To wish my DD's Girls Grammar School did not admit boys to the Sixth Form

[redange]

My DD1 has just collected her GCSE's from her school which is an Essex girls Grammar with high standards. DD1 has done very well and 'likes' single sex teaching (if she wanted to learn with boys she would got to the Boys Grammar for Sixth Form). However, like most Grammar Schools whether Boys or Girls they are Co -Ed or in my DD's School partially with around 30 Boys in both Year 12 and 13. I know this seems to be the fashion that Girls Schools which really should be single sex all through are admitting boys these days into year 12. I guess it is probably due to funding though personally I would prefer single sex availability for girls with the Boys Grammars offering the Co=Ed experience if wanted.

Bloody hell my poor bullied daughter didn't experience any sorority or celebration of her achievements. Some girls are nasty bullies.

And some boys are bullying arseholes. 6 of one, half a dozen of the other.

Not our experience so I can't comment. Three sons never bullied. One daughter bullied but only by girls. So I cant comment on what happens on a population level but the idea of sorority and celebrating achievements made me choke.

Actually thinking about it in the next generation 4 GSs and 4 GDs. Only one has had a bullying problem, it has resulted in a school move. Guess which sex.

I have 2 DS, 1 DD. One son bullied the others not.

It’s absurd to suggest one gender has a monopoly on bullying.

Hmm.. guess which gender has the monopoly on sexual harassment and sexual assault?

This thread has made me quite cross. Just imagine the uproar if someone put a post on MN saying how regrettable it is that boys schools let girls in to sixth form, that they are somehow lowering standards by letting girls in. We’d all be up in arms.

I can see your point before sixth form, but in sixth form all students are there through choice and because they are actively seeking to better themselves. To suggest that boys being in the school are somehow going to harm or damage your DD just by their very existence is completely ridiculous.

I have two DS, both of whom either have already been through or are currently in sixth form. Both hard working, very respectful young men, wanting to achieve good academic results, not the utter fools you seem to be suggesting they might be by the tone of your post.

men and boys exist, whatever your DD does after school she will have to mix with boys. Best she (and you) get used to it now. I think you are bring massively unreasonable.

The OP is not about your sons in particular. Nor mine. I have 2 sons, both lovely guys. Which has nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that broadly research indicates that girls perform better academically in single sex schools and boys perform the same in both. This information was helpful for educational choices.

Some of the posts have me laughing by suggesting I don't know much about Boys from 16-20 !. This because I only have around two female friends and around 50 male friends and because from the age of 12 to around 40 my life was centered around Football Fast Cars and Politics in that order. I know what 'twats' 16-18 year old in particular these who go to Grammar Schools . They are worse than Private School kids, because they have to prove themselves hence more stupid therefore likely to drive 10 mph faster round a 'corner' than the Private School boys and ending up 'upside down in a hedge' .

I have used driving as an example but it cuts across everything that is going on in that age group. In an idea world I would like to separate 'Grammar' school boys and girls from 16 until 21when boys start to become human again.

'Education' is the least of the problem. I will probably get called out by saying that education is the least of worries about boys being in a girls school sixth form but there you go.. Perhaps though my ideas and experiences might be 30 years out of date but I doubt it...

Are these state schools you are discussing? It sounds like another world to me. We’re in the East Midlands are all state schools are co-ed. Sounds like you have a lot of choice down in Essex and perhaps should think about being grateful for that based on the recently published regional variation in attainment.

The research doesn’t extend to 6th form age.

@redange I am new here and usually just read the posts but I felt that I had to reply. I have sent you a private message, I hope that you received it and it puts your mind at rest .SHSG is a brilliant 6th form and your daughter will have a fantastic two years . My DD left this year and we could not be happier, my message includes information that I didn’t want to share online but it gives you an insight into the kind of young man that SHSG attracts, we are so lucky to have the school in our area. Best of luck to your daughter.

Thank you Wallnutgrove for your Private Message

Both my daughters are at either SHSG/WHSG since year 7 DD1 is entering year 12 and DD2 will be entering year 10 in September. It is one of them but I am not going to say which one..

I think it's quite patronising to assume it's lack of confidence which has led the school to operate this model.
Most business decisions are made on several factors - experience, financial, academic research, etc.

This is probably a decision made on finances and being able to offer a wider range of subjects at A-level than confidence.

I have genuinely never heard something so ridiculous and so rude about a whole cohort of young men!
Calling a group of people ‘twats’ is rude and unnecessary. What hope do we have as a society if people can be so disrespectful and dismissive towards any group of people?

The 'Twats' comment was not to be taken seriously but Boys between the ages of 16 and 21 really are not that desirable. This of course has been heightened by the fact that children today have been 'infantilised' by mandatory education in one form or another to 18 ! A lack of responsibility for actions is displayed almost by every young man today and its not my 'fault' an aren't i unlikely attitude is evident across many girls as well but it is not as universal as boys. Thus, 18 year olds present themselves as what 15 year olds would have done 30 years ago. This post was started in a slightly light- hearted way because though in an ideal world I would have preferred a single sex Grammar School all the way through I am more than happy with the school for both my DD's.

Ah the old "it was a joke"

My DD went from a mixed sex comprehensive to a co-ed independent boys school. She managed to secure excellent A level grades and an Oxbridge offer. In addition, she learnt to cope with the very few boys who behaved poorly towards girls. All part of preparing for university and work, in my view.

In our city, only girls can have a single-sex education. There is nolonger a single-sex option for boys, which seems to me unfair. It works both ways.

Typo

My DD did maths, further maths, chemistry and physics at a below average mixed comp and went to Durham, and now works as an academic in a scientific field. She was bullied by girls throughout her schooling; boys gave her little trouble - tho she does have a brother.
she’ll be fine, OP.

So rude and judgemental. Have you considered that you might have been mixing with the wrong sort of boys?

My husband is 80, long term disabled and currently unwell. 21 year old GS came and sat with him Friday to cheer him up, a d give me a break, his brother did the same yesterday. Lovely caring young men who've never caused any sort of problems.

Then there are the girls who bullied my DD to the point she started to self harm. Do you know who the people were who supported her well it wasn't the girls.

I'm not so narrow minded as to think all girls are the same, shame you aren't the same.

The bullying is awful isn't it.

OP I don't think you can expect much sympathy while making such sweeping and unpleasant generalisations about whole groups of people.

In my experience girls can be just as unpleasant and poorly behaved as boys AND private school children can be just as reckless and badly behaved and grammar or state school pupils, it all depends on the individuals concerned.

Yes boys are statistically more likely to take risks with things like reckless driving, but things like emotional and cyber bullying are more statistically more prevalent amongst girls. Does that make one group worse than the other?

If we continue to stereotype our DCs by labelling them before they've actually done anything wrong then we are doing all of our DCs a disservice and pushing them towards exactly the kinds of behaviours we want them to avoid.

The only solution I can suggest to your problem OP is that you home school your DD. Then she won't have to mix with anyone you don't approve of and you can brainwash her to your heart's content!