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?

I would like single sex education for my daughter and mixed sex education for my son - how do I square the circle

I'm pretty sure large numbers of girls who responded on Everyone's Invited were at selective, fee paying all girls' schools.

Quite right; I didn't think of that one because it was Colstons Girls and private in my day. However, you are right - it stayed single sex when it went state. It may have had a bad Ofsted recently but it has been historically over-subscribed. My friend's daughter has just left and was very happy there. So not a simple story.

You can go and look at the list. It's horribly long and feels like every school in the UK, but happily it is not, because QEH isn't on there. However, my old school and my sister's both make an appearance; co-ed state schools.

I have looked at the list.

I also know that all girls' schools are disproportionately represented on there, as are fee paying schools.

It could perfectly well get a "good" Ofsted though. There is plenty of system gaming with Ofsted before you get to what they are actually inspecting.

Yes, indeed. The private school girls could always outdrink us, bless them. Always much keener on sex, too.
All I am saying is that parents (and students) should be given the choice, at state funded schools.

Well perhaps, for I have not data crunched that entire list. Is there a data crunch available for it?

Since when did one size fit all?

There was when the website first started. It was partly because it started form the founder's quite elite circle and fanned out.

My point rather is that girls are not protected from predatory boys just because they are in a single sex school.
But, as others have pointed out, in most parts of the country it is neither feasible nor practical.

It's an urban mindset to think of plentiful local schools. In my area there is a large comp which serves a 10 mile catchment.

The private schools in the bigger town have merged.

On EI some schools on that list got one single submission; others got many. I believe Eton and Latymer's were amongst the worst.

Yep and if school A was made all girls school all B made boys and school C mixed the London centric thinking would be just pop our kids on free (for kids), frequent public transport that runs from a few minutes walk away to get to the desired option.

Where as the reality is having to get down miles of pavementless lanes to the nearest bus stop for the one a hour (if you are lucky) bus that costs several pounds (yes even for children) per trip and are frequently cancelled or delayed.

See, simple?!

The data about results from all girls schools is very unreliable as an indicator of what performance would be like if we went to single sex schools across the board because most all girls schools are selective/grammar schools and this skews the results. The others tend to be religious or located in what MN calls "leafy" areas.

The Everyone's invited reports showed loads of sexual assaults happen to girls at all girls schools too.

It's completely impractical and wouldn't have the desired impact.

It's probably been said elsewhere but the obvious solution is to improve the standards in mixed schools to alleviate the dominance of boys - but in lieu of that happening quickly....
I was heavily of the opinion workplaces are mixed/society is mixed but dd wanted to go to girls school.
So pleased she did when I see the difference in her mixed school peers. It's not without its challenges - she's sporty and not many others are, the lack of diversity is striking, and parents are very protective of their daughters and allow them less freedom etc but combined with seeing first hand at a STEM ambassador event year 10 boys dominance when there was a weaker form tutor (not all classes) - DD had great instincts and single sex was right for her.

I'm pretty sure large numbers of girls who responded on Everyone's Invited were at selective, fee paying all girls' schools.

Possibly, but they were not experiencing the sexual harassment by their peers while they were in school. No one laughing at you about periods, looking up your skirt as you go up stairs, staring at your bra thru your shirt, heckling as you play sport, harassing you for nudes or sending you dick pics/porn, in the place you are supposed to be getting an education. Their girls only school gave them a respite that all young women should be able to enjoy. I can think of no better preparation for the co-Ed world of work than several years of confidence-building in an environment where no one thinks less of them for their sex.

Why don't you move to an area that has single sex schools?

I went to an girls' convent school. I like it as it was small and in walking distance. My older brother went to a single sex school and younger brother to a mixed school.

Many of my friends did not have contact with any boys. In those days many organisations were single sex too.

Many friends didn't know how to interact with boys on a day to day level. Resulting in getting themselves into difficult situations.
Some rebelled and became rather promiscuous .

I have taught in mixed, all boys and all girls schools. I find girls' schools have far more subtle and underhand emotional bullying.

I sent my own children to mixed schools. I could have sent them to single sex schools in the County Town.

There are single sex state schools. All the grammar schools in our area are boys or girls only. There are also girls only non selective, although not any boys only I don't think.

I went to a single sex school in what would now be classed as yr 10. I'd been in mixed. These girls were sex mad. Only saw boys as potential sexual partners. Only hung out with boys for a shag. At 15!
I had (and still do have) many male friends. These girls laughed at me. No comprehension of why I might want a male friend.
So no. I do not!

I think until you have your child go to one or you’ve been yourself it can be hard to imagine. I’m glad it was right for her.
I went to a state girls school and I hope my daughter goes too. Our local one is very over subscribed.

It’s interesting as I often hear people mention the work place thing. But I’ve worked in about 4 different industries since leaving school and they were all women dominated. So it set me up really well! :) you never hear the opposite argument.

It doesn't, but choice comes at the price of fairness. So to be fair all state schools should be the same. Kier S is quite clear on that.

This is my experience too. Dd is thriving at a state girls school and ds will likely go to the nearby boys school which also gets great results. I had a crap schooling experience with disruptive boys dominating pretty much everything. It was a horrible environment.

The benefits and drawbacks of single sex schools is a topic of massive debate every few years in Ireland because we have so many single sex primaries and secondaries (a consequence of religious ownership of state and private schools).

If there's one thing I've learned from following that debate it's that there is no right answer. We all have ancedotes about our own experience and about people we know, but schools vary hugely and the nature of a school environment is influenced by so many things like the teachers and wider culture, ect. What I experienced in all girls schools (very positive) doesn't mean much for a different school or a current generation.

There are lots of issues with research studies on this topic too. Some are badly designed and some just don't translate from one country or context to another.

Interesting. I too think it's a shame there isn't more of a choice, or state schools for girls, more widely available.
Two of my friends have girls privately at fee paying independent girls only schools. Unfortunately one has just announced that in future boys will join. Presumably because of spiralling costs?

I get the impression that MN is of the idea that boys (and subsequently men) are made of slugs and snails and puppy dogs tails and girls are made of sugar and spice and all things nice.
Would we choose to have only girls to get rid of all these horrible potential men.