Choosing primary school - single sex or mixed?

Ellechim

Hi there,

My DS is due to start primary school this Sept, and we have him down for a boys only primary very close to our house. However, there is a good mixed school nearby too.

However, we are now questioning whether it's the right thing to do or whether he would be better off in a mixed school.

Can anyone point me in the right direction on any books or publications which advise what is the right thing to do? Single sex or mixed?

My own experience would tell me single sex for boys as girls tend to dominate the class (this is happening to DS in creche) but my DH is firmly of the belief that mixed is best as he had single sex schools and struggled with mixing when he got to college.......

Would welcome any thoughts/advice, thanks.

getz

Ellechim wrote: »

Hi there,

My DS is due to start primary school this Sept, and we have him down for a boys only primary very close to our house. However, there is a good mixed school nearby too.

However, we are now questioning whether it's the right thing to do or whether he would be better off in a mixed school.

Can anyone point me in the right direction on any books or publications which advise what is the right thing to do? Single sex or mixed?

My own experience would tell me single sex for boys as girls tend to dominate the class (this is happening to DS in creche) but my DH is firmly of the belief that mixed is best as he had single sex schools and struggled with mixing when he got to college.......

Would welcome any thoughts/advice, thanks.

when my son was of school age he went to a mixed school mainly because we live in the uk-mixed schools are the norm-my wife went to a catholic school and i went to a mixed school-the thing i noticed with my son was that he was very friendy with some of the girls at the school [not in the sex way] often girls would come around to the house as friends -even years later he has many of the same friends they go out in a groups girls and boys just as friends-how times have changed.when i was young if you talked to a femail you were either giving her one or trying to pic her up-advice ?mixed school let him learn to be comfortable with the other sex

overmantle

All mine went to single sex schools. All very happy.

overmantle

Convenience is important. Also, where are the other children in your immediate locality attending?

Ellechim

Thanks.

Most of the kids on our road go to the nearest boy/girl school so that is a factor too.......

Found out yesterday that one of the little guys (there are only 8 boys in the room) from his creche is going to the same school so that is a factor.

I spoke to the school yesterday and my MIL (who has been the one pushing the other school as she knows a parent of a child there) can come to the parents open evening in a few weeks........

nesbitt

All my children attend mixed primary school. I notice my eldest girl (11) very confident and not fussed at all about boys. The youngest two (twins) are in preschool and due to start Junior school in Sept so they just go with the flow as kids that age do. I think you will notice a difference in kids as they get older. I went to a convent all girls school and was quite shy when I went to 3rd level and had to mix, it was quite a watershed time for me.:o So I guess I would favour mixed school if at all possible. HTH

julu1986

Soon i will have the same situation when my children (who didnt born still but we are planning them to come
) i come from an another country from the EU ,i dont see the point in single sex school, i was in a mixed sex school and i had'nt never any problems.Probably in the mixed sex school youre son will learn how to behave with girls.:)

overmantle

I don't think the issue of mixed v single-sex schools is such a big thing anymore. All preschools are mixed. Many school campuses have a boys and girls school on the same grounds and they share a certain amount of activities. Many second level schools and single sex schools. It may feel strange for children who have been in mixed primary to have to go to single-sex secondary. Mine were all in single-sex and it seems to have served them all well.

julu1986

:)the children, i was looking for the system in ireland, is very interesting for me .i am sure ,my children will have a very good education ,because i didnt feel never good mine ,i think about my secondary school teaching, so, how could i explain

1. ,in Hungary when a child is 14 she or he is in the elementary teaching still,learn the same like the biger children ,but by the easier way ,for excample ,from math, e get the elementary so adding,dividing,ect...,but after we start t learn more, but the same like in the higher classes.But in 14 when the children are in the 8.class they have to chose to go to an another school.so this called in america the high school or in Ireland the secondary school.we can chose ,we can learn profession after that we are 16 untill for everybody the education are compulsory, after we are start to learn the profession for excample

to cook ,waiter,carpenter,buildre etc,
but in my education it wasnt so good ,i had an education ,i have got the leaving certificate, but i didnt get the profession education well.I had to learn still 2 years.and now i am not satisfield again,but never minfd i have quite enough from school .
So my Question :
what the children learn in the secondary and the primary schools?how they get profession?when?thanks because i just wondering.i couldnt find it out!

autograph

It's the school itself is more important in my book. You can have good and not as good mixed schools. Similarly with single sex schools. Some people seem to becom obsessed with this question.