Dr Challoner's Grammar School to admit girls into 6th form

[Amber]

Girls doing physics degree are still in a minority.

For reasons multiple and insidious around how girls and young women are encouraged to think and feel about their potential in society:
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/o ... m-feminism" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

There was actually a recent article in the TES (I have tried to stop subscribing but they keep sending it to me) about whether head teachers (female) need to be 'hot'. When I look at the state of many young girls, even highly intelligent ones, in terms of dress, hair, make-up, snivelling-round-boys-fluttering their over-mascared-eyes quotient etc, I do ask myself whether feminism was really worth it.

And then I look at things like Celebrity Big Brother, 'rate my plumber' and the 'customer services' (sic) hotlines of many large organisations and ask if this is what we have evolved to. I swear we are regressing, and women are often at the forefront of that regression.

Sigh. As you were as maybe a bit OT.

[tiffinboys]

There was actually a recent article in the TES (I have tried to stop subscribing but they keep sending it to me) about whether head teachers (female) need to be 'hot'. When I look at the state of many young girls, even highly intelligent ones, in terms of dress, hair, make-up, snivelling-round-boys-fluttering their over-mascared-eyes quotient etc, I do ask myself whether feminism was really worth it.

And then I look at things like Celebrity Big Brother, 'rate my plumber' and the 'customer services' (sic) hotlines of many large organisations and ask if this is what we have evolved to. I swear we are regressing, and women are often at the forefront of that regression.

Couldn't agree more.

[Sally-Anne]

News from DCHS ...

Historically, our capacity to admit additional students has been limited by space and has stayed at 150 girls for entry in Year 7 for a long time. This is low compared to most other grammar schools locally. Following a review of our existing accommodation and curriculum requirements, we have identified an opportunity to admit an additional Year 7 class in September, 2015.

We have also identified an opportunity to admit up to 10 more students to Year 10 in September, 2015 without extending class sizes above 30. Any students seeking admission to start GCSEs at DCHS will be required to meet the qualifying standard on our late transfer test. Details about this process can be found on our website.

Defending single sex education
No school is immune from the current deteriorating financial climate and you will not be surprised to hear that we have received several enquiries following the news that Dr Challoner’s Grammar School intends to admit a small number of girls into its 6th Form from 2016. The Governing Body has discussed whether we should admit boys into our 6th Form a number of times over recent years, and again during the course of the last year when we were advised of the DCGS decision.

We continue to believe we serve our girls best by retaining our single sex status. There is now a wealth of research evidence to show that the achievement of girls in single sex environments is considerably and consistently higher than the achievement of their peers in co-educational settings. Girls from single sex schools also earn more in later life and they pursue a greater range of careers as a consequence of less gender stereotyping. We aim to maintain parental and student choice for single sex education, particularly since the demand for entry to DCHS has increased over the past few years. It is clear that traditional girls’ schools still have considerable appeal.

From 2015 we have therefore decided to adopt a two week break during the autumn term.

[southbucks3]

Girls from single sex schools also earn more in later life and they pursue a greater range of careers as a consequence of less gender stereotyping.

Because sixteen year old boys pursuing history, literacy and mfl A levels, or any subjects offered tbh are sure to turn the dchs teens into simpering flighty girls who have only the desire to pursue a career in childcare or being a powerful man's PA.

I think the board of governors are somewhat underestimating their girl's strength of character and their staff's ability to not to stereotype.

On the other hand, I must tell my boy's to target girls from single sex schools when pursuing l'amore, purely for their potential earning power you understand!

[mystery]

Are the 2015 entrants smaller in stature than in previous years and in need of a longer mid-term break?

[southbucks3]

I really hope the two week half term does not catch on in other schools, it's ludicrous after starting back just seven weeks prior to have such a long break.
Also the proposed sacrifice of the first week in September from the summer break is just crazy, late summer is lovely for relaxing and often has the best UK weather, it also follows August bank holiday, where some parents are compelled to have annual leave. Reducing potential uk summer holiday breaks to a period of just five weeks will force prices up even higher as demand exceeds supply to popular destinations.
Surely if they really want to mess around with the school holidays it would be better to give extra time around traditional UK national holidays rather than October. This is just pandering to a contingency that can afford to visit hot countries in the Autumn, the majority of children will be left kicking their heels in wet, windy, dark evening, UK forgetting what they have only just settled into learning.

[Guest55]

Totally agree SB3. I would be furious if my child went there ..

We often go on hoiday in August bank holiday week as results are out and I can relax and 'gear up' ready for the new academic year.

[Sally-Anne]

This is the full text of the announcement about half term - there will only be one additional school day in September:

From 2015 we have therefore decided to adopt a two week break during the autumn term. By returning to school one day earlier than other Buckinghamshire schools after the summer holidays we will be able to accommodate this extended break whilst shortening the school year by only one day. The term dates for 2015-16 are now available on the school’s website.

[Rob Clark]

There is now a wealth of research evidence to show that the achievement of girls in single sex environments is considerably and consistently higher than the achievement of their peers in co-educational settings. Girls from single sex schools also earn more in later life and they pursue a greater range of careers as a consequence of less gender stereotyping.

Just out of interest, is this first sentence above actually correct? I understood that, if anything, the research was moving back the other way, that the success of all-girls schools can often be attributed to a myriad of factors other than the single gender setting and that once you stripped these factors out – as far as that is possible to do – there actually isn't all that much difference in achievement.

As ever, I stand to be corrected by those involved in education such as Amber and Guest55…

[Guest55]

Yes, the jury is out on that! Research by GSA says so - I wonder why? It is not a simple thing to research ...