Come and tell me what you think of girls schools...

This is my theory as to why you thought it was antifeminist.

The tradition of educating girls and boys separately arises from the belief that they are different and need to learn different things (needlework versus Latin, or more recently, metalwork and rugby versus home ec and dance). In a utopia with no sexism you probably wouldn't need separate schools.

The feminist argument for doing it now, though, is based on a different reason - the fact that as things stand, girls often do better or have an easier time of it in single sex environments.

I think your instinct to question it is probably quite right and definitely feminist, though I agree with the other posters that ultimately there is nothing inherently unfeminist about girls' schools.

I went to a girls school. I would choose it for DD in a hearbeat.

DD1's BFs go to a private girls school and I agree with MrsJoe up to a point, it does seem to be a positive confidence giving environment.

My DD2's mixed comp. peer group waste far too much time worying about boys (and they are only Y8) and there seems to be no provision for single sex PHSE which would be very valuable to disguss what gies on around them.

My real problem with single sex education is when, like DD1's DFs it continues post 16.

I think at that age there are problems, perhaps more for boys than girls, in deveoping a rounded, mature and confident outlook on the opposite sex if you don't do ordinary things together.

My all-girls school was stuffed with feminist teaching staff. It was a space where the expectation was that girls would succeed academically at the highest level in every subject. Mind you, I have no idea how that compares to mixed schools!

I went to a girls' school. It was a wonderful education for me. It was great being able to study whatever subject you wanted without worrying about being the only girl - half of the year did maths A level. It gave us lots of opportunities to explore things without assumptions of gender coming into play. You could be clever and say bright things without fretting whether boys would fancy you or not. Basically it removed a huge source if angst for teenage girls, allowing them the space to get on and go what suited them.

However, I do worry that this doesn't actually do anything to address the issue of girls and boys being pigeonholed by gender - it just avoids it, or delays it until they're a bit older (but hopefully mature enough to then deal with it).

Plus whereas we had assemblies on feminism I suspect the boys school across the road never did anything on gender inequality so being segregated didn't help with building equality.

I would very much consider single sex education for my DD. I would want my DS to be educated with girls. I'm sure there's a ludicrous contradiction there.

If dd is to receive the message that we are equal, it makes no sense to send her to a girls school. Of course we are equal, but we aren't treated equal.

I think girls schools can be very beneficial for girls. It is a well researched fact that boys/men take over conversations in mixed group situations. In addition according to recent findings by the Girl Guides something like 74% of girls experience sexual harassment at school. That would obviously be reduced at an all girls school.

Not sure why you would think women only (or girl only) spaces are not feminist.

If I'd had the option I would have chosen a girls' school like a shot. The sexes are equal, yes, without a doubt. But they are also different. There is loads and loads of research which shows that girls and boys both do better in single sex schools.

As a teacher, I was very anti- girls' schools... And then I had two girls.

I think I've completely changed my mind. I wouldn't actively seek out a girls' school, but I think there is a lot to be said for female-only spaces at a time when children are learning about their role in society. I agree with all the points MrsJoeHart makes.

Having said that, I think there is a lot of work to be done by teachers on promoting feminist issues to both genders in mixed and single sex schools

My dd's go to a girls school, there are often times when I wonder if they'd be having the same assemblies/discussions if it were co-ed. There's a lot of emphasis on the girls being self sufficient and independent. They have assemblies about things like feminism, being breast aware, abusive relationships etc. The school they go to is especially strong in science so it hasn't even crossed their minds that science let alone any subject might be a 'male thing'. If I were choosing a school purely on it's stance on feminism and equality I'd go for a girls school without a doubt.