To be angry so many girls schools are going Co-Ed?

[FaeryRing]

Yet again it’s been proven girls do better in single sex schools (I have a son as well as a daughter so please don’t think I’m ’hating on boys’).

https://amp.theguardian.com/education/article/2024/may/12/girls-do-better-in-exams-at-all-girls-schools-than-mixed-research-finds

In my hometown growing up there were 4 girls schools. 1 grammar, 1 private, and 2 regular secondaries, meaning pretty much all parents regardless of background had access to single sex education for their daughters if they wanted it.

2 have announced their plans to go Co-Ed, with 1 already having done so, leaving just 1 (the grammar, so working class girls will be inherently disadvantaged). This seems to be a pattern across the country.

AIBU to be angry this is happening? Can’t girls have anything to themselves?

Are there not enough famous male artists, actors and singers? Lol

Selection bias.

Haha you actually have 😂 keep going because you’re making my case well!

I'm not.
Nobody has made your case well.

sorry, what's your point?

They’re not advantaged in many co-Ed schools though! That’s the point. As a parent of both sexes, I can honestly say that their schooling has offered equal opportunity for both sexes. Perhaps we should look at improving the schools where they don’t have equal opportunity.

As I’ve said, I’m really not against single sex education. It wouldn’t be my (or my children’s) choice, but I accept that some families might want it. Our families, and many others, have found co-Ed schools which genuinely offer equal opportunity. That’s why the demand for single sex is falling. A school has to be economically viable. It’s not possible to keep a school open if it isn’t, just because a minority of families would prefer it.

I should probably caveat my comments that we use the private sector and, therefore, have been fortunate enough to be able to choose the schools we wanted. They have robust behaviour management policies and very strict mobile phone policies which I’m sure makes a huge difference. In reality, I probably wouldn’t be happy sending a daughter to a huge co-Ed comp where boys don’t treat girls with respect.

She knows exactly what she posts (and what sex she is).
Keep assuming though.

This is a perfect example of the irrationally I refer to.

https://ffteducationdatalab.org.uk/2021/09/which-a-level-subjects-have-the-best-and-worst-gender-balance/

This shows the gap between the different sexes taking A-Level subjects. Less than 25% of boys take English Lit, not dissimilar to the amount of girls taking physics. Why is there such an obsession with pushing girls into STEM subjects, but not the same desire to increase male representation in the Arts?

I have a girl and a boy in the same secondary school and I can't think of even one instance where my DS has been advantaged over my DD. Sample size of 1 of course.

Because we need more scientists than artists!

It does say on that graph, more males than females for music!

Yes, the choice is important because not all schools do give a balance to both sexes.

Sports is a huge issue with girls and there are studies about not wanting to participate in front of boys leading to them stopping exercising all together because they become focused on how they are seen rather than enjoying sport. https://www.theguardian.com/education/2022/mar/07/uk-girls-lose-interest-in-sport-as-teenagers-women-in-sport-survey

I think some schools handle the sexes well, as you say but it is not across the board, particularly in state schools where you see the drop in STEM and PE.

In our school, the girls and boys are segregated for PE. I would've thought that would be the same for all secondary school.

Both sexes need to be exposed to STEM subjects.
Those who are passionate need to take it up and be encouraged.
(In the area I was in there was a fairly even spilt of male/female, right from Undergrad up to Prof level, but I appreciate it's notblike that in all areas of STEM).
We also shouldn't underestimate the role of the arts (music, literature, fine art) im the overall wellbeing of human beings.😀

Our local secondary school mostly doesn't for PE lessons. At Sports Day there are separate events (athletics) and mixed events (team sports). If you enjoy sport it works really well.

Historically boys go for subjects they think will earn the most money. Choices reflect their priorities but I agree - I would love more men to value reading. I think the arts and psychology are subjects that give girls a real grasp of empathy and humanity, which boys don't seem to pay much interest to. As a result we, as a patriachal society, don't value the arts and empathetic careers with high salaries which leads more boys to chase sales jobs, for example.

Yes but girls need to be exposed to it MORE as they tend to think themselves as not so good in it (lacking in confidence) as the boys in STEM subjects. Hence the push!
Yes, to the arts, it's all that you say, not disagreeing with that at all.

Highly debatable!

https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2016/03/16/why-art-and-science-are-more-closely-related-than-you-think/?sh=5e6e723a69f1

https://www.forbes.com/sites/annapowers/2020/07/31/why-art-is-vital-to-the-study-of-science/?sh=6b30426642eb

If we continually push STEM as inherently superior, fewer people will pursue literature, drama, languages, art etc. It would be a miserable world where these things start to disappear. In our modern world where mental health problems are increasingly common, surely we should be encouraging children to pursue their passions? Rather than favouring one area over another, perhaps we should view them more equally. I think we are in danger of pushing girls to do STEM when they might not necessarily want to - surely they should do something which makes them happy? If that’s, STEM, fine. If not, that’s also fine. That’s why boys and girls should be treated as equals, and where different subjects are viewed equally as well.

Ok, but there is a reason why science is a compulsory GCSE and art is not.

I think with sport there should be opportunity for both mixed and separate events. As long as numbers allow that shouldn't be difficult. I've explained above how it works at our local secondary and it works well, at least if you happen to enjoy sport that is.

It’s mixed at ours.

I wouldn't send my daughter to a single sex school - I think it's important for girls and boys not to be separated, and to learn to work together. I went to a girls' school myself as there was no co-ed option in the town I grew up.

We're in Scotland.
Maths (varying options) and English (varying levels) are the only complusory subjects. Everything else is optional. I would still encourage quite a broad mix though, at that age.