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The UK education sector is going through difficult times. According to The Telegraph, over the past 15 years (since 2011) the number of private schools has declined by 4% (from 2,415 to 2,311), private boys' schools — by 26% (from 117 to 86), and girls' schools — by 23% (from 186 to 142). If the trend continues, experts believe that private boarding schools for girls will have ceased to exist entirely by 2080, and boys' boarding schools will stop operating by 2090–2100.
Financial instability
One of the main reasons for the decline in the number of private schools has been financial difficulties. Since January 2025, tuition at British private schools has been subject to VAT at a rate of 20%. Since the tax was introduced, more than 100 private schools have closed across the country, while the «survivors» have been looking for ways to attract more students and reduce financial risks (as enrollment declines have also been observed across the board).
One option for attracting more students has been the transition from single-sex to mixed form of studying. Schools that traditionally admitted only girls or only boys are now merging their formats, hoping to expand their potential audience.
The general demographic situation must also be taken into account — a declining birth rate and, as a consequence — a reduction in the number of school-age children.
Why do parents choose mixed schools?
The debate over the advantages and disadvantages of single-sex education has been ongoing in the United Kingdom for many years. Supporters of girls' schools note that this model can create a more comfortable environment for developing leadership qualities: in the absence of boys, female students more often choose subjects and areas of study free from the influence of gender stereotypes (for example, the exact and technical sciences, mathematics — in these fields, gender imbalance has persisted for decades, if not centuries).
However, the position of critics must also be taken into account. Single-sex schools are fairly criticized for being less inclusive and offering limited opportunities for ongoing interaction between boys and girls. This model reflects the social environment graduates encounter outside school to a lesser degree, and provides fewer opportunities to learn to communicate with members of the opposite sex.
What school headteachers think
Naturally, the leadership of girls' schools is opposed. For example, Julie Keller, headteacher of Nottingham Girls' High School, notes that the perception of girls' schools as an outdated model does not reflect reality. In her view, in the context of persisting gender inequality, such institutions continue to play an important role: when the educational process is fully focused on girls, students have the opportunity to develop self-confidence and leadership qualities, with them at the very center of the educational system. Janette Cochrane, director of the Girls' Schools Association, also emphasizes that such schools create a distinctive educational environment and form communities of alumnae who maintain connections for many years.
Will British single-sex schools survive?
Indeed, much is working against boys' and girls' schools: demographic decline, rising costs, the introduction of the tax, and the growing popularity of co-education. One option is for such schools to change their format or merge with other schools — but in doing so, they would alter their very original essence. Also that would mean the disappearance of one of the most distinctive hallmarks of British secondary education, known for centuries.
