All girls schools, what was your experience?

[Girlsschoolsqs]

I grew up in another country where all-girls schools weren’t a concept, but I was always very fascinated when reading and hearing about them So if you went to an all-girls school, how was your experience?

And to put it into context, in what time period were you a pupil there? Was it a boarding school? Religious? Selective?

Have you sent your daughter to one, or would you when she’s older? Do you think all-girls schools are different today from what they were then? Do you think some children are more suited to single sex schools than others? Are there certain interests, talents or traits that would make someone more or less suited to your old school?

And for those who have a daughter in one right now, what are her thoughts?

I went to one in the 90s. It was competitive. I think you would suit it depending on your personality.

I went to a girls' grammar in the 70s.
Loved it. Really fond memories.

We were on same site as the equivalent boys' school so did do some joint music / choirs /type stuff after about what would now be called Yr9.

My dds went to a girls' school in the last 10 yrs. Not selective - single sex schools aren't uncommon round here. We didn't choose it because it was single sex, it was just the best fit on a number of reasons for them. Both enjoyed school and had a good experience.
I think, importantly, both also have hobbies outside of school and have plenty of friends who are boys and also came across plenty of irritating boys but never found boys to be some elusive "other" type of being they knew nothing of.

3 DDs went to non selective state girls school. I was quite anti before to be honest. I felt that they needed to learn to work alongside boys. I have completely changed my mind. The biggest thing for me was that there were no "boys subjects" or "girls subjects". It was a given that they could go for anything. I was shocked and disappointed afterwards when they went to mixed sixth form and boys were given more attention and dominated everything.

I went to an all girls catholic grammar and loved it. It was a bit competitive and occasionally catty but it was so nice not having to deal with teenage boys.

Also meant I followed a maths / science route which may have been more unusual at a mixed school.

I would like to send my DD to one if possible (although ideally not religious).

Mine was OK. Being single sex didn't seem to matter, we all saw boys outside of school. It's swings and roundabouts really.

Went to an all girls grammar. Loved it. Not a girly girl at all, but we were all free to learn without judgement and disruptive, and were pushed hard to succeed. Had plenty of male friends out of school.

I went to one from 1980 - 1985 ..senior school
Selective ish
There was a test paper

I didn't mind it, but I was a quiet non popular girl ....but oddly both my girls refused to go to the local girls grammar when the time came.

I went to a girls selective school. Loved it from the first day. My primary school had revolved around the boys in the class, their preferences and their behaviour. I loved that all the choices were now built around the girls.

I went to one from 1985-88. Found it a bit odd after my large secondary modern mixed sex school, but, it was easy to settle in, I felt much less under scrutiny and it was still quite 'silly' in a good way. There was some bullying and bitchy behaviour though. Reintroduced to boys in 6th form.
My DD is at a mixed sex selective school and would change to a single sex one in a heartbeat! She finds most of the boys disruptive, vulgar and sexist.

All girls state comprehensive in the mid 70s here. I wouldn't have like a mixed school I think as I was very shy. Primary had been fine but I was late developer and would have found teen boys tricky and would never have spoken up in class. I did know boys socially though so wasn't in a nunnery. Both of the schools in my catchment area were single sex for girls.

I was at one. Lovely at the time but then all very discombobulating when I had to come out in to the real world, took me ages to learn the ropes about how to exist side by side with boys. Personally haven't chosen it for my daughters for that reason and because the one near us has very high rates of eating disorders and girls self harming and sees lots of girls leaving mid way through - maybe because it is a super selective and some very bright and anxious girls? Or maybe just poor pastoral.

Selective senior school, 11 to.18 in the 90's

I really benefited from.it because I am easily distracted and it was private so smaller classes etc. As PP said, we all did whatever subjects rather than home ec for girls and DT for boys.

Also similar to PP there was a boy's school who we were joined to so shared buses, had an.older brother too so met loads.of boys that way. Also worked from age 15 so had male friends that way.

Would send DD to one but she's not academic enough for scholarship.and we can't afford private, no state single sex round here.

Academically selective school from 1984 to 1991. It was a bit of a sausage factory, very focused on results. But if I had a daughter I would definitely have gone single sex for her - even in my day there were horror stories from girls who moved to mixed sixth forms.

I went to a selective independent girls school in the late 80s. I thrived there. Had male friends outside of school and in my chosen hobby.

My DDs also go to all girls after mixed primary; one to selective, other to independent non Selective, both enjoying it, both join up with boys sixth form later. Both v much better on pastoral the in my day.

My girls are at a girls indie and we love it! There is a real feminist undertone across the whole school and the girls are taught they are strong and important from an early age. Wouldn't change it for the world!

I went to one in the 90s from age 12 to 16. It was ok but I don't think I really benefitted from it being single sex, the main reason I went was becuase the local state schools were poor. I left to do IB at the local college at 16 and of the 35 ish people on the course others 33 were all female which was a big disappointment at the time. Meeting boys at uni came as a bit of a shock.

My daughter is at a girls Grammar, its competitive and can be a bit bitchy, my daughter floats between groups, overall they appear to do well with their studies, less in class distractions, they share the bus with the boys school, social media seems more of an issue, lots of attention seeking because their main interaction is outside school.

My daughter is now in the joint 6th form and she much prefers it, mainly because she is not a girls girl, can’t be doing with the dramatics nearly all her friends are boys, until they get a girlfriend, when the relationships end she is allowed to be their friend again ...

I went to a non selective girls school in the 90s I had a fantastic time. I would have preferred to go to a mixed school as I was more of a tomboy. I went a bit boy crazy in college but I did get a fantastic education and I I perhaps concentrated more than I would have done in a mixed school.

Had catholic all girls education from 5 to 17 - I loved it at the time (secondary 86-91) not bitchy at all and as I was very shy, I would have struggled around boys anyway.
But I had no brothers or male friends so I really had problems relating to men for years after school.
If I had choice (none in my area) I would have sent my DD to mixed primary and all girls secondary.

I went to all girls private schools (junior age school then senior). Lots of academic pressure, boys very much thought of as the enemy. I will NEVER send my children (both girls) to a single sex school. I grew up with absolutely no clue how to talk to boys, very little relationship experience, etc. As soon as I could I left for the local state mixed sixth form, much to my parents’ disgust.

Selective private girls school 90s.

It was highly competitive and pastoral care was shit. However the girls in my form were really close. Overall I'd say it was good from a social point of view.

I studied science and I didn't realise until I went to a mixed 6th form that my choices were unusual. When it's all girls there's much less of the overt and subtle messages about what girls do and what boys do. All of the 'types' were across the girls. Sporty, geeky, arty, funny, shy, loud etc etc

So yes it was good.

I did have a mild preference for an all girl's school for my DDs. They are both at the local school which is all girls and they're both really happy.

Reading the stuff in the press over the years, and a lot now, about the incidence of sex offences in mixed schools is just awful. So there's that.

People also often say that the girls won't learn how to interact with boys. That's a bit odd to me. Girls have brothers, brothers friends, male cousins, neighbours, boys at clubs out of school etc etc.

I've never had any issues with that. My university was maybe 80% male or more and it was great.

I went to one for a few years. I found it viciously conformist, academically very pushy and competitive, cliquey and snobbish.

If you were the sort of girl who was very academically able AND had a rock solid, middle-to-upper-class family life, high self-esteem and confidence, it was fantastic. If you had the wrong accent/cheap shoes/any neurodiversity, then your face didn't fit and you got chewed up and spat out. The teaching staff were as cold as ice and pastoral care wasn't a thing.

@NiceGerbil

Selective private girls school 90s.

It was highly competitive and pastoral care was shit. However the girls in my form were really close. Overall I'd say it was good from a social point of view.

I studied science and I didn't realise until I went to a mixed 6th form that my choices were unusual. When it's all girls there's much less of the overt and subtle messages about what girls do and what boys do. All of the 'types' were across the girls. Sporty, geeky, arty, funny, shy, loud etc etc

So yes it was good.

I did have a mild preference for an all girl's school for my DDs. They are both at the local school which is all girls and they're both really happy.

Reading the stuff in the press over the years, and a lot now, about the incidence of sex offences in mixed schools is just awful. So there's that.

People also often say that the girls won't learn how to interact with boys. That's a bit odd to me. Girls have brothers, brothers friends, male cousins, neighbours, boys at clubs out of school etc etc.

I've never had any issues with that. My university was maybe 80% male or more and it was great.

My daughter has no brothers, cousins, neighbours are all 10 years younger and no time for clubs, she is out at school 7-5. Although that might be unusual.

Well sure some don't it was more the idea that if girls go to a girls school they will somehow not be able to communicate with boys. As if girls only ever meet or know other children from school, and also as if they're a different species.

I've never understood it.

A couple of posters have said they have seen it as meaning they had trouble getting on with men and I'd really like to hear some more from them on what sort of things they found difficult.

Personally I've always got on fine with blokes and have been in many majority male environments at work and it's just fine. I've always had lots of male friends as well, although have female friends as well (not one of those I prefer men type women iyswim!).

Obviously we can only speak for our own experiences.

I'd be interested as well why that seemed to be the point to pick up rather than any of the other stuff in the post that I'd say was more food for thought!

Which magazine / paper is this for?