moving London, Greenwich - Single sex or Coed secondary school for our girl

[deesun]

Hi,
We will move to London, Greenwich next year summer. We would like our daughter to go independent secondary school. I searched the local schools online - but I noticed that majority of UK residence prefer single sex school in secondary stage for their daughters. But why? I live in different country now and in here we do not have single sex school at all so I wonder what are the advantages for the girls to be in all female environment?

To be honest I dont feel it will be fun for a young girl to be in all girls environment? Maybe I never seen that kind of school before thats why.

In the other hand our coed options have some bad press/news about sexual abuse etc.

www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/london-colfes-school-christopher-dunsmore-ex-teacher-sex-offender-b982920.html

www.theguardian.com/society/2021/jun/13/ex-pupils-who-compiled-sexual-abuse-dossier-accused-of-blocking-inquiry

www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/10901398.eltham-college-economics-teacher-had-inappropriate-relationship-with-pupil/

We are start to practise the previous test papers of these school so I would like to decide which one will be applying.

I asked my daughter how she may feel if she goes to only girls school and she said she would love to go that kind of school but I am still unsure. Do I need to consider that previous news?

Independent schools that we are considering:

JAGS, Blackheath High, Colfes Schools, St Dunstan's College, Eltham College, Alleyns School

Its really hard decision for us as we dont know the system, environment and schools. Please give me idea and share your experience please. Many thanks.

Co-Ed isn’t necessarily preferred but it’s more traditional in the UK. There are a number of schools converting from single sex to co-ed.

There is some evidence that girls do better in single sex schools and are also more likely to study STEM subjects.

My daughters goes to single sex school and they love it. Also, they have lots of FUN at school. Girls do not need boys around to have fun! - we are so happy with our choice so far. I am Blackheath High parent if you would like to ask anything you can PM me. Good luck with your decision.

Sorry, my post should have said single -sex is more traditional for private schools in the UK.

If you are in Greenwich have you looked at St Ursula's? It's RC so depends on your religious views but it is excellent.

how old is your dd? These schools only have mass entry points at certain ages.

@ChnandlerBong my daughter is in year 2 now. She will start year 3 in London September 2023.

@Tartifletti sorry, do you mean roman catholic by rc?

@motherofkdsdwe are planing to move somewhere like Maze Hill, Blackheath or Cutty Sark? - May I learn if you like Blackheath area? is it nice place to live with children?

@LondonGirl83 thanks for your feedback. my daughter doesnt like sport at all and especially team sports - she always mentions that she hates PE especially when they need to play basketball, football or volleyball. she just like tennis and table tennis. because of that reason maybe single sex school might suit her better because at moment she keep saying that boys are faster, they do better in sport, they score more than girls etc. she currently goes to coed independent school.she is doing great academically and her first language is English - hopefully she will pass the entrace exams. apporaximately how many children apply for year 3 in independent schools?

It might be worth considering the prep schools that go to 11- they would mean a shorter journey to school in most cases and would give you the opportunity to settle in to the area before deciding on secondary schools.

Blackheath Prep
Heath House
Pointers

OP, I think you missed the open days and maybe some entry exams for those school. Exams are usually in November, December or January. And all schools has application deadline. Check the school websites, each school is different

My daughter went to a mixed school but asked to go single sex for sixth form. She found boys too disruptive and attention seeking. She's at all girls school now and prefers it.
By the way she travels a good 45 min to an hour to get there which is not unusual.

if you are going to live in Greenwich I think its too long journey to go Dulwich Schools for 7-8 years old. I like Blackheath High if you prefer girl only, Blackheath Prep for Prep school and coed for Colfes School. But if you consider Dulwich schools for secondary go for Prep school because others do not prepare your daughter for 11+ as they have their own senior school. Personally, I love local and all through schools - there is no need have 11+ stress and travel far.

My granddaughter studied in Blackheath. She still visits the school and she still meet with her friends from there. Its fun, warm, friendly and family atmosphere. And girls get really good results in Blackheath. All my granddaughters and grandsons went to private schools and all those schools that you mentioned are good. But if you have a girl I advise you to go for girls only school… its just perfect place for little young girls. Especially GDST schools. You may also consider Bromley, Croydon GDST. JAGS also nice, good result and academic but I found GDST schools less stressful and more warm. One of my granddaughter also attended JAG s so I know the school while I was picking up my granddaughter. If you were in Dulwich I was going to say go for JAGS but if you going to live in Greenwich trust me there is no point to pay more for travel and make that journey every single day. Driving is not easy in London! Its so stressful and I do not recommend coach service in primary stage. We tried it and didn’t like it so in the end we had travel Dulwich every day which was not easy. And when the kid is settled it is not so easy to change the school in London.

@ChnandlerBong I am a old french teacher also studied psychology. I really DONT recommend prep schools. After year 4 prep schools mostly focuses on only math, english, verbal reasoning and exam formats. Some students was so stressful in year 6 because they were unsure what result going to be. I remember I saw one of my old students in shopping centre years ago and I asked him which school did you go to (he used to want to go to senior in city) and he said to me “I wasnt clever enough to go but my friend X went so I felt sad”. If a student in prep school dont get the offer that they aimed feel so much worse then somebody who is from state primary or other independent junior school that is all through school up to 18. Because a student who is from state school already in state school so they dont feel that pressure on their-self as majority of their peers will be in state secondary - so they are more relaxed. Also same with somebody who comes from independent junior school that is through school - they already have place in their school for secondary and majority of their peers will be going there so if they have a offer from other independent schools its bonus but if they dont they dont really loose anything. My grandsons went to Dulwich and his best friend in prep went to Colfes. In the end they had similar GSCE results and that child said to me “I was always thinking that I will get lower grades than your grandson because he had offer from Dulwich but I couldn’t make it that time”. 11+ or 7+ system is not fair - testing 1 child in 1 day is so nonsense. Prep school kids prepare themselves to that format but that not proofs that they are more clever or brighter then other kids from in state or other independent schools. My daughter sent his son to the prep school but it wasn’t a great idea at all!

@Zerana57 wow some sweeping statements there! Any exam entry system has its limitations- the OP is already aiming independent so is aware of this.

there can be advantages with getting a place at 7 in terms of continuity but many schools don’t guarantee an automatic transfer. These schools don’t prepare for the 11+ either so if you do want to move fir Y7 it’s that much harder.

A good prep just gives some breathing space to select the right senior school, to spend some time in a smaller community. And a hood prep won’t solely do maths/English/reasoning from Year 4 but rather gradually build to the 11+ in a measured and structured way.

It's not true that Blackheath Prep just does the basics in Yr 6 to prepare kids for entrance exams. They have a wide and varied curriculum but also offer extra prep in nvr/vr. In all of the schools mentioned, most parents will have tutors as it is competitive to get into Alleyns, JAGS, City girls. Blackheath High and Colfe's are not quite as academic but are happy schools.

My advice would be to try for Blackheath Prep (there is also Heath House and the Pointers School). Leave the Dulwich schools for senior as the journey is long.

Also maybe consider the Grammar schools in neighbouring Boroughs (there are for example, school buses to Newstead Wood Grammar girls that stop in Blackheath). These are free and the standards are high.

Most independent and Grammar schools are mixed for sixth form.

Hi! We are planning to relocate to UK.

My daughter got an offer in Yr 8 from St Catherine’s School, Bramley. She will have an interview with the teachers at Lady Eleanor Holles School and James Allen’s Girls’ School in the coming days.

May I ask for your advice below:

1. What is your opinion among these 3 schools?

2. If you place the order among these 3 schools, which one will be your 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice? Why?

3. If you have a daughter, which school will you choose for her? What is the reason?

As I am not quite familiar to the schools in UK, I would like to get more opinions from parents.

Thanks!

@CCCJ there is no one who can answer that question fully as no one will be considering any combination of those 3 schools - they are so far apart geographically.

maybe start a new thread to get feedback on them individually?

JAGs is a high achieving school with great facilities and results. One of the reasons we didn't choose it is that it gets a lot smaller in sixth form (may girls leave to go coed) and we were concerned that might limit dd's A level choices. May or may not be true/relevant to you but something to consider if moving for Y9.