single sex schools

[bemybaby]

Are they a good thing or not? I went to one and made friends for life but also felt i missed out on male friends who were friends not boyfriends if you see what i mean. What do others think?

absolutely fangache - there is a difference between choosing to socialise with people of the same sex, and creating an artifical situation where children are not given every opportunity to develop the ability to relate to others of the opposite sex. I am personally extremely comfortable in the company of either sex - although as I say the girls' school where I work on occasion makes me uncomfortable.

Agreed that the segregation is usually not as absolutely enforced in adult life, but making the point that it still exists for some of us.

the benefit for girls is that they arent forced into traditionally "feminine" subjects, also they arent distracted from studying by boy/girl stuff.

but imo it is more important to learn how to cope with the real world.

Ladymuck - Of course there are times when there are no men present (girls nights in etc etc)!!! Its still not comparable to creating an environment that doesn't permit the mixing of the sexes. Nowhere in adult life, that I can't think of, does that really happen. But I stand to be corrected if there are any examples I haven't thought of.

Does anyone know why there are still single sex schools?

Oh hang on!! Just thought of an example. An Ann Summers Night! Men are not permited at those.

True but then there aren't that many occasions when we are forced to be in a room with only people who have birthdates within a specific range, but most schools still arrange their classes by age. The point I am making is that for some of us a certain amount of segregation in adult life is natural, not that it should be absolutely enforced! And as I mentioned earlier there are certain sports which are single sex events.

As for why there are still single sex schools - surley this is down to demand! The Muslim community in particular seem to favour segregation during school, and there have been various findings which indicate that girls at single sex schools outperfrom girls at mixed schools for example.

Not sure there are many areas where you don't at least have a choice of mixed schools (if anything single sex are in the minority). And I see this as being one of those areas of education where it is nice to have a choice.

I went to a single sex girls school and I think there were a few problems with it:

1. When I had to mix with boys at Uni I found it difficult and distracting.
2. I think that it didn't prepare me for the real world i.e. mixed. I have yet to work in an all female office whereas I have had to work in an all male environment. I found understanding the male approach to work in the male dominated area that I worked in was crucial to my advancement.
3. I am probably still a bit at a loss in knowing how the male mind works (even with 2 brothers) and think having longlasting friendship with boys would have helped me.

One thing to note, but at the single sex school I taught at, it wsa very good at encouraging girls to enagage in those activities traditionally seen as male. Lots of girls did Deisgn tech (woodwork / metalwork), learnt to play the drums, had a very strong football team, and played rubgy, studied physics etc etc all stuff that is very rare to see girls do in mixed sex schools - why? Because they knew that it was on offer for them - not on offer for the boys and there was no stereotyping about what girly activities they should have been doing.

Incidently, they often reached very high levels of local science competitions and were one of the best schools academically in the area, despite being comprehensive and not from one of the more affluent areas!

I moved to mixed for the 6th form and it was a good job too! When we got to uni you could spot the single sex girls a mile off. They were very gigly and flirty around the lads and acted like they were 15yr olds.
IME, having brothers helps.

Though perhaps they learned to spell better.
giggly

i think mixed for primary, but single ssex for secondary.
i actually think that adult life is very segregated as well. i go day to day, and rarely meet anyone of the opposite sex, other than say the bloke at the counter in whsmiths today. possibly the postman in a few days. might say hi to the odd father at cubs. but even taht is rare. dont socialise much, but when we do, the men tend to go off in their group whilst the women are in theirs. very sad. i know.

Do you work stitch?

My dd has gone to a single sex school since nursery, she's now in Yr1. But her school has merged with the local grammar school so we've had to decide how important the single sex thing was to us.

There is another single sex school in the area so at the end of this academic year before the physical merger she's moving to the single sex school. I think it works for her for now but it's something I would re-evaluate if I thought she was suferring socially or in another way.