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Co-ed Vs girls only

Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2019 7:47 am
by Brackenboo
Hi
My DD has a qualifying score for the two local girls school and a school that became Co-ed two years ago and is approx a third girls. We went to the open days last year and liked one of the girls and the co-ed the most.
At the moment trying to decide whether co-ed is better than single sex and wondered what others felt?

My DD is confident, better at maths than English, not overly competitive and I'd friends with girls and boys at primary. She also enjoys arts and textiles.

Re: Co-ed Vs girls only

Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2019 8:41 am
by kenyancowgirl
You would probably get a better input if you posted in the specific area you lived so that people can give you their opinions about the schools you are considering. (if you put the area, the mods can move it for you)

Remember though, strangers on the internet do not know you and your family at all. For this sort of question you will get some saying "oh girls work better just with girls" some saying "girls work better with boys" so you are not going to be any further forward. To be honest, look at the schools you like and go for the one that is easy to travel to, is as good an answer!

Re: Co-ed Vs girls only

Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2019 8:58 am
by Brackenboo
Thanks I've posted there but was just looking for general thoughts. But like you say you tend to get a lot of mixed thoughts.
Both are on the same bus, we're off to the open days again so will see how we feel.

Re: Co-ed Vs girls only

Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2019 9:46 am
by kenyancowgirl
Sounds like a really good plan!!

Re: Co-ed Vs girls only

Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2019 10:38 am
by loobylou
General thoughts..
My DD goes to a co-ed school. We didn't sit her for the girls' grammar relatively locally (just wasn't on our radar) and put the girls' comprehensive lower in our CAF than the mixed ones.
She is thriving there. She's now in the sixth form. The boys have never been a distraction; there have been mixed friendship groups but she's been in a girls only group until year 11. She now has a great friendship group with boys and girls.
Academically in their school the girls seem to do a bit better than the boys; both girls and boys appear to be doing more STEM subjects at A level.
I know this is a different area/school than you are looking at but I suppose my thoughts would be to wonder what you think the advantages of a single sex school will be?

Re: Co-ed Vs girls only

Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2019 6:41 pm
by Octsmum
Hi

My DD is at SHS & in yr 8. The year she took she took the test was the year that Crypt went co-ed. We shared our results with all schools but didn't go to look around Crypt as really the travel distance was more challenging but we did it 'in case' which thankfully we didn't need.

DD went to a small village primary school where there were 15 or so children in the class - only 7 or 8 girls. Brilliant in many ways but we'd had a horrid year 5 with girl friendship issues. I was very conscious that a single sex school might be very cliquey / ****** and for that reason might have chosen co -ed as when the girls were horrid, my DD got on with the boys instead. It was also a thought when Crypt don't have so many girls to be friends with would she fit would she have no friends / or fit in with the boys instead? More pertinent when there aren't so many girls in the year yet....

However, many questions to girl school staff & girls later, I didn't feel that was necessarily the case. Girls showing us around told us that were groups for the sporty / musical / science etc and as there were so many girls, always someone to be with.

Our experience so far (& we're only in yr8) has been really positive. I think girls in an all girl environment perhaps feel less inhibited in STEM subjects and there is no embarrassment in a class where boys are present. My DD feels free to be whoever she wants to be.

However, I would say that, our family friends have boys, the bus she travels on has boys, there is a boy school right next door & activities she does out of school involve boys! The world is 50/50.

Not sure whether my ramble will have helped or not, just thoughts about our choices.

My advice is to go where you think your DC will be happiest & thrive.

I would also say that visiting after you have the results & know that you can defininately attend 'this school' helps children say more confidently which one they most prefer & feel comfortable in.

Really, we're very lucky to have choices. Best of luck.

feel free to pm me if there's anything.

Re: Co-ed Vs girls only

Posted: Sat Oct 19, 2019 1:51 pm
by WillowFae
Both of mine are at single sex schools (one boy and one girl). It was their choice and each chose these schools over the co-ed. They are both doing brilliantly and are happy with their choices (Year 11 and Year 8). Obviously we don’t know how they would be if they had been at a single sex school.