SE London - A levels in current all girls school or move to mixed school?

[selondonmummyyy]

Hello,

My DD is in year 11. She is currently in all-through GDST single sex school. She did mock exams this year and her teachers told us that they are expecting grade 9s and 8s from her in each subjects, which is great. With these grades she can easily move to other mixed independent schools or selective state schools (she has some offers already). Her current school is so close to our place. She walk to the school usually and when the weather is rainy she took bus (3 stops). My DD joined her current school in year 7 and so far we had no problem. I only want her to change the school just because I want her to move to coed school. She does drama and dance classes in in the weekends and never had any problem with mixing boys. She is actually very confident and independent girl but somehow I always felt like she need to move to mixed school before university. But she says the opposite - she mentioned us that; if she stays in her current school she doesn’t need to spend time to make new friends - she feels like settling new school with new classmates and teachers might be risky. She feels like she will do better if she stays in her current school. And she doesn’t want to change her environment for 2 years only for A levels. She said that she just want to focus on her studies in September and she doesn’t want to move somewhere new at the moment. Btw she is so kind and friendly girl so I don’t believe she will have any issues at all. She loves her current school and I think this is the main reason she doesn’t want to move.

Is anybody experienced something similar?

Do you think we should let her stay in her current all girls school for A levels?

Meanwhile she can move to mixed schools like; Colfe’s, Eltham College, St Dunstans College or Alleyns.

Why would you want to move her to a co-ed school? Statistics shows that girls perform much better academically when they are in single-sex schools.

I went to an all-girls school and had no problems socialising with males later on. I would say the same of my school mates. Many of the boys in university also came from all boys schools.

If she's happy there then there really isn't any reason to leave.

Have you actually applied for Y12 at the other schools?

I went to a GDST school and did maths, chemistry and biology A levels and also general studies. My chemistry teacher for organic was supervised in her PhD by a Nobel prize winner. Never had any problems being in a single sex sixth form. Most of us had boyfriends, so must have managed.

“She feels like she will do better if she stays in her current school. And she doesn’t want to change her environment for 2 years only for A levels. She said that she just want to focus on her studies in September and she doesn’t want to move somewhere new at the moment. Btw she is so kind and friendly girl so I don’t believe she will have any issues at all. She loves her current school and I think this is the main reason she doesn’t want to move.”

She is 16 and you should respect her choice! Only if there are not many girls staying and they cannot accommodate her A level choices properly or classes are too small should you move her.

And if you move her, move her to St Olaves or Newstead and save money. Why would you go to Colfe’s or Eltham or St Dunstan’s. I am assuming it is a school like Bromley High or Blackheath High if those are your choices.