Social media impact is ‘largest challenge’ within girls’ schools, teachers say

More than two in three teachers believe the impact of social media on pupils is the most pronounced challenge in girls’ schools, a poll has suggested.

Nearly three in five (58%) teachers said mental health issues is a primary challenge in girls-only schools, according to research by the Girls’ Schools Association (GSA) and ImpactEd.

More psychoeducational training would help pupils build “higher resilience” to handle challenges faced in the future, the report said.

The study – which involved surveys of teachers, parents, alumnae and pupils from 165 girls’ schools in the UK and Australia at the end of the summer term and start of autumn – examined the benefits and challenges of girls-only education.

A poll of 560 teachers – of which the majority had experience teaching in a co-ed school and/or a boys’ school in addition to a girls’ school – found that 67% said social media was the largest challenge in girls-only schools.

I think what they're really saying is that social media is most impactful for girls full stop

When asked what they valued most about teaching at a girls’ school, the majority of teachers said they enjoyed being a role model to girls (58%) and that they could focus more effectively on the individual needs of girls (53%).

Nearly half (47%) said “fewer behavioural issues” was one of the aspects of teaching at an all-girls’ school that they valued the most.

The majority of stakeholders surveyed – which also included 1,128 parents, 1,425 alumnae and 5,547 pupils – said students are “more comfortable” in a girls’ school than they would have been attending a co-educational school.

Although some teachers suggested that more opportunities for interactions with co-ed schools would be welcomed for preparing girls for their futures.

The findings were released to more than 150 headteachers of girls’ schools at the GSA’s annual conference in Manchester on Tuesday.

Donna Stevens, chief executive of the GSA, said: “What we say at girls’ schools is that we don’t want to remove boys exclusively from girls’ lives. It’s important that there’s touch points, but it’s just at certain points.

“Because we know that when she does maths, she’s going to do better when there are other girls around, and when she’s doing a sport she’s much more likely to stay doing sport past puberty if there aren’t boys around.”

She added that lots of girls’ schools team up with local schools for co-ed activities which are “beneficial for both genders” – such as debating sessions.

When asked why she thinks most respondents believe pupils are more comfortable in a girls’ school, Mrs Stevens told the PA news agency that research shows that “when they’re playing sport they might feel more comfortable if there aren’t boys on the sideline when the girls are of a certain age”.

She said: “It might be that in their maths lesson they feel empowered to put their hand up because they haven’t got boys next to them.”

On the survey findings on social media, Mrs Stevens said: “I think what they’re really saying is that social media is most impactful for girls full stop. Not just girls’ schools, but it would then follow because you’ve got all girls together.”

When asked why many teachers singled out fewer behavioural issues as a positive in girls’ schools, the GSA chief told PA: “We’re not saying boys are badly behaved. We’re just saying that maybe girls are slightly better behaved.

“Separate research shows that boys tend to take up more of the teacher’s time. So I think it probably stems from that.”