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Original poster

Alleyns senior school , do the boys dominate?

26 replies

Arket23242829 · 19/02/2023 18:43

We are trying to decide between offers for Alleyns and a few all -girls schools for our Dd.
Does anyone have a child currently at Alleyns and any experience of how the relationships between the girls and boys are? We have just watched a channel 4 drama called Consent and it’s shocked us into thinking that perhaps we are very naive about teenage behaviour and we should be choosing one of the single- sex schools on offer.

OP posts:
Mystery2345 · 19/02/2023 20:09

My DD1 left Alleyn's last summer post A levels. I can honestly say she had the NICEST group of friends, boys and girls. We never had any concerns or picked up any issues around this. You could consider the risks of potential girl gang/bitchy/cliquey behaviour in an all girls environment as well. I wouldn't really worry about either but your call!

timesogin · 19/02/2023 20:12

There was quite a bit of media coverage last year showing that girls at the all girls schools in the same area were not exempt from consent based issues with boys from other schools.

TheWayTheLightFalls · 19/02/2023 21:14

I am not a parent at Alleyn's but know several boys there. It is obviously very easy to stereotype but there is a certain Alleyn's "type" and I'd be very happy to have my DDs study with that kind of boy. DC on the other hand...

Original poster
Arket23242829 · 20/02/2023 01:17

Mystery2345 · 19/02/2023 20:09

My DD1 left Alleyn's last summer post A levels. I can honestly say she had the NICEST group of friends, boys and girls. We never had any concerns or picked up any issues around this. You could consider the risks of potential girl gang/bitchy/cliquey behaviour in an all girls environment as well. I wouldn't really worry about either but your call!

Very grateful for your response! Thank you so much.

OP posts:
Original poster
Arket23242829 · 20/02/2023 01:19

TheWayTheLightFalls · 19/02/2023 21:14

I am not a parent at Alleyn's but know several boys there. It is obviously very easy to stereotype but there is a certain Alleyn's "type" and I'd be very happy to have my DDs study with that kind of boy. DC on the other hand...

I’m pleased to hear this. Do you mean that the Alleyns boys tend to be more evolved in terms of social skills and behaviour? Kinder?

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Original poster
Arket23242829 · 20/02/2023 01:20

timesogin · 19/02/2023 20:12

There was quite a bit of media coverage last year showing that girls at the all girls schools in the same area were not exempt from consent based issues with boys from other schools.

Yes, absolutely. In fact, more affected by that behaviour we hear at the local girls’ school.

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Original poster
Arket23242829 · 20/02/2023 01:22

Mystery2345 · 19/02/2023 20:09

My DD1 left Alleyn's last summer post A levels. I can honestly say she had the NICEST group of friends, boys and girls. We never had any concerns or picked up any issues around this. You could consider the risks of potential girl gang/bitchy/cliquey behaviour in an all girls environment as well. I wouldn't really worry about either but your call!

That’s wonderful to hear. So glad for your dd! Many thanks!

OP posts:
Mystery2345 · 20/02/2023 08:23

Alleyn's tends to attract boys who are perhaps less "rugby" and more creative than DC - however this is a generalisation. We found a really good mix of children there - all sorts of backgrounds and interests. That's not to label the DC boys as unpleasant.

ChnandlerBong · 20/02/2023 09:48

Numerically at Alleyns (at least in DD's year) the girls dominate!

Think it's v easy to fall into a lazy stereotype of DC being full of entitled rugby boys and Alleyns boys being gentler creative types. In reality of course both schools have mixed communities. DC has strong theatre, music and arts departments and Alleyns Hockey and Football first teams are every bit as alpha as the DC first 15....

In dd's year the girls outnumber the boys! Not aware that either group has 'dominated' at any point. Indeed DD is v scathing about the alpha males.... Would echo the post above though that she has a great group of friends which as she has got older includes boys as well as girls.

My only niggle about having gone coed is that the % of girls choosing STEM at Alleyns is lower than in equivalent girls schools. While the school are trying lots of initiatives, it's just not working. Does make me think.....

Original poster
Arket23242829 · 21/02/2023 20:13

ChnandlerBong · 20/02/2023 09:48

Numerically at Alleyns (at least in DD's year) the girls dominate!

Think it's v easy to fall into a lazy stereotype of DC being full of entitled rugby boys and Alleyns boys being gentler creative types. In reality of course both schools have mixed communities. DC has strong theatre, music and arts departments and Alleyns Hockey and Football first teams are every bit as alpha as the DC first 15....

In dd's year the girls outnumber the boys! Not aware that either group has 'dominated' at any point. Indeed DD is v scathing about the alpha males.... Would echo the post above though that she has a great group of friends which as she has got older includes boys as well as girls.

My only niggle about having gone coed is that the % of girls choosing STEM at Alleyns is lower than in equivalent girls schools. While the school are trying lots of initiatives, it's just not working. Does make me think.....

Thank you so much for your response and yes its interesting to see that STEM disparity in a progressive school. I wonder why?
Could I ask if the school has good Science teaching? Dc is interested in Medicine...

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89fomveg · 21/02/2023 20:29

Just wanted to say this has not been my DDs’s experience of science at all. Purely anecdotal and I haven’t seen any stats re the gender breakdown for science A-levels at Alleyns (do they exist?) but my DD and her three closest female friends all absolutely love the science classes at Alleyns (as well as Maths). They are all planning to do science/maths A levels and are thinking about possible careers in the field. They love the teachers they’ve had and the Astronomy and Chemistry clubs. Before she joined Alleyns in year 7 DD was much more interested in English/Humanities so if anything I have been pleasantly surprised at the shift I have seen in her interest in Sciences and Maths since joining Alleyns.

ChnandlerBong · 21/02/2023 22:04

I am speaking as a 6th form Mum. The STEM take up was not as high as it could have been. There are no published stats but we were given the info. The head of science acknowledges this and is trying to address it.

this doesn’t mean the teaching is bad. And it doesn’t mean there aren’t girls studying STEM A levels- just that the % aren’t as high as they could be.

Mystery2345 · 22/02/2023 07:24

Arket - my DD is now studying medicine post Alleyns. The science teaching was wonderful, especially the biology department in our experience.

Mystery2345 · 22/02/2023 07:25

It's a fantastic school - if you're not sure please give up your place for someone on the waiting list who is probably desperate to attend!

tinatea · 23/02/2023 15:04

How strong is the Art department there? We know the girls school across the way takes art very seriously. I didn't get the same feeling at Alleyns. It was more drama and sports focused from what I remember.

89fomveg · 23/02/2023 19:07

Alleyn’s Art Dept is exceptionally strong. In addition to making it fun, they get wonderful GCSE and A level results! It’s been my DD’s favourite part of Alleyn’s.

Original poster
Arket23242829 · 23/02/2023 22:37

Mystery2345 · 22/02/2023 07:25

It's a fantastic school - if you're not sure please give up your place for someone on the waiting list who is probably desperate to attend!

We really like the school fro. The admissions process but it’s very hard to find out detailed info .. there is not much on mumsnet and we don’t know anyone who goes. Thanks very much for commenting and it’s fantastic to hear the positive comments!

OP posts:
Original poster
Arket23242829 · 23/02/2023 22:37

Mystery2345 · 22/02/2023 07:24

Arket - my DD is now studying medicine post Alleyns. The science teaching was wonderful, especially the biology department in our experience.

This is great and exactly what we wanted to hear! Many thanks.

OP posts:
Original poster
Arket23242829 · 23/02/2023 22:39

89fomveg · 21/02/2023 20:29

Just wanted to say this has not been my DDs’s experience of science at all. Purely anecdotal and I haven’t seen any stats re the gender breakdown for science A-levels at Alleyns (do they exist?) but my DD and her three closest female friends all absolutely love the science classes at Alleyns (as well as Maths). They are all planning to do science/maths A levels and are thinking about possible careers in the field. They love the teachers they’ve had and the Astronomy and Chemistry clubs. Before she joined Alleyns in year 7 DD was much more interested in English/Humanities so if anything I have been pleasantly surprised at the shift I have seen in her interest in Sciences and Maths since joining Alleyns.

That’s wonderful. It says a lot when the dc actually grow to love a subject due to its teaching. Thanks so much for your comments! Much appreciated and we are on the cusp of accepting our offer.

OP posts:
89fomveg · 23/02/2023 23:31

Happy to answer any other questions you have. I know it’s such a hard decision to make and difficult to know lots from just going to open day/offers events.

To be honest, for my DD it has been a wonderful, friendly environment with tons of fun extracurriculars to get involved in. she has a lovely group of friends and loves all of her classes.

Sometimes as parents we have just wished there was a little more focus on the academics and more detailed feedback in the academic reports but I think the school keeps it low key so the kids don’t get stressed over exams etc. Just for the more academic kids, I think maybe they could get more recognition or positive feedback on how well they are doing or how hard they are working to keep them motivated. 😊

Xdasw · 23/02/2023 23:54

There were some Everyone's Invited type issues in the 6th form in my DC's year group at the school a few years back: misogynistic and homophobic bullying from a group of supposedly "alpha" 18 year old boys/men. There was a disappointingly mixed resolve in dealing with it in the SLT.

Xdasw · 23/02/2023 23:58

Experiences in years 10/11 of boys dominating front row desks and intimidating girls who challenged this

tinatea · 24/02/2023 06:45

89fomveg · 23/02/2023 23:31

Happy to answer any other questions you have. I know it’s such a hard decision to make and difficult to know lots from just going to open day/offers events.

To be honest, for my DD it has been a wonderful, friendly environment with tons of fun extracurriculars to get involved in. she has a lovely group of friends and loves all of her classes.

Sometimes as parents we have just wished there was a little more focus on the academics and more detailed feedback in the academic reports but I think the school keeps it low key so the kids don’t get stressed over exams etc. Just for the more academic kids, I think maybe they could get more recognition or positive feedback on how well they are doing or how hard they are working to keep them motivated. 😊

Re detailed reports- did you ever raise this with the school? It's a fair enough that as a parent you would want to know more details of the academic side of it.

How are Alleyns at actually listening to the views of parents then taking them onboard??

tinatea · 24/02/2023 07:15

Xdasw · 23/02/2023 23:58

Experiences in years 10/11 of boys dominating front row desks and intimidating girls who challenged this

Is this true?
So you have DC's at the school?

If so how did the school handle this?

Xdasw · 24/02/2023 08:30

2 DCs went through the school. This was my DD's experience. We'd had a negative experience from the SLT when raising safeguarding and sexist bullying concerns in yr 9 and DD faced it down and dealt with it peer to peer. I'm sure it's no worse than elsewhere so let's be real, people are people, schools are schools.