Mixed versus single sex comps

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berks_mum
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Joined: Sat Dec 28, 2013 4:52 pm

Mixed versus single sex comps

Post by berks_mum »

Mixed versus single sex comp.
Which one would you choose and why ?
southbucks3
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Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 11:59 am

Re: Mixed versus single sex comps

Post by southbucks3 »

Mixed every time.

Girls together = miawweeee

Boys together = woof

Mix the two and they seem more gentle somehow in my experience anyhow.

Academically boys do push themselves competitively a bit more, historically girls used to be in the shadow of boys, but in recent years the difference has been reduced, and stats in April showed that girls thrive just as well in mixed schools now.

I think it is important that chikdren are educated in the same environment that they will be working and living in as far as possible.
Yamin151
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Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2013 8:30 am

Re: Mixed versus single sex comps

Post by Yamin151 »

berks_mum wrote:Mixed versus single sex comp.
Which one would you choose and why ?
This one really divides people, so I will put why we chose single sex for one of our boys, rather than why we didn't choose co-ed! Each is just my opinion ok?
And I will add that my other son will be going to co-ed, but we would have been totally happy with him in single sex too.

- We feel there is less distraction, which in turn leads to less pressure to be 'cool', or be seen with a girlfriend or whatever. My sons single sex school has a coed 6th form which is ideal
- Single sex tend to attract lots of geeky boys, this is a term I use really positively, I love geeks! And as one of my sons is one I am very happy with that.
- This one is more neutral. We loved the school and were not put off because both sons have been at mixed primary, and I don't feel strongly that he needs to be co-ed
- The above follows because I have experience of both, I went to mixed primary, then co-ed comp to end of 3rd year, then single sex girls school. I will say that those who had had no contact with opposite sex from age 3 onwards were a little more naive, but those who just did secondary as single sex seemed as comfortable and able to be 'just friends' with boys as those from mixed schools.

Thats my two penn'orth
kenyancowgirl
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Re: Mixed versus single sex comps

Post by kenyancowgirl »

There aren't that many single sex comps around - I am using comprehensive in the sense of not a grammar school, ie a non selective state school.

Generally with single sex schools, there are pros and cons of both - definitely. I have two boys and, although there are downsides to them being in an all boys school, for boys I think the positives outweigh the negatives (although we do have to work harder to ensure they stay in touch with their female friends and keep the "social" side going with new ones). If boys have issues with each other - one shouting match and (worse case) the odd thrown punch and it's all sorted - or they just avoid/ignore each other - girls don't....and social media makes it a 24 hour catty service.

If I had girls I would never send them to an all girls environment (based on my own experience) as, as sb3 alludes to above, unless you are a very strong individual, there can be real, real issues with cattiness and emotional manipulation. Whereas boys seem to relish the competition, in an all girls gs (and I know the op was talking about a comprehensive) the combination of multiple intelligent alpha females with just teenage hormonal girls (that you get in every school) is a cauldron of problems - certainly I am aware of some very unhappy girls in the gs locally (the type that are a bit different, or bright but not uber brainy, or not super confident).

But, like Yamin, just my opinion!
franticmum
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Re: Mixed versus single sex comps

Post by franticmum »

It depends whether you have a boy or a girl - girls do better in single sex, boys do better in mixed, according to various reports.

At the risk of being in the minority, I shall explain my perspective (girl related) and opinions.

We chose a single sex school for our daughter which was confirmed by reading the report by the Girls School Association, stating many points, of which:
i) girls are less catty in girls schools as it is the presence of boys which encourages showing off and a need to impress;
ii) ability to do more subjects and activities which otherwise would be seen as boys only, ie lighting in the school play, and the recent reports that physics/science are frequently dropped by girls;
iii) less peer pressure to do girly subjects - all subjects are open to them from this perspective. Similarly, girls are not wanting to do PE because of it makes them less attractive to boys.
(iv) no oggling at boys across the classroom at a young age, they get on with what they should be doing, ie learning. They can socialise with boys in the 6th form or outside of school with various clubs, etc.
(v) no need to plaster themselves in make-up, wear ultra short skirts, etc as there is no-one to benefit.

Other more personal issues were that the current thinking is to place girls next to boys in the classroom to encourage the latter to behave. These girls are normally the bright ones and the emphasis is on improving boys' scores and behaviour. However, no-one has actually detailed the detriment this has on the associated girls, as my daughter experienced in primary school.

Your best bet is to have a close look at the schools and the children and perhaps request views from specific parents of those schools on this site. Good luck.
Guest55
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Re: Mixed versus single sex comps

Post by Guest55 »

We chose a single sex school for our daughter which was confirmed by reading the report by the Girls School Association, stating many points, of which:
i) girls are less catty in girls schools as it is the presence of boys which encourages showing off and a need to impress;
In my experience girl are far MORE catty in a girls school - the alpha female problem
ii) ability to do more subjects and activities which otherwise would be seen as boys only, ie lighting in the school play, and the recent reports that physics/science are frequently dropped by girls;
Evidence? Again, in my experience this is just not true - I loved beating the boys at maths and physics! The data I have seen does not bear this out - it may have been true 50 years ago.
iii) less peer pressure to do girly subjects - all subjects are open to them from this perspective. Similarly, girls are not wanting to do PE because of it makes them less attractive to boys.
The gender imbalance is out-of -date (when was this research?); more girls at medical school. What are girly subjects anyway?! Schools don't look at subjects like this anymore - PE is taught separately so this is not valid
(iv) no oggling at boys across the classroom at a young age, they get on with what they should be doing, ie learning. They can socialise with boys in the 6th form or outside of school with various clubs, etc.
We did not look at boys in our year group - nor does that happen in my experience of teaching for some of my career in a mixed school.
(v) no need to plaster themselves in make-up, wear ultra short skirts, etc as there is no-one to benefit.
Girls compete in a singer gender school as well!

All the arguments have counter points of view ... it is a personal preference but interestingly not one open to parents in a Bucks Upper school!
Yamin151
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Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2013 8:30 am

Re: Mixed versus single sex comps

Post by Yamin151 »

Guest55 wrote:
We chose a single sex school for our daughter which was confirmed by reading the report by the Girls School Association, stating many points, of which:
i) girls are less catty in girls schools as it is the presence of boys which encourages showing off and a need to impress;
In my experience girl are far MORE catty in a girls school - the alpha female problem
ii) ability to do more subjects and activities which otherwise would be seen as boys only, ie lighting in the school play, and the recent reports that physics/science are frequently dropped by girls;
Evidence? Again, in my experience this is just not true - I loved beating the boys at maths and physics! The data I have seen does not bear this out - it may have been true 50 years ago.
iii) less peer pressure to do girly subjects - all subjects are open to them from this perspective. Similarly, girls are not wanting to do PE because of it makes them less attractive to boys.
The gender imbalance is out-of -date (when was this research?); more girls at medical school. What are girly subjects anyway?! Schools don't look at subjects like this anymore - PE is taught separately so this is not valid
(iv) no oggling at boys across the classroom at a young age, they get on with what they should be doing, ie learning. They can socialise with boys in the 6th form or outside of school with various clubs, etc.
We did not look at boys in our year group - nor does that happen in my experience of teaching for some of my career in a mixed school.
(v) no need to plaster themselves in make-up, wear ultra short skirts, etc as there is no-one to benefit.
Girls compete in a singer gender school as well!

All the arguments have counter points of view ... it is a personal preference but interestingly not one open to parents in a Bucks Upper school!
Guest, thats why I was so careful in my post to say it was an individual opinion and I wasn't going to argue against co ed, only my opinion FOR single sex. The problem will be with this kind of listed countering argument is people might stop playing nicely! This poster clearly feels for her girl it is the right choice, as I do for one of my boys. THe evidence is at the very best THIN on either side, so for me this means that actually there isn't much in it, which is wonderful because it leaves us free to choose the school that is right for our dcs, assuming we have the choice, without worrying about any overwhelming evidence for EITHER side. How nice! :)
Guest55
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Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: Mixed versus single sex comps

Post by Guest55 »

That's exactly what I concluded - I was just 'balancing' the posted 'evidence' - it is a personal choice open to some parents.
Brum Mum
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Re: Mixed versus single sex comps

Post by Brum Mum »

I have a DS and he flat out refused to go to an all boy's school. He has been at a co-ed primary and said that it wouldn't feel right. For him, mixed is the right thing.
kenyancowgirl
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Re: Mixed versus single sex comps

Post by kenyancowgirl »

:lol: To be honest, I wouldn't expect a report from the Girls School Association to come up with anything other than "an all girls environment is best for girls"!! :lol:

It is absolutely horses for courses. Some people have very valid cultural reasons for preferring one over the other, others refer back to their own experiences of school, (I was at an all girls school and that clouded my opinion), others their professional experiences (I have worked in all genres of schools), others are driven by their own child's opinion (ds1 said right from Y2 that he wanted to go to an all boys secondary, despite being in a state mixed primary).

The op needs to visit any prospective schools and match up with their needs/expectations and desires and see which one ticks the most boxes.
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