To think that the state should offer single sex education as part of parental choice?

[KTheGrey]

Everyonesinvited.uk states as fact that there are three sexual assaults in primary schools reported to police every day (2016 figures), and that 9/10 girls had received unsolicited images (2021 from Ofsted). The Attainment 8 data analysis by gsa.uk (2019) shows an over 10% average higher point score by girls in girls' schools than by boys in boys' schools and over 20% higher average point score than all students in co-ed schools. A 2018 Queensland University study showed girls from single sex education emerged more confident. Many studies have shown they are more likely to engage with STEM at a higher level.

Should the state admit that it has failed in its primary duty of care in keeping girls safe, (as well as promoting every child's chances of getting their best results from school) and start providing single sex options to parents?

Lots of single sex state schools have gone mixed because parents didn’t want them.

Exactly this .

Assuming this is a serious question and not a sideways dig at trans, I think it could be beneficial to have it as an option, but the logistics of actually providing it would be immense, and the education system isnt exactly sloshing with excess funding.

There's no need for them anymore

Waste of resources and money

I’d prefer a single sex school for my daughter but surely the issue here is with capacity - wouldn’t it take a massive reorganisation?

It’s not realistic to guarantee every child a place in a mixed and single sex school based on the parents whims.

I wouldn't say there is NO need. I think my DS might have fared better in an all boys school, but I agree the overall need is small and therefore difficult to provide.

I went to a single sex secondary school. I absolutely loved it! One of my sisters and one if my brothers also went to and they loved it. My other sister hated her mixed sex school.

Children in the main grow up to become adults who enter mixed workplaces. Schools should fully prepare all pupils for this by providing safe, good quality education for all in a mixed environment. This is also the most economic solution, no need for two single sex schools instead of one mixed.

I’m in for that. Where would the north start?

I like single-sex education at secondary level. My husband and I and both our children went to single-sex schools. I think they are nowadays uncommon in most parts of the country, but there are still quite a few in London. One of the problems is that far more people want single-sex schools for their daughters than their sons, so so called mixed schools in the vicinity of a good girls' school tend to end up with far more boys than girls. This certainly happened round here.

I'm interested that so many of the first replies have ignored all the OP's points and just told her that single-sex schools aren't needed nowadays. Why not? Girls are achieving better than boys even in mixed schools, but as far as I can make out it comes at a price - boys dominate discussion and girls have to contend with unrelenting sexual 'banter' and harassment, escalating in some cases to assault. Female staff have to face this too. It's totally unacceptable as far as I'm concerned, but for many it seems to be just how things are. Why?

Parental choice is limited and almost a misnomer. House prices see to that given proximity to a school is a key admissions factor.

The added issue to me is that by having single sex schools, male behaviour in adult life seems to be worse, even though probably better (or less bad) at school age. So not quite as clear cut as the OP suggests, though agreeing that at school age it tends to benefit most girls.

Fantastic, when can I ship off husband and sons?

the south shall be a sea of oestrogen

Absolutely not. I moved house solely to get out of a heavy single sex schooling area.

Watford Gap. We get the city and the best farmland. Men get the ports, heavy industry and Birmingham.

Looking forward to it already.

Girls do better in a single sex school environment.

Boys do far worse in a single sex school environment.

9/10 girls had received unsolicited images ?? What type of images? And is that purely down to being at a mixed school?

To be fair, former industrial towns have struggled to find a role following the decline of manufacturing and heavy industry. Procreation hubs could be just the ticket for getting their identity back.

I’m assuming this is on phones too, rather than someone sidling up to them with a sheet of A4. If so, it could solved by not giving kids smart phones.

But there needs to be some sort of fitness test for men before they qualify for the procreation hub...

In all seriousness, I wasn't set on single sex and moved my dc to a girls school as it was the smallest and I'm a fan. If the teenage girls mh stays keep going the way they are people may start to see the benefits more.

Cheers @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g
It's the sexual assault data that finally did it for me. I know girls have been used to improve average behaviour and attainment in mixed sex settings for at least half a century, but for schools to be so poorly organised or supervised that girls are accustomed to sexual harassment is a bridge too damn far.

In my limited experience of my own DC, it was obvious in primary school that the boys were allowed to dominate space, especially outdoors, more inclined to disruptive behaviour - probably due to boredom as much as anything. Girls got less attention and higher expectations of behaviour (putting up with and working around the boys). As far as I remember, the evidence points to boys doing better in a mixed environment and girls in a single sex environment. My DD was lucky enough to go to a girls grammar school from 11 to 16, then a mixed sixth form. That was perfect for her and seems to me to be the best for girls. How to square that circle for the boys though? My boys enjoyed their mixed secondary school and made friends with boys and girls.

The overall need is small if you choose to ignore all of the evidence that the OP provides.

I completely agree with you OP. Girls should have the choice to go to all girls schools.