The Gender Agenda: Single-Sex Vs Co-Ed
The Gender Agenda: Single-Sex Vs Co-Ed
Single-sex vs co-education expert Sue Laidlaw offers some guidance on how to choose what’s right for your child…
Image: Sutton High School GDST
Whether your child is at the beginning of their educational journey or you are weighing up their options as they head towards secondary school years, there will be many factors you will be taking into consideration, one of which may be whether you prefer a single-sex environment for your child or mixed.
For some families, there will be a strong preference, for many others, there will be factors that will take higher precedence such as academic levels, pastoral care, access to facilities and practicalities such as travelling distance.
If gender is a big deciding factor, be aware of the educational landscapes as to what is actually available. In the state sector, there are fewer single sex choices, and those schools are often heavily oversubscribed. The majority of grammar schools are single sex and could offer an option.
In the private sector, clearly there is more choice, however single-sex schools (when looking at all year groups above nursery) only make up 17% of schools that are members of the Independent Schools Council.
It is also worth considering that there is a growing trend of single-sex schools joining forces and becoming integrated, mixed environments. So now is a particularly relevant time to reflect on the different aspects of options. Importantly, there is no definitive answer – every child is different. It’s a matter of evaluating what is best for your child and your family, and many other factors are likely to override the question of mixed or single-sex education.
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When it comes to single-sex versus co-ed, you may already have a strong preference. This might be a practical one: if you have both sons and daughters, a co-ed school may allow them to attend together, and the gender mix already exists at home. Conversely, if your household is predominantly one gender, you may prefer a school environment that provides more exposure to the opposite gender.
You may however believe that your child will thrive better in a single-sex school. Those in favour argue that they reduce pressures around image and social dynamics – at least during school hours. With fewer distractions, some children may perform better academically, though this is just one piece of the puzzle. Subject-based gender stereotypes can be less pronounced: girls are free to excel in STEM subjects, and boys in the Humanities. Confidence and a focused learning environment are key – and can be fostered successfully in these settings.
Those in favour of co-ed argue that they support a natural social balance and prepare students for the world of work. But this social mixing doesn’t have to happen solely at school. All three of our daughters attended single-sex senior schools, and our home was always full of both boys and girls.
As parents, you will have a broad perspective on what’s likely to be optimal for your child – but children often have clear and measured opinions of their own, and they might surprise you.
If you – or they – are ambivalent, it would be worth visiting both options of school in order to see if this matters to you and your child. Every child is obviously individual and will thrive in the setting that is best for their particular personality. Home, siblings, social mixing outside of the school walls, and maturity levels should all be taken into account. Indeed, the distance to a school and practical factors may well take precedence over everything else – and that is fine too. There are no rules, just guidance. You will know what is best but take time to evaluate the various pros and cons of both options, for your particular situation
Sue Laidlaw is Founder of Laidlaw Education LLP
