All girls or mixed secondary school?

lostinrates

*Robin* wrote: »

^^^ This. Isn't the point of going to school to get good exam results? Teen girls still have plenty of time for socialising with boys at clubs, in their neighbourhood, on the bus etc.

And I [STRIKE]may[/STRIKE] will probably get flamed for this, but must say I've noticed girls who don't go to mixed secondary [up to GCSE at least] manage to avoid the worst of the biatchy behaviours, cliques and bullying which every parent of a teenage girl dreads.

I wouldn't go that far tbh.

I experienced both types of education and girls just can be horrid in packs whatever the school.

The socialising thing is a parenting issue IMO. Easier if you have brothers, or close friends with brothers, but hobbies and regular extra curricular activities with boys are important if single sex is opted for.

in fact, I find it MORE concerning that adults have narrow opinions how to provide those facilities!

I think the right school for the child is more key than 'the best school' some girls will prosper better in girls' schools others in mixed ones, some in more academic schools, some in more rounded ones. Thats why we have choice, surely?

lostinrates

In the apple school how much are they taught about non apple IT and computers? In industries where apples are not the only fruit (or aren't used at all) how microsoft/pc literate would they be?

I think a solid it education is something I wish I'd had, but I would want it to have been balanced (and I am an apple user now)

peachyprice

The more I think about the ipad school, the more I think you must have got the wrong end of the stick. Doing all the work for every lesson on an ipad just isn't going to work.

Maths for example, an ipad is nothing more than a glorified calculator, but children need to learn calculator and non-calculator maths, they have to be able to show their working out, why would you do that in an ipad when pen and paper is much easier, quicker and shows where you have made a mistake.

English, an ipad is not designed for typing and producing documents, how would children be expected to write stories, poems etc., on one? Also in English you don't use tipex or scribble out mistakes, you strike them through so that the mistakes can be seen, on a ipad everything could be spell checked and presented perfectly, that is not teaching children anything.

I can see they could replace a projector or whiteboard because very child could have the presentation right in front of them, that makes sense, but for actually producing work? No, that makes no sense whatsoever, especially for those that borrow one, they would have no access to any or their work outside school and would find it impossible to revise and review the work they have done.

Our school was one of the few in the country selected to trial Windows 8 when it came out and Microsoft donated a large number of PC's and laptops, that didn't mean every lesson was taught on them, we had a lovely ICT suite as a result and teachers produced powerpoint presentations and lessons on the laptops, but the children still produced work in the normal way.

DigForVictory

Ex-girls school here. It was a results farm, so I did very well academically, but without extended family would have been utterly baffled by the male of the species. (Still am a bit, but I gather that's mutual!)

The b!tchiness etc you will find at both single sex and mixed, at school, sixth form, university & out in the real world, so I'd want more information on the schools bullying policies. And how parents get involved.

Visit both, and form your own view on the Head, the staff & "the atmosphere". If you get shown around by a pupil, great, but bear in mind (a) they get picked for the PR role and (b) it costs them lesson time.

If the iPad bit worries you, *ask* the staff how exams are sat. Are there bursaries to help buy kit? What is the minimum spec & how often do they upgrade? (Helps shop secondhand.) Have they IT support staff who can coax the homework and paid for apps off a dying iPad?

Despite the fact that you will have to pay for kit, uniform etc, it is your daughter who will be putting in the hours. In so far as you can debrief her gently, find out what she reckons - would she enjoy it there? Aftr a term? What did she think of the teachers (tough is good, nice is a bit washy, mean needs further probing)?

All the best to all the family!

aliasojo

lostinrates wrote: »

I think the right school for the child is more key than 'the best school' some girls will prosper better in girls' schools others in mixed ones, some in more academic schools, some in more rounded ones. Thats why we have choice, surely?

This.

I wasn't a particularly confident kid and I know I would have got on better if I'd gone to a single sex school.

It's all down to the character of the child imo. Does your daughter have any preference at the moment?

The ipad thing would put me up nor down tbh. I'd base my decision on the academic and social aspects before being concerned about ipads. I don't think any child will lose the ability to write simply because they do coursework on ipads.

LandyAndy

daisiegg wrote: »

I would send a girl to a single sex school in a heartbeat, but I would only send a boy to a mixed school.

I went to a mixed school, taught in mixed schools, and was very apprehensive when I got a job in a girls' school; I thought I would hate it. I was wrong. The atmosphere is great, there are far fewer behaviour problems, and more than anything, it took me ages to get used to how confident and poised our girls are compared with girls I have taught in mixed schools. Without boys to worry about in lessons, they completely come into their own. They are much happier to try and fail than they are in a mixed school, and they have much more of a voice within lessons. Also, girls and boys are generally different at that age, and if you are teaching them separately it is much easier to tailor teaching methods and style to the class.

So yes, I am a complete convert to single sex girls' schools. However, NOT boys. I would never send a son to an all boys' school.

So. All the girls at girls' schools and all the boys at mixed schools.:cool:

Brighton_belle

aliasojo wrote: »

I wasn't a particularly confident kid and I know I would have got on better if I'd gone to a single sex school.

This^^ I had the same experience and didn't find mixing with boys at secondary remotely beneficial - I left more shy and insecure than when I arrived and completely intimidated by the male species.

Those who feel it is an unnatural environment to have single sex schools as it doesn't mirror the real world, well I think school is a totally unnatural environment anyway: when else in life do you get forced to spend hrs with your exact age group, without any choice what so ever. (Unless conscription comes in obviously:p)
But then I think I was a child who drowned in a big school (1500 ish). A very very small mixed school may have been ok.

But I agree, it is down to the individual child and what is the best school for them. And for some a mixed school would be best.

claire16c

I went to a girls school & loved it. I would want my children to go to single sex schools.

The thing about it being a fake environment, not preparing you for life, or not able to interact with males etc is a load of rubbish!

I met my now husband when I was 18 so I clearly had no issues interacting! So did 2 of my best friends. A couple of girls have recently married boys from the boys school.

The boys school was down the road, that we had discos, management days, and a few activities arranged with. Lots of the girls made friends with the boys & met up after school.

But when we were in school as spotty teenagers there was no pressure to look good in front of boys. I would have hated that. You're at school to learn and I'm sure girls do better in subjects like science& maths at girls schools.

Our school taught us to be young independent women.

Not to mention when I left school my Uni course was 99% girls and so was the work place I entered. So in that way it prepared me perfectly!

Mojisola

becsxxx wrote: »

OP, another aspect you may want to consider is the research that has been done on what subjects girls may achieve high grades in at a single sex school.

I understand that at girls only schools, a wide spectrum of subjects are taken at A-level - proportionately high numbers in maths, science etc.

At mixed schools, more (not all obviously, but a larger proportion of) girls take the supposedly more "feminine" subjects of english, history, art, whilst boys major in maths/science.

I went to an all girls school and was amazed when I came across this attitude that girls can't or don't want to study maths or sciences.

tea_lover

Another post agreeing with the last few I went to an all-girls grammar school and loved it. We had good links with the local boys school for things like drama, and the sixth form was completely mixed.

It's never even crossed my mind that it would have a negative impact on later interactions with males. I now work in a very much male-dominated industry and have always got on great with the guys.

ETA: my A levels were all sciences. Would be interesting to know if I'd have made the same choices if I'd been in a mixed school.