4th February 2011 9:00
By Harriet Boulding
According to the Independent schools council, in 2000 there were 221 Girls Association schools educating 114,772 pupils in the UK. This number has diminished over the last 10 years to 185 schools educating 100,762. Overall there has been a 16% drop in the number of girls schools, which begs the question of why their popularity is falling so rapidly. On answer is the recession, as evidenced by the fact that there has also been a significant drop in the number of pupils attedning boys schools, and the fact that many parents can no longer afford fee paying single sex schools.
However, the issue of girls schools is more complex than this. Dr Helen Wright, president of the girls school association, has said that there is still a vital place for single sex education. She argues that teenage girls feel more able to express themselves in a single sex environment, which allows them to mature faster and get a sense of who they are. It is also interesting to note that high flying girls schools have actually seen a rise in the numbers of applications, suggesting that the falling number of girls schools could be more related to the economy than changing social attitudes.
Interviews with girls who received a single sex education reveal both the highs and the lows of the expereince. Many highlight the fact that they felt they could be themselves and had space to learn, but many more have horror stories to tell about bitchiness, bullying and competitivness. As with any other criteria parents may have for selecting a school for their children, the number one factor school be whether they like the school and the environment it provides. This should come before any other considerations.