The Girls’ Schools Association and ASCL recently celebrated 150 years of advancing girls’ education and used ASCL’s annual conference to highlight the two associations’ rich shared history.
But have we come far enough?
The GSA has always honoured its founders who fought for girls’ education rights, tracing its history back to the Association of Headmistresses, founded in 1874 by Francis Buss and Dorothy Beale. They advocated for girls’ access to a strong academic curriculum rather than just “traditional lady studies”.
Then there are the trailblazers who overcame barriers to pursue education and careers traditionally closed to women: figures such as Sophie Bryant, the first woman to earn a BA, BSc and doctorate of science, who showed girls that all fields were open to them if they were determined and persistent.
“There are trailblazers who overcame barriers to pursue careers traditionally closed to women.”
Then there those women who actively fought to remove subjects like needlework from the curriculum of girls’ schools and heads like Dorothy Brock who was honoured with an OBE for services to education in 1933.
During the world wars, leaders like Dorothy Brock and Agnes Gardiner navigated evacuations and kept education running.
Today, the independent girls’ school sector continues growing. However, gender imbalances remain. While there are equal numbers of boys’ and girls’ schools, girls’ schools educate around 50 per cent more students. Co-ed schools on average have a student population that is 48 per cent girls and 52 per cent boys.
The GSA educates 100,000 girls and has 10,000 teachers in its schools and advocates for gender equality in education.
“It is vital that young people feel empowered to pursue any path open to their talents and ambition.”
Our latest research, conducted with GSA’s 9,000 students and 500 teachers, revealed concerning perceptions of ongoing gender inequality.
Older girls in particular believe society views careers and leadership as belonging more to men. Boys surveyed did not share this view. While girls see more balance of power between genders in the home, there is still work to do in politics and business.
We must do more to ensure both girls and boys see women’s full and equal participation in all areas of life. It is vital that young people feel empowered to pursue any path open to their talents and ambition. Schools must continue challenging gender biases and stereotypes, so that all of our young people can feel empowered to feel free to follow their own curiosity and talents, whatever these might be.
Girls’ schools continue to lead the change.
In GSA schools over 75 per cent of teachers feel confident to call out outmoded stereotypes and sexism; 74 per cent of teachers feel empowered to confidently teach girls about equality for women and girls; and 80 per cent of girls have been taught about equality for women and girls.
“Girls’ schools buck the trend for girls’ participation in male-dominated sports.”
Girls’ schools drive and underscore advances made in girls’ education and demonstrate the continued importance of girls-only school environments for supporting girls’ personal development and academic successes.
Girls in girls’ schools love science and maths and consistently outperform their peers in other schools academically. They are nearly three times as likely to study A-level maths and twice as likely to take physics or computer science compared to girls in co-ed schools. The uptake of other sciences is also higher with biology 40 per cent higher and chemistry 85 per cent higher.
Participation in activities such as sports declines more sharply for girls transitioning to adolescence in mixed company versus girls’ schools, where social pressures may be reduced. Girls’ schools buck the trend for girls’ participation in male-dominated sports, with more continuing to play them in our schools. They are nearly five times more likely to play cricket, and 30 per cent more likely to play football.
“We are redoubling our efforts towards the goal of true equality of opportunity.”
Girls from disadvantaged backgrounds have higher levels of “metacognition” in girls’ schools (thinking about one’s own thinking) and well-being compared to their middle-advantage peers in co-ed schools.
By honouring and listening to girls in our schools, we equip them to embrace life with the confidence to further challenge the status quo beyond the classroom, for the benefit of every girl.
A sense of urgency, determination, and purpose remains at the centre of our purpose at the association. We are redoubling our efforts towards the goal of true equality of opportunity for future generations so that we can help realise a fairer world for all.