Would you send a chatty boy who likes banter with girls to a single sex boys' school?

[CheesyWellingtons]

DS's close friends are all boys, but he likes the banter with girls in the class. He is down for an all boys' school that is quite 'male' in culture. He enjoys traditional maths/science etc, but isn't macho.

I'm worried that he is going to want to spend all his free time socialising to get the mixed company fix he needs and will resent his all male school. Or, do you think if girls are present in class he will forever be distracted? [I guess I am worried because my all girls school we spend most lessons obsessing over boys we knew].

Well I would hesitate. My DS sounds like yours and we avoided an all boys school. I also went to all girls school and I found it really difficult to mix with men later in life so i feel it is not good prep for life.

One could argue that a boys' school would be perfect. He works at school and socialises out of school with the girls!!!

Life isn't though that black and white. Regardless of the type of school DCs mix on school buses, walking to school, socialising with sisters of friends etc So I wouldn't be too worried about the school as long as it suits your DS and will get the best out of him. My DS went to a co ed and my DD to a girls school. So its all about the school for the child imo.

My ds is very chatty, and as happy in girls' company as boys. He's been attending an all boys' school for 5 years now. School is only one part of his life - he does loads of things outside of school which expands his 'social circle' greatly.
Of course, it depends on lots of other things, like the choice of schools and all sorts of factors that contribut to that choice. Single sex vs co-ed wasn't the deciding factor for me, it just happened that the school we like best overall, and felt suited ds the best, happened to be the single sex one.

Thanks. School isn't ideal in the first place, which doesn't help (ie v sporty and he isn't etc)

I would say it depends completely on the school, where you live and what sorts of extra-c stuff your DS does. I went to an all girls' school, with an all boys' school on the same site (mixed buses, mixed events, mixed plays and orchestras etc in some cases). I also did a LOT of extra-C stuff (mostly music in my case, and some drama) with boys. And I have a brother, so knew all his mates. So being at a single-sex school for me was fabulous as I had all the educational benefits of single-sex (which I personally think are considerably) but few of the social issues. However, if your DC is at an isolated all boys' school, and his only extra-C stuff is sport, and he has no sisters (etc)then it might be more of a problem.

Whose to say that the boys school is also not filled with boys similar to your son?

I am in the process of pulling my year 7 DD out of a single sex school. She always got along with the boys at her previous school but she was insistent that she she wanted all girls. I had your experience (i.e. being at a boy mad all girls school) growing up and was unsure but decided to listen to my 10 year old . Guess what.. it was boy mad at her school!! Now putting her into a coed school where hopefully boys and meeting boys won't be the main topic of conversation! This is of course as a mum of a daughter from a female perspective and mums of boys may not agree!

I'm spending too much time weighing up co-ed vs single sex for 13+. I went single sex and think it was great. BUT I was awkward around boys and they were aliens for a while!! All the single sex schools at the top of the league tables are highly selective....what would their results be like with a broad intake? This makes me question the notion that "single sex schools get the best results" On the other hand, is it not wise to do the education bit in the teenage years without distractions? I don't know!!

I have ds at a boys' school and a dd at an all girls' school.
My school experience was like FranciscanTrip's - girls' and boys' schools on same site - sep lessons, lots of opportunities for joint stuff.

My dd's experience is nothing like remum's (dd is in Yr8). Then, like FT and like me, she has a pretty balanced life outside school - her main love is Scouts, and, obviously she has a brother too, and also friends from Primary who are boys. My own experience is nothing like this "boys are alien creatures" either, although my school was a girls school. You only spend some of your life in school, there's lots of evenings and weekends and holidays to broaden your horizons.

Dare I say, Ask him?

Well I sent mine co-ed and haven't regretted it

Thanks. Startail - we have asked him, but it's difficult for him to know how he will feel once puberty has kicked in. It also means choosing between friends going to said school and girls.