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Secondary education

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Original poster

Only female in A level class

117 replies

Coldddddd · 04/09/2025 14:15

Not sure if this is the right place but I'm looking forward opinions please. DD started 6th form yesterday and found in Physics she's the only female with 14 males and a male teacher. She's quite upset about this, she gets on fine with boys, no past trauma or anything like that. But she feels uncomfortable.

She had her 1st lesson this morning and was told she can swap to a different group (there are plenty of girls in the school doing physics), but doing so means she has to move groups in all her other subjects which she's currently happy with. The teacher broached this with her directly so they obviously recognise it's a potential problem for her.

I just wondered what other people's thoughts were, do you think I should advise her to stay or move groups? Is her learning outcome likely to be impacted by being with all males? Sorry if this seems like a non issue, DD is really quite upset and I'm not sure what to say for the best.

OP posts:
InTheNotswolds · 04/09/2025 14:16

Why is it an issue? She will find in her working life that she will, at times, Be a minority in a variety of ways. Getting used to this, and being heard despite it, in a safe space is good practice.

EffectivelyDecluttering · 04/09/2025 14:17

I was the only girl in my A level physics class 40 years ago, it was fine, what is it in particular that worries her?

KimTheresPeopleThatAreDying · 04/09/2025 14:22

What exactly is her problem? If a boy was kicking off about being in a class of girls would that be ok? It’s a big world out there and there are situations where she might find herself the only female in a group.

Corfumanchu · 04/09/2025 14:23

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Original poster
Coldddddd · 04/09/2025 14:27

I don't know exactly what's making her feel upset - she can't seem to explain it. It could just be the newness of everything and being back at school after a long break. I work in an all male team myself and it's fine but I do wish there was a bit of female solidarity sometimes so I sort of get that it's not ideal for her, but also that it's a real world situation and not necessarily a bad thing. But the teacher raised this with her which suggests they were aware this isn't a usual situation in school. Hence I came looking for other opinions which so far are unanimous that it's fine.

OP posts:
BobbinThreadbare123 · 04/09/2025 14:30

I knew this would be physics. I was the only girl in my class at A Level. I was one of 7 women on my physics degree course!
She will be fine. Just enjoy the physics.

Hiptothisjive · 04/09/2025 14:34

Total non issue. I work in a very male dominated industry and am often the only female in a room of 10+ men. I love it. Sometimes thats the way it goes.

It’s a good leaning lesson for her and if the kids are there to learn and do well then the fact she has an issue is actually the issue here as there isn’t one.

YanTanTetheraPetheraBumfitt · 04/09/2025 14:36

InTheNotswolds · 04/09/2025 14:16

Why is it an issue? She will find in her working life that she will, at times, Be a minority in a variety of ways. Getting used to this, and being heard despite it, in a safe space is good practice.

I do agree with this to be honest. Dd was the only female in her company, she’s gone into quite a male dominated work environment. I was working on a building yard at 17yo and was the only female. It’s only one subject so she will have plenty of female interaction at other points.

Ddakji · 04/09/2025 14:38

It isn’t a total non-issue. She’s in a male space and feels uncomfortable. I’m surprised the school arranged the class like this if there are other girls doing physics - they must know about this kind of thing, surely.

I guess she needs to decide whether she changes up all classes or puts up with this one.

EarthlyNightshade · 04/09/2025 14:40

I disagree with other posters and think that if it is an issue for her, she should explore the options more. What could the potential problem be with moving groups in other subjects?

Just because lots of people are fine with being with groups of men, does not mean that everyone is. Two years of A Levels are quite intense, I would have hated this environment - and I have also worked in male-dominated areas.

SummerHouse · 04/09/2025 14:42

My son is in a GCSE class with all girls and feels uncomfortable with that. I am leaving him to it. He needs to get comfortable, power through it or request a change but it's his call.

I would have been uncomfortable with this in my a levels but now in a male dominated industry I am very often the only women in the room and it becomes the norm.

If it was my child and she wanted my opinion I would say stick as you are but I think it's really her decision. Sounds like it's a good and supportive environment that they have proactively raised it with her.

Thistooshallpsss · 04/09/2025 14:43

Many years ago I went to a technical school. It was modelled on German education and had proper engineering workshops and interestingly in those unenlightened years the intake was one third girls and two thirds boys. It was fine. Later I became a surveyor and was nearly always the only woman. Again fine although understanding Welsh rugby was a bit of a challenge!

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 04/09/2025 14:49

I dropped Ancient History because l was the only female. It made me really unhappy.

8 years later l ended up working with all men and l was really unhappy. It was the wirst job l ever had. Fortunately l got out and went on to work in loads of places with both sexes and was very happy.

DeafLeppard · 04/09/2025 14:51

Ddakji · 04/09/2025 14:38

It isn’t a total non-issue. She’s in a male space and feels uncomfortable. I’m surprised the school arranged the class like this if there are other girls doing physics - they must know about this kind of thing, surely.

I guess she needs to decide whether she changes up all classes or puts up with this one.

Agree, I'm surprised the school did this. It's not a great message to send to the 14 boys in the class either.

Ddakji · 04/09/2025 14:53

Thistooshallpsss · 04/09/2025 14:43

Many years ago I went to a technical school. It was modelled on German education and had proper engineering workshops and interestingly in those unenlightened years the intake was one third girls and two thirds boys. It was fine. Later I became a surveyor and was nearly always the only woman. Again fine although understanding Welsh rugby was a bit of a challenge!

There a big difference between 1 in 3 and 1 in 14 (and literally the only one).

Original poster
Coldddddd · 04/09/2025 14:54

Thanks for the replies, interesting to see different perspectives. I just don't want to dismiss DDs feelings or say something that leads her to believe she should suppress a concern. I also don't want her to maybe not reach her potential because she felt (irrationally or not) intimidated by the environment. But on the flip side, she may really enjoy it and thrive if she gives it a go.

OP posts:
ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 04/09/2025 14:55

DeafLeppard · 04/09/2025 14:51

Agree, I'm surprised the school did this. It's not a great message to send to the 14 boys in the class either.

Show quote history

They don’t choose who goes in classes. It’s down to options, numbers and timetable.

TalbotAMan · 04/09/2025 14:57

IIRC my now-21 year old daughter was the only girl in her school to take Computer Science A level. She also took Physics and Maths. It didn't seem to bother her.

Justonemorecoffeeplease · 04/09/2025 14:58

It will be timetabling. It's not always possible to balance classes. This happened with my daughter's friend last year. She needs to make a decision and then move on either way.

GreenWheat · 04/09/2025 14:58

It's a tricky one - on the one hand it might be nice for her to have some female company, especially in the early weeks of the class, but moving all her classes to get it could be disruptive. Does she have girls in her other subjects? Does she know any of the boys in her class or is everyone new? If they're all new, it might be better to give it a go and see how it settles. I agree it's odd that the school have split the groups like this though.

LavenderBlue19 · 04/09/2025 14:59

I can't see a problem? There was only one boy in my English Lit A level class 25+ years ago - he was fine.

What's she actually worried about? Are the boys behaving badly?

ThanksItHasPockets · 04/09/2025 14:59

DeafLeppard · 04/09/2025 14:51

Agree, I'm surprised the school did this. It's not a great message to send to the 14 boys in the class either.

Show quote history

It won't have been done intentionally. It will be in relation to timetabling restrictions and staffing.

sanityisamyth · 04/09/2025 15:00

Physics is a very male dominated subject. It doesn’t surprise me at all.

ARichtGoodDram · 04/09/2025 15:01

This happened to DD1, also in physics, and she was really uncomfortable for the first few weeks. After that she settled in and it wasn't an issue.

She now works in a completely male dominated workplace and thinks the physics class was actually a good thing and has stood her well.

The fact her teacher has mentioned it does at least mean they are aware she could be uncomfortable so should keep an eye on things and nip any issues in the bud.

Choccyp1g · 04/09/2025 15:01

For physics, I think she might be better off as the ONLY girl in the class, where she is judged on her own merits, than in a class with probably a minority of girls, where there can be a tendency to have lower expectations of the girls as a group.

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