single sex schools

[TheMagicPaintbrush]

Hi. I wondered whether anyone here has deliberately sent their daughter to a traditional single sex school because of the gender shenanigans? I've never liked the idea of single sex schooling in the past, but if you had to choose between a quite traditional single-sex option and a more "woke" mixed sex one, what would you do? TIA.

I posted earlier in the thread about switching DD 13 to a small all girls school. We have just had her first parents evening and for the first time in her life I don't feel sick with worry about her future.

We have also noticed that all her self harming tics have stopped, she's a different child and we are finally seeing her personality rather than an anxious mess that she clearly was!

Out of curiosity, why did you send them to different schools? I agree the single sex school is a much better option, so I wonder why you didn't send them both there. No judgement, just curious...

Does anyone else who was forced to go to co-ed schools feel they were used to make life easier and better for boys and men?
I feel like this, and still get very upset about it.
Those of you who benefitted from an all girls education, please don't underestimate the privilege you had. I think it's better for most girls, but few are given the opportunity sadly.

Yes it frustrates me that not all children like DD can get the same opportunity as her. I do think we have made schools to big and impersonal especially for children with SEN.

Well I went to an all girls school so obviously I don't feel that. I do feel that my (good) behaviour was often used to dilute the appalling behaviour of other girls though, making life better for the class as a whole (not just me, all the well behaved girls experience this). Some people think that that sort of negative behaviour won't exist in an all girl environment but it bloody did, right down to the fist fights in the playground and the sex- based harassment.

Yes, I do tend to think that girls schools are calmer, more nurturing places, but maybe it isn't always the case...

A variety of circumstances .... unfortunately!

Just for a bit of balance here...I went to a coeducational school and had a brilliant time. I've had (and still have) very close male and female friends. Girls weren't used to placate the boys behaviour in anyway. But I suppose I was lucky as I went to a good (state) school.
I just want to add...it was very obvious to me those who went to single sex schools at uni. They didn't know how to act around the opposite sex. Not all men...etc etc

I hated my single sex school.

I don't think it's a simple as single sex = good I think it is about the best fit for your child.

@spicyXsoup and @sashh I see both your points. Yes, it's more nuanced than girls schools good, co-ed schools bad. I think I have a bias, as I personally would have suited single sex better, and my own experience of secondary education (co-ed) was a bit rubbish.
I wonder how many people did go to the right school for them? I personally don't think there are nearly as many natural differences in intelligence as we're led to believe. We all have enormous potential, but my guess is that few people are in the right environment at the right time to realise that potential. Sad actually.
I still think the statistics are clear that most girls do better at girls schools; but of course there'll always be exceptions to this rule.

I went to a
selective girls school and absolutely loved it. Warm, nurturing, academically challenging - bullying was non existent.
DD is at a normal mixed state school. Given the choice I would send her to a girls school because of my experience but she seems happy enough.

I went to a girls’ school. I hated it but not because it was single sex. (It was a grammar school where the standards were so high I felt so demoralised). I actually really liked just being around girls. They are different when there are no boys around; they can be themselves.

Eldest DD went to the feeder of an extremely famous co-ed school that often tops the list of independent schools.

The head absolutely loves to make progressive headlines & is always in the media.

In trying to sell us the benefits of coed he actually said in a talk to parents “the girls knock the corners off the boys”. 🙄

We ended up moving and all my DDs who go to school, attend a single sex one.

No school is perfect and I am not going to claim that single sex impacts positively or negatively upon bullying issues but what you can be assured is that your girls’ dignity and privacy will be protected, provided they keep to their single sex status.

Numerous studies demonstrate both girls and boys benefit academically from single sex education at secondary level. The socialisation idea is nonsense. There’s plenty of opportunities to socialise with the opposite sex outside of school and lesson time.

My DD did all STEM subjects for A level and has gone on to study medicine. I’m not sure she would have been as confident to go for these subjects if she’d had to compete with boys, due to her personality. She also excelled at languages and music and was encouraged to do these by those subject teachers and I can see her being encouraged to stay in her lane, if she’d been in a mixed sex environment, especially if the boys were loud and confident.

My DDs in Year 7 and 8 were also both clear that they didn’t want to go to school with boys, despite being given the choice.

They go to a school with such a strong feminist ethos, one that doesn’t denigrate boys but that completely raises up women and it’s totally ace!

We were already happy with the school, but the gender nonsense really pushed us to do whatever it took to send the other girls there.

A single sex environment invariably means that the PSHE is also better tailored. There’s been so much stuff on eating disorders, sexting, sexual consent, the evils of porn as well as racism, sexism and misogyny.

I just wish that there were more single sex state options available.

You sound like an excellent mother. Your DDs are extremely fortunate to have had/be having such a wonderful education.
Yes, I wish there were more options for everyone too. As mentioned up thread, I desperately wanted to go to a girls only school, and still wish I had. I'm sure I'm not the only one. There should be equal opportunities and choices in education for everyone.

I've met more recently a few women who went to single sex (religious) schools and loved it. They say there was definitely some b*tching and bullying 🤷🏻‍♀️ but they really liked it and, since the schools still exist, are considering sending their daughters there too

Isn’t interesting how early girls are sacrificed to benefit boys?