All girls or mixed secondary school?

squibbs25

We're off to view secondary schools soon for our dd, we have the choice of a mixed secondary academy (rated good by ofsted) they are an apple regional training centre which basically means that most school work is done on iPads, or an all girls school which has also turned into an academy (but only since sept). Both schools are in opposite directions. One is closer (approx 10-15 mins away) the other is a bus ride away (other than the school bus there is one local bus that runs along the road running an hourly service).
This used to be the better of the 2 schools but I'm not too sure now tbh.
The other academy has been up and running for 3 years now and has a new building and houses all years from 7 to 11, the girls school operates from 2 sites. Year 7,8 and 9 in the lower school and 10and 11 in the upper (approx 1.5 miles away).

Dd is at a mixed primary.

Obviously we want our dd to be happy but I'm wondering what other parents have done or plan to do for their children in this situation.

So if any of you have any experiences to share I'd love to hear them.

peachyprice

Mixed everytime, the world isn't segregated into male and female, why start your child on the back foot not having learnt how to socialise with boys.

bunty109

I went to exactly the same type of single sex school and wouldn't want that for my children. I found a year of 200 girls so unnatural and baitchy at times. Boys became far more interesting to a lot of the girls at my school just because they weren't there: it became a fixation for many!

peachyprice

bunty109 wrote: »

Boys became far more interesting to a lot of the girls at my school just because they weren't there: it became a fixation for many!

Oh yes, without a doubt, the girls from our nearest girls school had an awful reputation.

Person_one

peachyprice wrote: »

Mixed everytime, the world isn't segregated into male and female, why start your child on the back foot not having learnt how to socialise with boys.

This.

Its a completely artificial environment.

duchy

Why not visit both and see what your gut tells you ?

squibbs25

Thanks for sharing

I myself went to an all girls school very similar to the set up above and it didn't bother me whereas my older sister hated it.
My hubby went to mixed and isn't too keen on single sex schools.

Would the fact that everything in the mixed school is ipad based sway your decision in either way too?
They want all kids to have one but the good old bank of mum and dad have to pay for it l
What's wrong with pen and paper or laptops / pc's these days?
It can't be so bad when some schools still use these methods ��

balletshoes

squibbs25 wrote: »

Thanks for sharing

I myself went to an all girls school very similar to the set up above and it didn't bother me whereas my older sister hated it.
My hubby went to mixed and isn't too keen on single sex schools.

Would the fact that everything in the mixed school is ipad based sway your decision in either way too?
They want all kids to have one but the good old bank of mum and dad have to pay for it l
What's wrong with pen and paper or laptops / pc's these days?
It can't be so bad when some schools still use these methods ��

and what if they don't have an ipad, and mum and dad don't want to pay for one? you need to ask that question.

squibbs25

We do plan on visiting both!
Dd is away at PGL for one of the open evenings although we will still go and I will take her up for the open morning a few days later. (if her dad can get time off work he wants to come too).

peachyprice

squibbs25 wrote: »

Would the fact that everything in the mixed school is ipad based sway your decision in either way too?

That still wouldn't make me choose a girls school but it might make me look at other mixed schools.

I would look into whether the can really make you buy an ipad. Not everyone wants or can afford one, are they really saying they cannot teach children without one?

You'd think if they were an 'apple regional training centre' they'd have loads kicking around. And what does that mean exactly?

squibbs25

As it stands at the moment they reckon 95%of the schools have taken up the offer.
They also say there are spares that can be borrowed during the lesson but have to remain in the classroom and nothing can be saved on it but uploaded on to their own space. Also they can't personalise them as the are borrowed.

Most of the kids here chose the mixed academy purely for the iPad's.
this is the first year the school has ever been over subscribed. Normally it's the all girls and all boys schools that are a fight to get into.