Pros and Cons of all-girls schools

[ANightingaleSang]

Just that really. I went to a bog-standard mixed state school and so have no experience to draw on. What are people's thoughts and experiences with all-girls schools? Thank you!

I teach at a girls' school and I'd be in favour of a trousers-only rule tbh, which obviously would have nothing to do with boys' behaviour, as there are no boys. How is it a punishment to make girls wear trousers when they all wear trousers some or all of the time outside school anyway? And yes, I know school trousers aren't like what they choose to wear. Neither are school skirts or blazers though. At least they wouldn't be constantly rolling skirts up so you can practically see their underwear.

My DDs didn’t like trousers. Most school uniform ones are so awful. Why on earth do girls have to wear trousers if they don’t want to? Most schools allow choice and the onus in co Ed schools is to expect the boys to behave themselves and respect the girls. It’s not up to girls to be forced to wear clothes to fit in with disrespecting boys them and their bodies.

Because you’re taking away a choice. They are allowed trousers at our local one but hardly any wear them. It’s also a lot easier to find skirts that fit.

My DD struggled with school trousers as shes long legged and small waisted. The skirts came in a variety of lengths and waists.

Reading all of these makes me so grateful for DD's London comp - there's no way her teachers would have stood for any crappy behavior by the boys, and they are all so PC the boys wouldn't even try.

OP - curious to know what your experiences were of your co-ed days?

Why does going to a mixed school automatically mean someone learns how to speak to the opposite sex? I went to a mixed comp and barely spoke to boys til after I left. DH went to an all boys grammar and has a mixed friendship group of people who went to his school and some who went to a local girls school. Confidence and opportunities to build friendships/ relationships with the opposite sex are down to a whole range of factors - pure chance, self confidence, shared hobbies etc. DD has gone to a girls school because it was the best one for her. Her ability to form long term relationships is not dependent on seeing boys in a classroom every day.

Why on earth do girls have to wear trousers if they don’t want to?

It's a uniform. The whole point of it is to wear what you're told to. Why should they wear a blazer if they don't want to? Why should they wear flat, black shoes if they don't want to? There is nothing inherently male about trousers. Buys don't generally get a choice in their uniform.

I'm actually not in favour of uniform anyway, but if I'm going to be expected to implement my school's uniform policy, I'd prefer it to be as simple as possible.

@AllProperTeaIsTheft No. School is not just about following rules.Especially ones introduced to the detriment of girls and without boys being controlled. I am lucky that my DDs attended a school that listened to pupils. Girls were not required to wear trousers for uniform because boys were ogling them so the school did nothing about the boys, but limited choice for the girls! There were no boys. One great reason for attending a girls’ school. Added to the fact that teachers understand girls! Result.

Culottes?

I don't agree with banning skirts, if you are having a bad period with a swollen belly a skirt can be a godsend.

It's also indirect discrimination as some girls from religious families do not allow girls to wear trousers as they are considered 'men's clothing'.

If you can see underwear then obviously deal with it. However girls don’t all want to look like boys. Skirts and tights suit a lot of them,

I went to a bog-standard under-funded mixed state school. (Trying saying that several times really fast 😂) I had a mixed friendship group of boys and girls and I spent most of my weekends riding bikes, showing off on a skateboard or kissing boys... In lessons boys were annoying. There was lots of sexual innuendos, talking about porn, 69 was the most hilarious thing ever!! There were girl cliques as you would expect. In lessons the girls were just as distracting as the boys to be honest. There was a lot of short skirts, straightened hair, dodgy makeup, smoking in the toilets and the odd tattoo. There were a lot of relationships from year 7 up! Girls were popular if they had a boyfriend/were pretty. Boys were popular if they had muscles, gelled hair, wore lynx chocolate, and had done something with a girl... The school itself was not a good school, I got most GCSEs by quite a long shot. I was always thought of as the smart one but tended to get on with most people (I just stayed away from the popular girls who were mean).

I was invited to apply for a music scholarship at an all girls school, but I wasn't allowed to go. I always wondered whether my school experience would have been different had I attended the other school.