BRITISH BOARDING FOR GIRLS
Compared to girls in other schools, girls in girls’ schools: • are 2.5 times as likely to take further maths and physics at A Level • have a higher uptake of other sciences eg computer science 72% higher • outperform students in co-ed schools, at both KS4 and KS5 • have higher attainment across all subjects as a whole According to the latest available DfE School Comparison data for England
GSA boarding schools are experts in educating girls from the UK and around the world. They nurture the whole person through a broad curriculum - from maths and the sciences to the humanities combined with boundless opportunities in music, art, drama and sport. Boarding at GSA schools has evolved to suit the modern family, with weekly and flexi boarding in some. For others, full time boarding is the norm, providing a rich and diverse experience for students both in and outside the classroom.
The vast majority of pupils from GSA boarding schools go on to study at top universities in the UK, the USA and elsewhere, and there is a growing interest in degree apprenticeships. Your daughter’s GSA school days may be her first step to independence, living away from home in a warm and caring environment and developing a wider cultural perspective from diverse fellow pupils. The friends a student makes at a GSA boarding school are likely to be friends for life.
Research indicates that girls in girls’ schools are more confident and emotionally in control than girls in state and independent co-educational schools.
GSA boarding schools educate 25,703 students in a combination of full, weekly and flexi boarding. The average number of pupils per GSA boarding school is 504.
*Source: Soft Skills Development and Gender, an analysis of mental toughness at UK Independent Schools, AQR International (June 2021)
Source: Independent Schools Council Annual Census (2021)
ACADEMIC SUCCESS Academic excellence is expected at a GSA boarding school. Girls are free to choose the subjects which suit them best. A large proportion of students choose to study – and perform well in - maths, sciences and languages. Typically, 95% of pupils go on to the best universities in the UK and internationally, including almost 400
students to Oxford and Cambridge and more than 200 students to overseas universities, including the US, in 2021. A small but growing number of students are also embracing the opportunities available to them through degree apprenticeships with leading UK and international companies.
A WEALTH OF OPPORTUNITY At a GSA boarding school, your daughter will learn that everything and anything is within her reach. When your daughter goes to a girls’ boarding school, you are giving her a unique opportunity to experience every role and every activity. The particular environment that only a boarding school can provide will enable her to shine, with its holistic ‘whole-person’ approach,
its ability to overcome limiting gender stereotypes and its extensive cocurricular programmes. At the same time, GSA boarding schools provide regular social activities and partnerships with other schools, charities and the wider community, providing your daughter with opportunities to meet new people and make a positive contribution to society.
“My dad is in the British Army and I’ve lived in seven different houses and three different countries in the past 13 years, so picking the right school for continuity and finding a ‘home from home’ was so important. I was lucky to build a strong group of friends during my first two years. We decorated our dorms together, camped outside in summer and drank hot chocolate in the winter.” Pippa, from the UK PIPPA, CURRENT STUDENT AT ST MARGARET’S, YORK
“Boarding at St George’s feels like living in a house with a big family. Whilst I enjoy having individual space to recharge, it is always reassuring to know that there are people around you that you can reach out to if you need. Now that I am in the Sixth Form the workload is a lot, but, although it can be stressful at times, relaxing with my boarding friends in the evenings and doing fun activities together gives my life balance.” Carmen, from Macau CARMEN, CURRENT STUDENT AT ST GEORGE’S SCHOOL, ASCOT
“Boarding was without doubt a transformative experience for which I will forever be grateful.” Habiba Daggash, from Nigeria Habiba has a first class honours degree in Engineering Science from the University of Oxford, and a PhD in Energy Systems and Climate Change Mitigation from Imperial College London. She is now Senior Associate at the Boston Consulting Group in Lagos, where one of her many projects is to help accelerate the use of solar power in cities. HABIBA DAGGASH, ALUMNA OF ST MARY’S SCHOOL, CAMBRIDGE
“Flexi-boarding three nights a week really works for me and my family as I live 45 minutes away from school. It allows me to balance the best of both boarding and home life. I can take advantage of the co-curricular activities, stay on top of my homework and enjoy the independence and camaraderie of life in a dorm, while still appreciating my own bed and home cooking.” Juniper, from the UK JUNIPER, CURRENT STUDENT AT QUEENSWOOD SCHOOL
INDEPENDENCE & SELF CONFIDENCE Give your daughter confidence, resilience and, most importantly, the freedom to be herself. GSA boarding schools build tremendous confidence in girls as they recognise their growing capacity for self-reliance and self-determination. Staff build positive relationships, supporting girls both in and out of class and understanding their needs as a whole person. As one of our
boarding students, your daughter will be at the heart of making her own decisions and learn to take responsibility for herself in a supportive environment. She will master new skills, taking calculated risks – whether in a challenging weekend expedition, an inter-House sports or music competition, or through her academic studies – developing resilience and a positive mindset in the process. Throughout her school years, your daughter’s GSA school will acknowledge and nurture her unique identity.
SPACE TO GROW GSA boarding gives your daughter space to grow at her own pace. GSA boarding schools make every effort to make sure your daughter is comfortable in her new surroundings. In many schools, your daughter will have her own room and bathroom, and in others she will share with a few close friends. She can decorate her room as
she likes, with photographs of family, friends and pets, and experienced House parents will support her as she settles into school life. Staff spend time getting to know her as a whole person, so they can encourage her in all her individual endeavours and aspirations. The days are deliberately structured to give your daughter the mental and physical space she needs to develop at her own pace.
FRIENDS FOR LIFE Friendships with a depth of shared understanding can last a lifetime. Friendships that develop in the unique environment of a British girls’ boarding school have at their heart a deep and shared understanding that transcends geographic and cultural borders. Most GSA boarding schools educate girls from a number of countries, with the majority
coming from the UK. This gives your daughter the opportunity to experience a tremendous wealth of cultural diversity, and gain an understanding of the issues facing girls and women around the world. Friendships made at a GSA school often last a lifetime.
THE GIRLS’ SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION The Girls’ Schools Association is the expert voice of girls’ education, helping girls and their teachers to flourish. GSA schools share experience, specialisms, events and facilities in a variety of inter-school partnerships, as well as professional development conferences and courses. Most offer means-tested bursaries for families of limited means.
The GSA works closely with the Association of School and College Leaders, is a member of the Independent Schools Council, and joins hands with organisations in the UK and internationally – such as the Association of State Girls’ Schools (UK), the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools (USA), the European Association of Single-sex Education (EASSE) and the Alliance of Girls’ Schools Australasia – in the interests of girls’ education worldwide.
Visit www.gsa.uk.com/schools for a list of GSA schools Girls’ Schools Association Suite 105 108 New Walk Leicester LE1 7EA This brochure is printed on FSC certified paper
Tel: +44 (0)116 254 1619 Email: office@gsa.uk.com Twitter: @GSAUK www.gsa.uk.com 2021