Education Schools profi le
girls girls girls
Janet Murray asks if there is still a place for girls’ only education in the 21st century?
higher education. Girls educated at GSA schools are also more likely to tackle what are often perceived as “the hard subjects” at A level. Recent research showed that 70% more girls in single-sex schools took maths than the national average. Fifty per cent more took science and over 80% more studied French, German or Spanish A level. Yet despite their success, the number
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of girls’ schools is declining. According to fi gures from the Independent Schools Council (ISC), there are – according to the 2010 census – 185 GSA schools educating 100,762 pupils. Ten years ago, there were 221 GSA schools educating 114,772 pupils. T at’s a fall of 16% in the number of schools and 12% in the number of pupils.
22 FirstEleven Summer 2011
t is diffi cult to deny that girls’ schools are good at what they do. According to research carried out by the Girls’ School Association (GSA), over 94% of girls from GSA schools go on to
T e falling numbers may be in part due to the recession and the ISC warns that they should be treated with caution because fi gures for single-sex education are notoriously diffi cult to calculate – because some – like prep schools with co-educational nurseries or those with mixed sixth forms are single sex for some age groups and not for others. Neither do they account for the number of mergers or schools that have become co-ed or so-called “diamond” schools (which have single-sex education between the ages of 11-16). However, even a small decline is signifi cant.
So in an age when people can communicate 24/7, regardless of gender or background, the question that has to be asked is whether there is still a place for girls’ only education? Not all the stereotypes of girls’ schools are
fl attering, with suggestions that educating girls alone, makes them socially inept, boy-mad, anorexic and a little bit bitchy
and that conversely, co-education is a good preparation for adulthood. “Co-education enriches young people’s lives and fosters a sense of mutually supportive community,” says John Watson, head teacher of Bablake School in Coventry. Hannah Elsy, a Year 12 student at
Bablake says, “we naturally learn more versatile social skills and see boys as co-workers and friends, rather than having polarised views of boys as being either scary or potential boyfriends. True, boys are physically competitive, but without this as a leveller, the mental and emotional bitchiness of girls can remain unchecked.” Year 13 student, Caitlin Edwards, agrees. “Mixed-sex friendships, budding
romances and male ‘banter’ may be viewed as unwelcome distractions to a girl’s education but they are none the less essential life lessons. Surely it is better for young girls to learn these lessons at school
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