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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Girls' schools a 'huge disadvantage', says co-ed head | Girls' schools a 'huge disadvantage', says co-ed head |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Girls at single-sex schools can achieve top grades but are "at a huge disadvantage" if they leave unable to talk to boys, says a leading head. | Girls at single-sex schools can achieve top grades but are "at a huge disadvantage" if they leave unable to talk to boys, says a leading head. |
| If girls did not socialise with boys at school, "what happens when they go out into the workplace?", asked Richard Cairns, head of Brighton College. | If girls did not socialise with boys at school, "what happens when they go out into the workplace?", asked Richard Cairns, head of Brighton College. |
| Single-sex schools were a "deeply unrealistic world", said Mr Cairns, writing in a magazine. | Single-sex schools were a "deeply unrealistic world", said Mr Cairns, writing in a magazine. |
| But the Girls' Schools Association described his views as "old fashioned". | But the Girls' Schools Association described his views as "old fashioned". |
| Writing in Independent School Parent, Mr Cairns complained too many parents were "swayed by outdated notions about girls performing better in single-sex schools". | Writing in Independent School Parent, Mr Cairns complained too many parents were "swayed by outdated notions about girls performing better in single-sex schools". |
| Supporters of girls-only schools often argue pupils achieve better grades and are more likely to take subjects that are often male-dominated, such as maths. | Supporters of girls-only schools often argue pupils achieve better grades and are more likely to take subjects that are often male-dominated, such as maths. |
| 'Non-plussed' | 'Non-plussed' |
| But Mr Cairns said female pupils at Brighton College, a co-educational private school, were "non-plussed when they read press reports about their supposed inability to thrive because they are sitting next to boys in class". | But Mr Cairns said female pupils at Brighton College, a co-educational private school, were "non-plussed when they read press reports about their supposed inability to thrive because they are sitting next to boys in class". |
| He said every year dozens of his female pupils achieved top grades in male-dominated subjects such as physics and went on to study sciences and maths at Oxford or Cambridge. | He said every year dozens of his female pupils achieved top grades in male-dominated subjects such as physics and went on to study sciences and maths at Oxford or Cambridge. |
| By contrast, women from all-girls' schools "may have a clutch of A*s and a first-class degree, but if they cannot meaningfully converse and communicate with male colleagues, they will be at a huge disadvantage", he warned. | By contrast, women from all-girls' schools "may have a clutch of A*s and a first-class degree, but if they cannot meaningfully converse and communicate with male colleagues, they will be at a huge disadvantage", he warned. |
| "There is something, I feel, much more common to schools that educated both boys and girls, and that something is kindness," he added. | "There is something, I feel, much more common to schools that educated both boys and girls, and that something is kindness," he added. |
| "Boys in single-sex school tend to create their own artificial hierarchies where only those in the first-15 rugby team are truly valued, while girls-only schools sometimes suffer a degree of emotional intensity that can lead to bullying. | "Boys in single-sex school tend to create their own artificial hierarchies where only those in the first-15 rugby team are truly valued, while girls-only schools sometimes suffer a degree of emotional intensity that can lead to bullying. |
| "Contrast that with a co-educational world where girls admire the boys who dance, sing or act, and so, therefore, do the boys. Contrast that too with a mixed environment where the emotional intensity of all girls is diluted by the boys. | "Contrast that with a co-educational world where girls admire the boys who dance, sing or act, and so, therefore, do the boys. Contrast that too with a mixed environment where the emotional intensity of all girls is diluted by the boys. |
| "In other words, there is a place for everyone and an environment where girls and boys can be themselves." | "In other words, there is a place for everyone and an environment where girls and boys can be themselves." |
| 'Tiresome' | 'Tiresome' |
| But Caroline Jordan, president of the Girls' Schools Association, said Mr Cairns might find the truth "unpalatable". | But Caroline Jordan, president of the Girls' Schools Association, said Mr Cairns might find the truth "unpalatable". |
| "Girls' schools feature heavily at the top of the league tables for independent schools and have done for decades," she said. | |
| "It may also have escaped his attention that all-girls schools provide plenty of appropriate opportunities for interaction with boys; in fact, it is rather old-fashioned to assume anything other." | "It may also have escaped his attention that all-girls schools provide plenty of appropriate opportunities for interaction with boys; in fact, it is rather old-fashioned to assume anything other." |
| Ms Jordan also highlighted recent Institute of Physics research that indicated girls in single-sex private schools were more likely to study A-level physics than girls in mixed private schools. | Ms Jordan also highlighted recent Institute of Physics research that indicated girls in single-sex private schools were more likely to study A-level physics than girls in mixed private schools. |
| "It is time for Mr Cairns to cease his rather tiresome attacks on independent-schools colleagues," she said. | "It is time for Mr Cairns to cease his rather tiresome attacks on independent-schools colleagues," she said. |
| "The sector benefits from diversity and choice, and I am sure he would agree with that." | "The sector benefits from diversity and choice, and I am sure he would agree with that." |