Girls do better without boys
Do girls do better in single-sex schools or when taught alongside boys? In recent years, single-sex education has been considered old-fashioned and even a throwback to the Victorian era, but a recent report looks like providing a clear answer to this question: girls really do do better in single-sex schools.
The study, by The Good Schools Guide, followed 700,000 girls and found that those who sat GCSEs in single-sex state schools all did better than could have been predicted by their scores at the end of primary school.
By contrast, 20% of those who attended co-educational schools did worse than could have been expected from their school records, aged 11. The effect was even more marked among less clever girls.
Janette Wallis, who commissioned the research, says: “To disregard the evidence of this study would be a mistake. We never expected to see such a difference.”
According to Wallis, although her research focuses on GCSE results, the findings hold true for sixth-form study too. “Attending a single-sex school is likely to have a positive impact on girls’ academic performance up to the age of 18,” she says.
Excerpt from Sunday Times Article, March 2009
Single Sex Education - Your Right to Choose?
Is the growth of large co-educational schools gradually eroding our right to choose? Here at Bradford Girls' Grammar School, our pupils are individuals. We believe that the ‘one size fits all’ model does not necessarily suit all. Indeed, a growing number of parents believe in the benefits of smaller, more successful, single sex schools for their children. Girls and boys learn differently - girls’ schools know and recognise this so they can teach using girl-centred strategies. They support a ‘can-do’ philosophy and, most importantly, they break down stereotypes and provide an environment where girls can excel without distraction. As a centre of excellence in the development of women leaders, Bradford Girls' Grammar School continues to maximise potential, develop individual skills and provide choice in an increasingly homogeneous educational environment.
Kathryn Matthews
Headmistress, Bradford Girls' Grammar School