Tell me that we don't need to shy away from all-boys school

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loobylou
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Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2014 5:04 pm

Re: Tell me that we don't need to shy away from all-boys sch

Post by loobylou »

I can't answer the general question about single-sex and mixed schools - I went to a single-sex school where bullying was rife and the queen bee mentality was encouraged by the school staff as a way of managing pupils. But so many of my school experiences are unthinkable now and teaching/schools in general are so much better, I assume those things are less likely than they were.
On the distractions of a mixed school, both my children (one ds and one dd) attend a mixed school and really it isn't an issue. They both have friends amongst both genders. Generally the girls do a bit better than the boys as a rule but I think that's often the case. I really like the fact that they're not at single sex schools but I have friends whose children are and they also seem happy with them.
Daogroupie
Posts: 11099
Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:01 pm
Location: Herts

Re: Tell me that we don't need to shy away from all-boys sch

Post by Daogroupie »

My dds went to mixed school and have ds who I know will be friends for life. Sometimes I wonder how their girlfriends put up with it!

Dd2 went through the whole of primary in a class of 20 ds and 10 dd. Still friends with some of them and meet up in hols govt permitting! DG
nyr
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Joined: Thu Apr 04, 2013 11:39 am

Re: Tell me that we don't need to shy away from all-boys sch

Post by nyr »

DS and DD are at single sex schools and both are thriving in these environments. I think DD in particular has benefitted from being in an all girls school. She has a distinct STEM bent and has been able to develop her interests and, despite being very quiet, leadership skills. She now happily and confidently interacts with, competes with and leads boys from schools around the country in STEM activities. In a co-ed she might have been sidelined right at the outset by boys in her own school. DS is the sort who floats up wherever, so being in an all boys school has probably been less important for him. Though he is thorougly enjoying it.

With regards to possible bullying, both DC are always rather surprised at the assumption that it must be rampant in their schools. Their super-selective schools, by their very nature, tend to have more mature characters and, my impression from their discussions is that, the infrequent attempts at bullying tend to fizzle out rather quickly. Though, in fairness, my DC are emotionally secure and there probably are children who experience the same schools differently, but that's probably true of all schools.
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