DD (7y) is leaving a co-ed school to a girls' school, what to expect?

[ShiftLD]

DD (7) has got a place in an excellent only girls school, we are all very proud of her but a little worried if she will miss the boys, if it will have some impact on her. She is our only child and our family leaves abroad so no brothers/cousings around. We keep thinking of how to mix her with boys from now, how to bring a bit of male universe into her life and how to keep her friendships from the old school (in this case including the girls). x

Single sex can suit some and not others depending on their interests. People talk about bitchiness at girls schools but that hasn't been my experience nor DD's.

Both of my DC are at single sex secondary schools. They chose single sex over co-ed themselves as both had places at a co-ed Grammar too.

Mind you, they tended to segregate by sex at primary school too. Despite being in a mixed school both only had friends of their own sex. So nothing to miss at secondary just glad to be rid of the other lots' silliness.

DD went to scouts because one of her friends did but didn't enjoy it. Too many boys messing about and being annoying!

DS (17) now has a mixed group of friends as in sixth form they have various joint after school activities and societies. Being single sex during the day hasn't held him back socially.

I don't think I'd push her into mainly boy-populated activities. If she doesn't actively want to do cubs or football, please don't make her. Children in late primary often split along gender lines and I don't think you'll do her any favours by pushing her into a male dominated environment.

If there is an activity that she genuinely enjoys, that happens to have some boys (drama? orchestra? swimming?) then great, but she may well gravitate to the girls there anyway and if she does, she will still grow up into a functional member of society. Hopefully you have some family friends with similar aged boys and she has grown up mates with them. She'll get more from that, having a genuine friendship with even one single boy, than being "forced" to interact with boys by being the only girl in a football team IMO.

I sent my older two dds to an all girls school and it was absolutely horrible. Unbelievably bitchy and horribly competitive. They went to coed 6th form nd it was fab. I am planning Co Ed all the way for dd3.