCH, based on the fact that my DD is absolutely flourishing there. However, we’ve realised that she really does respond well to a structured, strict environment, with very clear boundaries and expectations. This has worked very well indeed for her, so it just depends on what kind of personality your DD is, as to whether it will be the right kind of environment for anyone who is considering it for their DD.