Leadership Likes: Dr Purvis
Dr Purvis invites us to remember why and how girls thrive in girls-only schools.
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Find out what is happening at Croydon High this week.
Dr Purvis invites us to remember why and how girls thrive in girls-only schools.
Read MoreLet’s Remember Why & How Girls Thrive in Girls-Only Schools
Like many other teachers around the country, I took the opportunity offered by the half-term break to read more than I usually do. One of the things I picked up was an updated version of ‘Why (and How) Girls Thrive in Girls-Only Schools’ by Dr Kevin Stannard: the Girls’ Day School Trust’s Director of Education. There are many benefits to being part of the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST). From a pupil’s point of view, these include competitions, conferences, trips, career support and guidance, and access to the most extensive network of professional women in the UK, to name but a few. From the perspective of a staff member, the GDST offers unparalleled training opportunities and regular meetings with colleagues doing similar jobs in other GDST schools, not to mention access to the bargaining power and influence which comes with being part of an educational collective. Being part of the GDST also provides close access to cutting-edge research from its in-house team which is headed by Dr Stannard, and which also recently produced the much-lauded Girls’ Futures Report.
I will resist the temptation to retell all the various benefits of single-sex education here, not least because I do not have enough page space to do so. However, I want to remind all of us of the main advantages of the girls-only education that Croydon High School offers. Dr Stannard’s research—which has recently been updated before re-publication—reminds us of things which seem obvious to us because we see them every day, but which are worth remembering, celebrating, and holding dear.
The publication outlines the strong evidence that girls-only education leads to higher academic achievement, greater diversity of subject choice, stronger self-confidence and resilience, and enhanced career progression. Girls differ from boys not on any intellectual or cognitive dimension but in attributes and dispositions that have the most significant impact in their school years, which means that their learning needs and preferences—and indeed their experiences of school—tend to differ from those of boys. For example, my observations in our classrooms are borne out by Dr Stannard’s research. Croydon High pupils prefer cooperative, discursive learning environments; they adapt better to coursework tasks and collaborative, project-based activities and respond to all forms of curriculum content. It is right to pause here, for a moment, to acknowledge that while we do not indulge gender stereotypes which seek to impose any limits on our pupils, the fact remains that girls do tend to respond differently in educational settings to boys.
Dr Stannard convinces us that girls often also adapt their behaviour in the presence of boys, to their disadvantage, for instance, in adopting supporting or moderating roles in discussion, being reticent about risk-taking in inquiry, and their choice of subjects for study. Gender stereotyping and differences in expectations and self-image tend to affect girls’ behaviour, attitudes, and choices, unless they are checked and challenged at school. Girls should have the opportunity to be educated separately, therefore, not because they need protection, but because they deserve a level playing field. However, for single-sex education to be successful, Dr Stannard reminds us that it must be more than an organisational device. It needs to be underpinned by principles and articulated in a set of practices whereby girls are nurtured, challenged, and empowered. Croydon High School is designed for and dedicated to girls’ learning needs and preferences and is free of gender stereotyping and distraction.
In our girls-only environment, girls’ needs and preferences come to the fore. Our teachers can focus on working with, but also challenging, girls’ propensities to seek security in structures and schedules. Research demonstrates, rather powerfully, that in co-educational settings, girls often adopt roles that reflect others’ views of them, and which tend to narrow their choices, both academic and non-academic. In co-educational contexts, girls are more likely than boys to participate but less likely to assume leadership roles in co-curricular groups and other activities. Croydon High School pupils, though, show scant reticence in adopting leadership roles as prefects, big sisters, leaders of co-curricular clubs, group leaders, advocates, and so much more! In everything they do, Croydon High girls are given the space they need to feel empowered to reject gender stereotyping in sports and in subject and career choices.
Dr Stannard’s research traces the historical evolution of girls’ secondary schools and colleges which were established initially to equalise educational opportunities at a time when secondary and higher education were designed for and dominated by men. In a more equal world, it is a truism that we still need single-sex schools because, while society and co-educational schools are more gender-blind, Dr Stannard makes a robust case for the fact that they are still far from gender-equal. Any of the parents or pupils in the recent Sixth Form Open Evening presentation by Dr Lakha-Kassim—our inspirational Head of Progression and Futures and a former medic, lawyer, and businessperson—will remember that women are still woefully underrepresented in business boardrooms across the world.
Against this backdrop, Croydon High School serves a subversive purpose. We seek to challenge traditional gender stereotypes, giving our pupils space to develop a strong sense of themselves and their value and nurture the confidence to make their own choices, free of any sense that the gendered or any other ‘script’ has been written for them. In doing so, Croydon High School provides a supportive environment to complement the rest of a girl’s life, which—crucially—does not exclude boys. Indeed, from their time in our Junior School onwards, our pupils can meet boys socially, compete against them, and work alongside them, as we saw before half term in the Whitgift-Croydon netball match and as we will soon see in our annual Sixth Form fashion show.
I urge every one of you to take some time to read Dr Stannard’s excellent publication. It reminds us of why our single-sex setting allows ‘every girl, every day’ to be liberated so they can make the most of their significant potential.
Dr Philip Purvis
Deputy Head (Academic)
We are delighted to announce that the pupils in our Junior School MFL Creative Writing Club have had their poems published in the latest edition of the online primary languages magazine ‘Write Away’!
Congratulations to Nayonika, Amena, Aarya and Kimaaya!
Ms Mannooch
Teacher of Languages
CHS Movie Night in aid of Children’s Hospital Pyjamas
Read MoreFriday 14th October saw a number of year 7 and 8 pupils choosing to remain in school after dismissal – there must have been a good reason! There was! The pupils were staying for a movie night in the hall with their friends. The movie was a recent release starring Tom Cruise – Top Gun: Maverick. The action and the romantic encounters were thoroughly enjoyed by all there – nearly as much as they simply enjoyed spending time with their friends. There was a great atmosphere and buzz in the hall.
During the day on Friday both senior and junior school pupils had a PJ Day in exchange for a contribution to our fundraising for Children’s Hospital Pyjamas. This is an amazing charity that provides pyjamas for children in hospital who would otherwise have to wear hospital gowns throughout their stay. Each pair of pyjamas is accompanied by two hand-made stuffed hearts and a poem letting them know someone is thinking of them.
After school, each pupil attending the movie donated a pair of pyjamas as their “entrance fee”. Therefore not only did they have an enjoyable evening but the charity we have been supporting benefitted too. It was a great way to start the half term break.
The seniors and juniors together raised £1,056.88 on the day. In addition, pupils donated over 150 sets of PJs for the charity.
We also had a very generous donation from SurfRatz.com, who kindly donated a large number of t-shirts to the cause.
Many congratulations and a massive thank you to each and everyone for supporting this fantastic charity.
Mrs Beck
Head of Community & PE Department
Milly raises money for the Little Princess Trust.
Read MoreMilly donated 20 inches of her hair during half term and is raising money for the Little Princess Trust. She would like to thank everybody that has donated. She has raised £410 of the £550 target. This is the link to the donation page.
Zia shares her account of the exciting mathematical problem solving workshop!
Read MoreJust before half term, our Year 7s participated in our problem-solving afternoon. They were put to the ultimate test, completing a series of puzzles and problems.
Here is an account from Zia M in Year 7.
“Year 7 had the opportunity to be involved in a fun mathematical problem-solving activity where we had to complete as many puzzles as possible in 50 minutes.
We were in teams of 3 or 4 and had a book of problems to crack. I thoroughly enjoyed working with my classmates throughout the session – there were a variety of puzzles so everyone had something they found interesting. My favourite one was ‘Cluedo’ – I really like logic puzzles because it’s a mix of trial and error and strategy and they are generally very entertaining concepts as well.
The atmosphere in the room was great – you could tell everyone was having a good time and it was a challenging and fun morning. It really warmed us up for the day and we were all proud of how we worked together; we left the room with smiles on our faces.”
Mrs Ahmad
Teacher of Maths
Well done to the junior school pupils who were awarded LAMDA certificates this week.
Read MoreThis group of girls, now in Year 5, were awarded a distinction in their Group Recital exam Grade 1.
Many congratulations to every girl who took an exam and achieved Distinction!
The girls who did their LAMDA exams last term finally got their certificates presented this week .
Speaking of verse and prose Entry level
Mrs Boyd
This week's Progression and Futures has been all about the “new”...
Read MoreThis week’s Progression and Futures has been all about the “new”. From offers to skill development and interdisciplinary learning, the students from year 11 to the Upper Sixth have had a week that has been future and learning focused in some way.
We returned from the half term break with a boom and the news that most early entrant UCAS applicants had already received solid offers from universities of their choosing. To see the excitement in the Progression and Futures office and the grins and almost giddy reactions of students who know that they can and will go to a university that makes them smile, and study a course that will make them happy and set them up for a secure future, is nothing short of heartwarming and incredibly exciting.
This week also saw the beginning of the Skill Up initiative for Year 11 students as part of their Elective. We began with a tour of Growth Mindset, Neuroplasticity and Learning Style analysis. Over the coming week students have to set themselves personal challenges and learning plans, implement them and then present their successes, failures and challenges in advance of impending exams.
We also had an Upper 6th visit from the London Interdisciplinary School who ran a session on Diversity helping students to see the connection between subjects in application to the real world.
A week of excitement, learning and growth. A week of thinking about the new, creating new mental connections, moving towards the future and reflecting on change.
Dr Lakha-Kassam
Head of Progression and Futures
Season 2 Episode #5 (The Yorkshire Shepherdess) –This episode on #RaiseHerUp: Amanda Owen aka the @YorkshireShepherdess
Amanda shot to fame when she and her family appeared in Channel 5’s Our Yorkshire Farm in 2018, which soon had 3m viewers per episode. She is also a best-selling author, presenter, photographer and mother of 9. Airing to coincide with #COP27, this episode includes Amanda discussing her relationship with nature and the need for us to see ourselves as ‘custodians of the land’, protecting it and passing it on to future generations…as well as some great Ravenseat Farm anecdotes which you won’t want to miss!
Listen on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcast.
Our School Minibus service offers an efficient and flexible option designed to help families with journeys to and from school. Minibus travel is offered to pupils in Year 3 and up.
The service is managed on our behalf by Vectare, a specialist school transport management company. All bookings for our school bus routes are made via our online booking system, which can be accessed at croydonhigh.vectare.co.uk.
The website allows you to book travel 24/7 from anywhere, meaning that if you need to leave early for work one morning or are running late and you would like one of our students to travel on a school bus as a one off, you can make a booking right up until the route is due to depart. Payment for the school bus service is made at the time of booking, so there is no need for pupils to carry cash.