To think it’s unfair single-sex schools aren’t an option for many (perhaps even most)?

[patienceandprudence]

I have one single sex state school (and in fact there is only one private) in my county. It is in the county town, which we are not in the catchment for. It would take an hour and half to get to by public transport anyway.

Since it has been proven many times over that girls do better in single sex schools, why on earth aren’t there more options for those of us not in 11+ counties? I think it’s a great shame, and it doesn’t seem to be a thing that’s even being thought about.

YANBU. If I had a DD it would be my preference too.

Mixed sex schools aren’t especially safe or pleasant places for girls in my view.

@timeisnotaline

Bame girls are still girls, not part of the dominant sex that numerous studies have shown attract the teachers attention and time, not bigger and stronger and learning to live with teen testosterone or who grow up to be the sex that commit 98% of sex crimes. Some of our private girls schools here are half to majority Asian background, they are just girls like any other, as I’m sure overtherubicon realises. Presumably you don’t want any single second adult spaces either as that would be ostracising men?

That wasn't my point. And nor was whether there should be single sex spaces for adults or at all.

My point was that we wouldn't deal with racism by making all-white schools to keep others 'safe'. If anything, it would intensify division and extremism for the future.

I went to a all girl school there is one that is a possibility for our daughter but would rather she went to an co-ed school.
My all girls school was very bitchy years 10 and 11 were especially bad. Things improved once the ringleader left after GCSE's. I stayed for 6th form and enjoyed it but did mix with boys out of school.
First time I was in co-ed education since 11 was when I went to uni. I did a female heavy course (biological sciences) and lived in a single sex flat in first year and will all girls in my second year. Did go a bit boy crazy when first started uni though was in a relationship from my second term throughout.

Oh god no! I was unfortunate enough to go to an all girls school and it was bloody horrific. A total bitch fest. At soon as GCSEs were done I got out of there to a co ed 6th form college!

Not all girls do well in single ed, some may, but just hope you get a good cohort for the year she goes!

My dd would absolutely hate an all girls school and yes I have asked her.

It’s a lazy and misleading argument to compare racism to the separation of boys and girls into different schools.

They aren’t the same thing.

Despite many positive reports of mixed schools on this thread which are great, there have been thousands of reports of sexual harassment (for example on the ‘everyone’s invited’ website). We know this reality hasn’t changed in decades.

Some choose single sex schools to get out of the problem and they create confident and well-rounded girls in my experience, I can’t speak for the all boys’ schools.

As adults we have to help our boys grow into rounded personalities as well. They need good role models, less isolation and the easy access to porn is very harmful.

Oh god no! I was unfortunate enough to go to an all girls school and it was bloody horrific. A total bitch fest.

There is an awful lot of nastiness amongst the girls in DD's school, even in the Sixth form there's still a ridiculous amount of what really amounts to bullying. The boys don't help the situation. I went to an all girl's school and it was nowhere near as bad.

@SusannaM

Oh god no! I was unfortunate enough to go to an all girls school and it was bloody horrific. A total bitch fest.

There is an awful lot of nastiness amongst the girls in DD's school, even in the Sixth form there's still a ridiculous amount of what really amounts to bullying. The boys don't help the situation. I went to an all girl's school and it was nowhere near as bad.

Maybe you had a good cohort? Or maybe your school was on top of bullying more so than mine.

I know the local schools near me the co Ed ones are fantastic and have a very strong stance of bullying. The only all girls school around here is very focused on academia and not known for its pastoral care. I have known many parents to take their girl out and move them to the co Ed's where they have been much happier.

It's likely more a reflection of the individual school than anything else. But each to their own. My good friend plans on sending her daughter to all all girls school where I won't. To me it's not natural, it's not life, and like others have said segregating based on gender is potentially more damaging than not. And those who think your girl is safer away from abuse of boys, do you think girls in an all girls school don't hunt out local boys after school. I can tell you many are more vulnerable to abuse as they become more sheltered from the opposite sex.

It depends I think. I went to a mixed school and was mostly happy there.my dc went to state single sex schools .ds loved it ,dd less so. The thing is boys and men will be at work mostly, so girls will be used to them . At 11 on though maybe girls would be better off without boys being stupid and sexist .a lady on here recently said her dd had been bullied on the school bus by a boy showing her unpleasant pictures on the school bus . Similar things on our school bus as well 20 odd years ago