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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

single sex vs co-ed

10 replies

steinermum · 07/03/2007 19:51

I have a gut feeling against sending my sons to boys-only secondary schools, but don't know whether I'm being idealistic about them developing relationship skills through being schooled alongside the civilising gender (!) or does it not really matter? What are your views and experiences? Any dads who went to boys-only schools, talk to me please!

OP posts:

Hulababy · 07/03/2007 19:54

Rather than focusing on the gender mix, why not go and see both types of schools and just see which feels right whilst you are there, and which seems to suit your son the most.

DD goes to single sex primary, and will go onto single sex secondary. Reason for choosing the prep school was because that was the school that best suited DD at that time and the school that had the "right" feel.

There are loads of advantages and disadvantages of single sex and co-ed schools.

katelyle · 07/03/2007 22:12

I've been thinking a lot about this recently because my dd fell in love with a single sex school and insisted she wanted it to be her first choice. I didn't think for a minute she's get in so I agreed without really thinking it through. She did get in and will be starting in September. I never thought that my child would go to a single sex school, but I have to say that after lookin at lots of schools, there was a sense of calm purposefulness about the girls at this one that was really impressive. I have a feeling that girls can stay children for a bit longer at an all girls school, and they don't have to pretend to be thick - which I have seen girls doing as young as year 5. I've also got a son, and I'm not sure I'd want him to go to an all boys school. What's the expression? You want your daughters to go to an all girls school, and your sons to got to a mixed school so that they can be civilized by otehr people's daughters!

NappiesGalore · 07/03/2007 22:19

agree with hula that you need to look at broader picture. and im sure you are.

but in very broad terms, as i understand it, girls do better in single-sex secondary schools and boys do allright either way.

statistically (and this is old info from when i were a lass) girls do better, academically, untill they hit about 13, then they go all wobbly and confused - coz our society is pretyy bloody confusing for girls that age imo - whereas boys, seem to buck up their ideas at that age, and they take over as being higher achievers .

so if its boys you have, not really much to worry about i guess.

princesscc · 07/03/2007 22:32

Just to put the cat among the pigeons! - don't you find that at a girls school, there is so much more bitchiness and boy mad girls? I know that is the case in this area at least. Maybe its just the area that I live in, but you can definately tell when a girl/woman has been to the all girls school! Just an observation from these parts, sorry if I offended any 'tarts' out there!

NotanOtter · 07/03/2007 22:34

my boys go/will go to single sex secondary
i too had gut feeling it was not right but i was wrong
my ds1 is doing fantastically and mixes with girls from the sister school up the road

in sixth form they mix for the odd lesson

Boys are supposed to succeed bettter at the arts and humaities in single sex because they are not afraid to show feminine side to other boys....not intimidated by girls

i was worried - i was wrong!

Original poster

steinermum · 08/03/2007 12:40

Very interesting. Keep 'em coming!

OP posts:

stitch · 09/03/2007 22:46

single sex scondary schools are wht i wwill choose for myu kids. within a lesson, they dont need to worry about reltionships withthe opposite sex. they can form lots of those relationships outside the classroom.

mosschops30 · 09/03/2007 22:48

in sixth form I went to an all girls private convent school and would just like to say that they were all sluts who had more sex than I'd ever seen in my comprehensive.

We're not segregated in life so why in school, thats just my opinion, not an argument starter

Original poster

steinermum · 11/03/2007 20:13

Over the weekend I spoke to my brother who went to an all-boys grammar, as well as to a teacher who works in a mixed comp. My brother said he worked harder than he would have done at a mixed school because of the peer pressure and lack of distraction, but did not enjoy school at all and was in awe of girls. The teacher said girls tend to better in single sex, whereas gender mix doesn't really affect boys' academic performance. At university I found it easy to tell which boys had been to an all- boys school because they were so ill at ease around us and covered it up with a veneer of arrogance, but that was 20 years ago, so maybe things have changed.

OP posts:

Loshad · 13/03/2007 13:00

my boys are currently at a fabulous all boys school, they love it, I love it, the results are great, and those at the older end of the age scale seem perfectly happy in female company - lessons can be geared for male interest (and are from 4+ onwards eg assembly held after lunchtime play when tinies find it easier to sit still) But, very very sadly it's going co-ed
I went to an all girls school btw and am not/never was a man chasing tart -think they are found anywhere

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