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Original poster

Mixed or single sex for a girl?

59 replies

VoiceofRaisins56 · 21/10/2023 10:24

My DD could get in to a good comp on a sibling place (DS is already there, and likes it). Or a good girls school on a distance place. I cannot decide what to put first on the form. Both Ofsted outstanding. She’d like to be with her brother. I went to a girls’ school and I did well academically. I have difficulty getting my head round the idea of dealing with boys while you’re trying to learn maths. But is my own prejudice colouring my view? Is it better to keep them together if that’s what they want?

OP posts:
Parker231 · 21/10/2023 12:26

We purposely chose a co Ed school for DT’s. Don’t agree with single sex schools.

Comedycook · 21/10/2023 12:19

For us it was a clear cut decision as my dd didn't want to go to the same school with her brother and he didn't really want her there ruining his street cred 😂. Also my DD favours female friendships and really isn't bothered about not mixing with boys. In your situation op, I think you probably need to listen to your DD and discuss pros and cons

Marblessolveeverything · 21/10/2023 12:16

I would go with the school with lived experience. The research typically quoted is a small group in the 60s.

I went to mixed school, my son's attends mixed both have friends of both sex.

Comedycook · 21/10/2023 12:15

My dd goes to a single sex secondary school. I'm so happy we choose it. The other choice was to go to the same school as her brother. One big benefit of the single sex school has been that she has a much wider pool of girls to be friends with. She was in a very boy heavy primary class and it was a huge issue and affected her socially. She also told me when she started at secondary that she found it much easier to concentrate without boys being disruptive and boisterous. Definitely the right choice for us.

GingerLiberalFeminist · 21/10/2023 12:13

Research indicates girls do better in single sex education and boys do better in mixed. My DH and I want our DD to go to single sex for this reason.

clary · 21/10/2023 12:11

I went to a single-sex girls grammar school (tbh the only sensible option for me where I lived) and it was not a good thing really. I am sure I would still have got my A in maths with boys in the class; I would also have been a bit better able to deal with them. University was a big shock as @HawaiiWake mentions.

OTOH I know people who chose all-girls' schools and were very happy; research does suggest girls do better academically in single-sex.

But in this case, sounds as tho she already knows about the co-ed comp, her DB is there, it's familiar, she wants to go there. I would put that first if I were you.

DustyLee123 · 21/10/2023 11:36

Let her go with her brother.

SparkyBlue · 21/10/2023 11:00

Which school does she prefer? We are currently looking at secondary schools for DD and an all girls is the absolute favourite of both of us but it's not because it's all girls it's because we really liked it and it's the school that DD can see herself attending if that makes sense. In your circumstances I'd send her to school with her sibling.

HawaiiWake · 21/10/2023 10:53

I am in the camp of listening to DD since she will be spending 7 years daily and if she wants to go to a school with her brother maybe it would suit her.
Otherwise the first time she will be dealing with boys in a work or class situation would be at university.

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