Choosing a recently co-ed private primary school: what should we look for?

[Keyboardpacifist]

We're looking at private primary schools for our daughter and I notice that some have been co-ed since the beginning (1950s latest) and others are more recently turned co-ed (2020s). I'm not sure how much this matters so I'd love people's experiences of sending their kids to a more recently turned co-ed when they're the "new" set of pupils.

• If Snobe says it's now a 1:1 ratio is it a non issue
• Are there extra things we should look into at open days?
• Is it different primary Vs secondary (we're looking at primary)
• Is it different if it's a boys' school originally or girls' school originally (we have both among our options)
• Would it put you off and why, or under what circumstances?

Based on what you’ve said on paper I’d potentially have concerns about the viability of school 2 but school 1 sounds fine.

Regarding unconscious bias, how are women and people of colour represented curriculum, projects, house names, or does it look male pale and stale with a token few.. Marie Curie, Frida Kahlu, Rosa Parks

I had a conversation with a head teacher who talked about admiting girls because it was expected and that having 40% girls gave the impression of being 50/50.

Consider the oft repeated opinion that boys benefit from the presence of girls in their classrooms but girls benefit from female only environments.

Are girls equally represented in the STEM classes especially at higher levels? Consider whether younger male students get support with reading without the same focus on supporting girls in maths.

What does celebration of achievement look like? Is it all about cricket and rugby or are the areas of music, drama, art, literature, STEM also celebrated in a similar way? Does the celebration of these look balanced?

Do girls participate in sport at the same level and in the same numbers as boys? Are their facilities similar?

Classroom management techniques, are classrooms laid out boy, girl, boy girl.. this is disadvantageous to girls.

Outdoor play spaces, are these dominated by boys games? Is there a mixture of areas where girls also play physical games as well as spaces where both boys and girls can find calm.

Gender distribution of staff: Are there male and female teachers at all levels, teaching assistants, early years, higher years, management levels, support staff, sports staff.

Is this a school where your daughter can believe she can be a footballer, a banker or an entrepreneur or will she leave believing she should be a doctor, a lawyer, or a teacher (the gendered caring / helping roles).

Think like a femminist... this helps the boys too!!!