Education

Girls only sixth form: outdated notion or catalyst for success?

‘It’s not the real world’ and ‘girls won’t cope when they go to university if they haven’t been to school with boys’ are the frequent reactions I hear to the idea of an all-girls sixth form. Having worked in all-girls’ schools for over twenty years, I can assure you that both my own experience and scientific research prove that these views are far from the truth. In fact, being in an all-girls learning environment gives young women the best possible chance of flourishing in the world beyond school.

Let’s first consider the real world. In spite of some significant steps towards equality, girls and young women are under greater pressure than ever to conform to social stereotypes. From gender reveal parties where the unborn child is greeted with gendered paraphernalia such as pink or blue balloons, to clichés about not liking competition or having neat handwriting, young women continue to be channelled towards, and judged against, outdated notions of the female ideal. Humans are undeniably social creatures who like to fit in. The effect of stereotypes, therefore, is that many young people end up feeling they have to conform. At school this means girls avoiding so-called ‘male’ subjects, activities which are ‘non-feminine’ and roles which might lead to them being criticised as ‘bossy’ or ‘shrill’. Even as young as six, many children have internalised stereotypes such as that maths is for boys.

Depressing as that is, the plasticity of our brains means that there is always time to help our pupils escape the constraints of gender stereotyping. In girls-only sixth forms, young women have the space and encouragement to test and develop their own interests. Research shows the success of this model in many areas such as developing greater levels of self-confidence and facilitating the study of STEM subjects. In fact, girls educated in single-sex school are just as self-confident as boys educated in boys’ schools and significantly more likely to study subjects such as physics than girls in co-educational schools. In addition, girls in single-sex schools are more inclined to carry on playing sport until 18 benefitting from the resulting positive effects on physical and mental health. Indeed, a Bristol University study found that single-sex schools encourage “improved self-esteem, psychological and social wellbeing in adolescent girls”. Moreover, every pupil leadership role is occupied by a young woman who is starting to learn about the positive impact that she can have on the world around her. As a 2018 article pointed out, in a girls’ school, girls are intentionally “equipped with the knowledge and skills required to overcome social and cultural gender biases and in doing so actively break the stereotypical norms that define women in society.”

This brings us to the second question about to what extent an all-girls sixth form prepares young women for university. At St Swithun’s around 25% of our leavers go on to study STEM-related subjects at top universities in the UK and overseas and will enter careers that still tend to be male-dominated. Our pupils have many opportunities outside the classroom to interact with young people from a range of other schools in drama and music productions such as our celebrated St Swithun’s Live rock concert, at competitions such as national debating challenges or Model United Nations and at social events. They are perfectly placed to enjoy good relationships with all kinds of people when they leave our sixth form having developed a quiet self-confidence and a genuine interest in others. A recent poll of our leavers from the past two decades revealed overwhelmingly that they formed healthy and happy relationships with male students precisely because they approached them as equals.

Far from being an old-fashioned model of education, an all girls sixth form prepares young women to create and seize opportunities in the modern world.

Jane Gandee is head of St Swithun’s, Winchester.

Turning sparks into fireworks since 1884

A leading independent day, weekly and full boarding school for girls aged 11-18.