Should I send my twin girls to different secondary schools?

What year are they in now?

My old neighbor sent her two twins dds to two different private schools. It was not a conscious choice though, they were not accepted to the same schools!
They both applied, and sat exams with a handful of private secondaries, but were accepted to different ones.

She said she was actually quite pleased, as in hindsight the girls ended up on the school that suited them best.

If each twin has her heart set on a different school then I think it would be fine to send them to different schools, but otherwise there does seem to be a risk that the competitive twin will set about trying to convince her sister that competitive twin's school is the better school, which might lead to less competitive twin feeling short-changed even if the reality is that both schools are equally good. Could you discuss the issue with the prospective schools to find out how feasible it would be to ensure that the girls are taught separately for all classes? I guess this is likely to depend in part on the size of the school.

Mine are non identical and have just turned 14, so are in yr 9. I'm very happy to have them at the same school but in retrospect I wish I'd asked for them to be put in different forms. They wanted to be together at first, but now the less mature, 'ditzyer' one is beginning to struggle, as they have been set differently and are choosing different subjects, and she can no longer rely on her more organised sister to have a copy of the homework that she's forgotten etc.

My SILs are non identical and were sent to different schools, and one of them still resents it - forty years later!

Have you asked them? Preferably individually?

I am a twin (non-identical) and we were compared constantly and I feel that we never really came into our own until we were adults.
On the up side we got on well and were a great support to each other and on the down side we were compared and therefore compared ourselves as well - if everyone else does it you tend to do it too. However we were in the same form and took the same O'levels. I would suggest different forms in the same school and then you might get the best of both and start talking to them about how the comparison thing doesn't help - it is about their own progress - we are all diffferent and develop at different rates.(I'm sure you do already).
Choosing different schools might not necessarily solve the issue - just give them something else to compare. Talk to them about how they can be there for each other to help them both succeed.

My daughter who is very bright compares herself to her very bright friend so you don't necessarily need to be twins to do this. Also talk to the school about how you want it to be.

BTW - I get on really well with my twin now - we are completely different and have chosen different paths and she is the person I would turn to if I needed something. Friends come and go and your twin is always there.

What does their primary say about it? You could request they were in different classes for most subjects at secondary. What do they want?
I've taught lots of twins, hardly ever in the same class though. I wonder if their attitudes toward eachother could be improved, rather than separating them.

I'd definitely consider separate schools, it does sound a good solution to improve the competitiveness and their happiness. However, I'd ensure the girls' school has good links with a boys' school otherwise down the line your more competitive girl may start having boyfriends etc which is seen as 'cool' by teen girls, while the other has no contact with boys and as a teenage girl may feel very rubbish and inferior about that.
And as tiggy said, make sure both are involved in the decision and see what they say they want.

I would