Parents 'want daughters taught separately'

Gillian Wallwork and Rhiannon Wilkinson, who took over as

headmistresses of Wakefield Girls' High and Harrogate Ladies College respectively this academic year believe all-girls schools have a bright future in the independent sector.

Mrs Wallwork said: "If you look at the league tables of independent schools it is heavily dominated by girls schools."

Wakefield Girls' High was one of four schools in the region where pupils got an average A-level score of higher than four A grades in last month's league tables.

Mrs Wallwork added: "There is no evidence that demand is dropping.

"It remains strong. I think it is because girls can be themselves and not feel intimidated or have any sense of restriction that they can have in a mixed environment."

She also believes girls can enjoy extra curricular activities such as sports more in a single sex school.

Mrs Wilkinson said: "We know girls and boys learn and grow up in different ways. I think this is particularly true during adolescence. There is more and more evidence that girls do better in a single sex setting."

Mrs Wilkinson said girls' schools allowed pupils to focus on studies without worrying about how boys perceived them and she believes a single-sex school provides parents with an alternative to a society which "sexualises" girls at an earlier age than ever before.

Both head teachers said a girls' school allows pupils to take subjects which are not thought of as being feminine.

Mrs Wilkinson said: "Some of our Oxbridge entries this year are in subjects such as physics, maths and engineering – areas that are not perceived as being girls' subjects."