All girls or mixed secondary school?

FBaby

I don't get the ipad thing. Surely that low down in the reasons to decide one school over another? It didn't even cross my mind to ask about whether pupils used laptops or not, let alone the brand used. I was more interested in finding out about the overall ethos of the school, discipline, the pupils attending, the lessons offered, the quality of teaching.

Thinking of it, I still don't know 2 years down the line what technology is being used in class!!

MandM90

*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 agree completely. I went to an all girls school (grammar) and did very well indeed. My experiences were so positive; the environment was one that really focussed on academics and we all had a laugh but could go in with no makeup. Competitiveness was found more in academics and sports than who had the latest X, Y or Z - and I'm in my early twenties so it wasn't so long ago! The impression I got from friends/cousins who went to local mixed comps/grammars was that there was a lot more horsing around, and they were definitely a little faster in their sexual development . Obviously this is only my very personal experience but my daughter now goes to an all girls private school. The atmosphere is just lovely. As someone above mentioned, I have read that all girls schools are more conducive to better marks - as long as your daughter will also feel happy and confident in this environment (and the vast, vast majority at my school stayed on right to 18 rather than jumping ship to sit A Levels at a mixed school) then I wouldn't see single sex as being an obstacle.

I also remember how distracting fancying a boy felt at 13 (or being in all consuming love, as it then felt :rotfl:) and would rather leave that for outside lesson time! Boys definitely wont be alien as long as she comes into contact with them at home or at extracurricular activities.

I also don't understand the relevance of the iPad thing. I'm an Apple lover but I'd focus on whether the school is going to provide a well rounded education and get your daughter where she wants to be. If that's a top University, I'd be eyeing up league tables and chatting to teachers!

angelil

MIXED all the way. All-girls' schools are very unhealthy environments in my experience.

Person_one

Lunar_Eclipse wrote: »

A couple of the mixed schools we looked at appeared to be full of teenagers obsessed with the way they looked (constant playing or flicking of hair) and loud, flirtateous interaction between boys and girls which I thought was really fake. Again, this might not have been representative of the whole school, but it's so hard to tell.

I'm not sure how flirtations between teenagers can be described as 'fake', surely its the most natural thing in the world!

daisiegg

angelil wrote: »

MIXED all the way. All-girls' schools are very unhealthy environments in my experience.

Interesting that so many others have had the opposite experience. What was your experience?

Spendless

I'm surprised at the posters who've mentioned girls being better behaved at all girls schools, I really didn't think that based on my own experiences of having a boy and girl. Boys I've found are more 'in your face' with bad behaviour eg it is more likely to be physical or noisy, but the problems I've had with my 10yo dd being bullied by a gang of girls who were doing it so discreetly teacher hadn't even noticed. I have no experience of single sex schools. I attended a mixed one as do my kids. I have worked in all female offices though and that can be a bi@tch fest.

zcrat41

I went to an all girls school.

I would choose the same for any daughter of mine if I can afford it. (No state single sex round here.) The total focus was on our academic achievements, not who was the prettiest. I had my twenties and thirties to be fooling around with boys. I didn't need to do from 11 - 18.

lostinrates

zcrat41 wrote: »

I went to an all girls school.

I would choose the same for any daughter of mine if I can afford it. (No state single sex round here.) The total focus was on our academic achievements, not who was the prettiest. I had my twenties and thirties to be fooling around with boys. I didn't need to do from 11 - 18.

Again, though not opposed to single sex education, this was not my experience.



Indeed, studies have shown that unwittingly TEACHERS favour attractive pupils (of either sex). But also, I think girls do gravitate toward attractive girls in social groups and for peer approval often.

Also, those saying there was no sexual distraction whatsoever, forget that in some schools theirs are bisexual or gay girls.

I am still in favour of single sex education where it suits, and if we had children single sex schools would very much be on the table if they suited the child but there is no point getting carried away in either their praise, just as those who have argued points against them can usually be countered with ways in which the negatives can be offset.

CruisingSaver

I went to an all girls' secondary school which was extremely results driven (not surprising as it was a private school) whilst I enjoyed my time there on the whole it could be a very [EMAIL="bi@tchy"]bi@tchy[/EMAIL] environment from time to time.

DH went to a co-ed school and was adamant that our daughter would do the same whilst I was insistent that all girls was the only way to go.

Fast forward to when it was time to choose her secondary school and despite visiting a number of different schools, it was the local co-ed secondary school that absolutely blew me away and it really felt like it was the right school for DD.

She's just started Year 9 and is doing really well and has a lot of friends, both male and female. So far none of the 'distractions' have materialised (although if a certain Harry Styles was a pupil it may be a different story ).

I suppose what I'm saying in a rather long winded way is not to get too hung up on co-ed or all girls, but visit the schools and see what's the best fit for your daughter.

CS x

susancs

CruisingSaver wrote: »

I

I suppose what I'm saying in a rather long winded way is not to get too hung up on co-ed or all girls, but visit the schools and see what's the best fit for your daughter.

CS x

Totally agree with CS's comment. I went to an all girls secondary school and hubby to an all boys school and we both loved our time at our respective schools, got good exam results and made lifelong friends. Our siblings also went to single sex schools so we had little experience of mixed secondary schools. However both our daughters go to a mixed catholic secondary school, despite there being an a girls grammar school nearby and a catholic covent school for girls. We just all liked the school best when we visited it and spoke to pupils and staff. Both our girls are very happy there and my eldest daughter has lots of lovely lads as friends, plus got better exam GCSE results this year than any of our friends children who went to the grammar or covent school.