Single sex or co ed

[Fleabagster]

If the school’s results and ethos was similar, would you choose single sex or coed for secondary? As my DC are the same sex I’ve always thought I’d prefer coed. Plus I don’t know if my girls’ only education did me any favours socially, although it certainly didn’t damage me academically and I was happy throughout.

Coed. I'm similar to you (two DC of the same gender - boys in my case - and had a perfectly OK SS experience myself but think I would have preferred coed). Lots of people will give you stats on percentage difference in academic attainment and subject choice, but for us that was outweighed by gut feeling. SS just feels anachronistic and unnatural to me. It played quite a big role in our choice of school. Who knows if that was right - I know lots of kids who are very happy in SS. It just didn't feel right for us.

I actually really like the diamond structure, so co-Ed to 11, single sex from 11 to 16 and then back to co-Ed for 16-18.

My DD actually requested all girls for her next school and it is working ridiculously well. It’s not like she’s girly girly or there’s anything that made me think she would go down that path. She was getting extremely frustrated by the boys messing around in class at her primary school and the testosterone struggles in the playground. The boys were actually much meaner to each other than the girls. All personal experiences though and would be unfair to generalise.

She also adores science and a study by the Institute of Physics showed that a girl is two thirds more likely to study physics a-level at a single sex school than co-Ed.

To be honest I don’t think there are any right or wrong answers on this one. Chose the school based on gut reaction. My DD came out of her current school open day and said that’s where she wanted to go as it felt like home. That was all we needed to hear.

I’ve done so much reading on this. I had an horrific experience myself at a girls grammar - absolutely hated it. Looking back it was the school rather than the girls. We are looking at both for DDs (I have two plus a DS) but she has been naturally drawn to girls only. They seem calmer, more fun but focused. Results and research-wise, girls seem to excel in girls only and boys in co-Ed!

For me single sex was a no-no for my girls..I was single sex at junior and then had the shock of my life going co-Ed for senior and could no longer put my hand up in class, eat in front of boys etc. My girls are completely unfazed by boys having always been at school with them and they knew from an early age which ones to stay away from which I think is a key life skill! As much as possible I like the society inside a school to reflect the society my children will find outside of school. Also the all girls around here is selective and has an awful reputation for self harm and eating disorders and I know an alarming number of girls who have been pulled out as they are unhappy. The local non selective girls went co-Ed as was close to closing with low numbers, interestingly the parents upset by this move were those who send their girls from China to board as single sex Ed is much valued by them. Just go with what feels right, but I would consider education beyond just academic as I think co-Ed teaches some real life skills that are very useful for uni and beyond.