The top 7 benefits of a girls-only education at Sixth Form

The final two years of school life are significant, but deciding where to be for your Sixth Form is not always an easy decision to make. Whether it’s a school or college, a co-ed or single sex environment, it needs to be the right decision for you – a place where you can discover yourself, enjoy yourself and have the opportunity to reach your full potential.

So to help with the decision making, we’ve narrowed down the top seven benefits of an all-girls Sixth Form…

1. Tailored teaching towards young women. Girls and boys mature at different rates making it difficult for schools to tailor their teaching to perfectly suit both genders. In an all-girls’ Sixth Form however, students are allowed to continue growing and maturing at their own pace - teachers are geared specifically to the needs and developmental stages of their students, and this will guarantee each and every student will get so much more from her lessons.

2. Greater diversity of subject choice. In a girls-only Sixth Form, the students experience more freedom to thrive in certain A Level or IB Diploma subjects that are otherwise traditionally dominated by boys. No student will fear that she will be the only girl in her Engineering or Further Maths class for example, and this opens the door to more subject choices without any potential co-ed barriers holding them back.  
   

3. Students are more likely to try new things. A girls-only Sixth Form provides a safe space for students to flourish uninhibited by the expectations and stereotypes placed upon their gender. Without the presence or distraction of boys, girls are more likely 'to have a go' at subjects, sports or extra-curricular activities that the school has to offer. This could be speaking up in the debate club or captaining the school’s sport team, and having the courage and freedom to do this helps to develop girls’ self-esteem, confidence and life skills in ways they perhaps wouldn’t in a mixed learning environment. Have a look at our Twitter and Instagram pages to see what our Sixth Formers at Redmaids' High get up to. 
   

4. Numerous leadership opportunities. The leadership roles in an all-girls Sixth Form means every position is held by a girl. It presents an inspiring mindset of ‘if she can do it then I can too’ and creates positive female role models as part of the student community; to not only lead their peers but be looked up to by younger years too. It also means that more girls are given the opportunity to gain the experience and skills of being a leader which they can take forward in their lives after school. At Redmaids’ High we have two Head Girls, two Almoners, two Environment Captains and four Sports Captains who all make up the Sixth Form Management Team, who are then followed by four House Captains, a Drama Captain and a Music Captain along with Vice Captain roles too. The extensive range of leadership opportunities available will also help to make CV's and applications to university, apprenticeships or the workforce really stand out.  
   

5. Smaller class sizes. From starting Sixth Form in Year 12 to finishing in Year 13, students have an 18-month window in which to study and complete their A Levels or IB Diplomas as well as apply for universities or apprenticeships. An all-girl Sixth Form such as Redmaids’ High, generally means smaller class sizes and this is brilliant for the students’ academic studies and career guidance. It means further tailored classes, and it allows for more opportunity for 1:1 time with teachers and mentors to be able to offer expert advice and the increased ability to personally guide the students through their busy and important final years of school.
   

6. A community of female alumnae. Young women need strong female role models to be inspired by and an all-girls’ Sixth Form is an excellent environment in which to offer this. Year’s 12 and 13 are automatically networked into a community rich of successful female alumnae who can help to guide and support them throughout their Sixth Form years and the upcoming chapters in their life. At Redmaids’ High our Lighthouse Mentoring programme offers our Year 12 and 13 students the opportunity to connect with former students who have studied courses they are interested in or are succeeding in careers they too want to pursue. It is a brilliant way in which to be inspired and guided by the women of tomorrow.

7. Higher academic achievement. There is strong evidence that girls-only education leads to higher academic achievement. The freedom from stereotyping, and the self-confidence and opportunity that an all-girls environment inspires, are certainly key in enabling young women to reach their full potential. At Redmaids’ High, we are proud that 95% of our Year 13 students in 2022 went onto their first-choice university or an apprenticeship of their choosing.

The proven academic success of an all-girl Sixth Form and the unrestricted opportunities the environment can offer, are extremely important for young women to gain the qualifications, skills, self-knowledge and self-confidence to not only reach their full potential in all aspects of school life, but to also feel fully prepared for the wider world outside. Our Director of Sixth Form Lisa Moyle agrees, "The most rewarding joys of being in an all-girl environment such as here at Redmaids' High are the foundations that our students are able to build for themselves. They are able to explore their interests, grow their confidence and develop their individuality to meet their own potential and become the best version of themselves. Our students are authentic and curious. They are accepting of others and embracing of difference. They leave us at the end of Year 13 empowered and confident to go into the constantly evolving world around them with firm foundations and a strong sense of self. They know that whatever direction their future takes, whoever crosses their path, they have the intellectual and emotional skills to thrive."

To find out more download our Sixth Form prospectus here: