All boys schools - parents opinions please

[Hevasparkle]

Hi,

my son is in year 4 but we are thinking about his future options. Places are highly competitive where we live, but there is only one school he is likely to be accepted at nearby. It is an all boys school. Mixed schools much harder to get into.

im interested to hear parents experiences of all boys schools? I have heard a lot of “horror stories” and I think this might be clouding my view and making me worry about the prospect. He is currently in a mixed primary but his class has a very high ratio of boys to girls and there has been a a lot of fighting and behavioural issues since day one within the class.

my husband had awful problems at an all boys secondary school, but then I also disliked secondary school and it was a mixed school.

any insight? If your son goes to an all boys school, would you send them again if you could go back?
obviously every school is different.

Hello, just bumping for you as I’m interested to hear too. I have one boy at a co-Ed primary school and one boy at an all boys primary school. Both excellent schools but I probably now have a marginal preference for single sex primary schools as a result of seeing both. Will be interested to hear from parents at boys secondary schools

Mine are both at all boys schools (different ones) and it’s been perfect for them. Singing in the choir is cool (there’s a waiting list for the auditioned one) as is drama and all sorts of things that in my experience, girls tend to take the lead on in coed environments. Teaching and timetabling is really focussed on how boys learn, develop, mature. I’m a big fan and I’m sad that there are so few choices for parents looking for single sex boys schools as opposed to single sex girls.

Sorry to clarify - they’re at prep schools - age 10 and 11.

My DS went to mixed for primary and then all boys for secondary. I wouldn’t do anything differently, he got on really well. They didn’t have any problems with fighting, and he has made some really solid friendships. When he got to year 11 he did come back and tell me about some boys who had misogynistic opinions but he never shared those opinions and he was proud that he called them out but I’m pretty sure there would be boys with misogynistic opinions in a mixed school too. He didn’t stay on for sixth form for various reasons, none of which were to do with the school. He still socialised with girls because they have a ‘sister school’ and he has had a GF since year 11.

My twins have been in all- boys boarding schools since eight- at a v small mixed village primary before that. As pp have said, the benefits of boys-only are that they can tailor everything to how boys live, develop and learn. Not having girls (who tend to mature faster) around removes pressures and distraction and allows them to do things that might be seen as either childish or uncool in mixed company- such as singing in the choir. The mixed primary had about 12 pupils per year group, and in our year the majority were girls, all the teachers were women, and it felt like the centre of gravity was female, right down to the only team sport being netball. We were keen for our boys to learn and play in an environment that was designed with the specific characteristics of boyhood in mind.

The down sides could be that the boys need other routes to socialise and civilise them. And all-male environments need strong cultural leadership and values so they don't become feral. Any decent boys' school should understand this and be able to articulate how they develop character and culture to ensure they are producing young men who can do well in mixed company later. Our all-boys school has an all-girls sister school that they do much of their co-curricular activity with, hold joint socials, concerts etc so they are not strangers to one another. There is also a good dose of discussion about gender issues, relationships and consent etc. I would make the same choice to use single-sex schools again, but I do think both schools and parents have to understand what potential pitfalls need to be mitigated and make the commitment to do so.

Dds boyfriend 17 was at an all boys school he’s a lovely lad and adored his school.

My two sons went to all boys grammar school and it was the best decision for both of them. I can honestly say that they never once came home from school stressed or miserable. They enjoyed every single day of secondary school and both have so many friends from their school days.

I have DC in a mixed grammar school and an all boys school. There are horror stories about the boys school but my DC haven't really had any issues, certainly no more than DC at the grammar. The key thing is the school reputation, not whether it's mixed or not

Before my boys joining an all boys school I thought these were old fashioned and unnecessary. Were I come from we don't have single swx schools for almost 50 years now. We joined at an all boys that we liked after attending a couple co ed schools. Not because it was a boys only, but I thought to give that school a chance.
I now love it!. The boys stay children for longer, they don't have to prove themselves. They don't have to avoid "girly" activities like coir, drama, dancing. Teachers understand better they way most boys learning, they do more sports and more physical activities throughout the day. They didn't have to compete with the more mature girls not the school has to promote STEM for girls. All in all I have never regretted my decision for an all boys education.