It wasn't so long ago that gender-segregated schools were the norm throughout Europe. Maria Montessori, founder of the Montessori education system is a notable victim of such. While she was studying medicine, she was not allowed to attend autopsy demonstrations because men and women viewing the same naked body was deemed inappropriate in those days. She had to perform her cadaver dissections alone, outside of class hours.

Of course, today, we know that male and female students are equally capable. However, the myths persist. Boys are better at maths and science. Girls are better at English and psychology. If girls study with other girls, they won't be the occasional girl in a boy-dominated class. It's hard to stereotype a student by gender if there's no competing gender in the room.

In some parts of the world, gender-segregated education is still very much a thing. Even here, in England, we have a sizable number of girls-only (and boys-only) schools. They remain wildly popular. We'll not dive deeply into the reasons parents prefer their children to go to this type of school. Instead, we want to highlight:

  • what these schools have to offer
  • how to know if a gender-segregated school is right for you or your student
  • what these schools' admissions policies are
  • how you can prepare to meet entry requirements.

Ready for the next step in your (daughter’s) education? Here’s everything you need to know to get into Cheltenham Ladies' College. And then, we'll cover three comparable girls' schools. 

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Cheltenham Ladies' College

Cheltenham Ladies' College is an independent boarding and day girls’ college in Gloucestershire, England. The school began with just 82 students in 1854 and has grown to welcome over 800 students in 2016. Cheltenham strives to prepare girls for a variety of careers. This school's alumni have gone on to successful careers in industries from fashion to nanotechnology. Cheltenham’s vision is “[t]o embody excellence, independence, inspiration, and empowerment in the education of women.”

Cheltenham Ladies' College is one of the largest communities of boarding and day girls in Europe. This school has a reputation as academic pioneers dedicated to putting girls first for 160 years. According to The Guardian and the Independent UK, Cheltenham has proven itself a trailblazer in areas of student mental health, academics and single-sex education.   

What to Expect from Cheltenham Ladies' College

Cheltenham Ladies' College offers several Open Days throughout the year. Your visit will help you and your daughter experience a typical day at the college before making your decision to enrol. These visits provide you with the opportunity to meet with staff and students, and tour the school grounds.

Cheltenham suggests you save meeting with a member of the Admissions Department for after Open Day. You may also request a meeting with the Principal or Admissions Director. Priority for these meetings will be given to parents with daughters who are within two years of being able to apply to Cheltenham.

Registration Policy

For 11+ - 13+ registration, your daughter must register and enter her examinations by 1st December, the year prior to entry. More information about admissions and exams for this entry level will be available to parents through the school newsletter and online, via their website.  

For 14+ registration, your daughter must register and enter her examinations by 14th October, the year prior to entry. She will complete five exams and an academic interview, and must provide a supportive reference from her current school.

For Sixth Form entry, your daughter must register and enter her examinations by 1st October, the year prior to entry. She will then usually complete her examinations and interview in November.

Girls may enter the College at any point between 11+ and 16+, but most girls will register at the 11+ entry. Cheltenham also offers an Early Entry Scheme, which allows students in Year 7 to apply for 13+ entry early.  Otherwise, if you are considering enrolling your daughter at the 12+ or 14+ entry, Cheltenham encourages you to contact the Admissions Department as soon as possible.

You may enrol your daughter for Lower College, Upper College or Sixth Form. For more important dates regarding Cheltenham's registration and examination process, you should visit their website. There, you will find a current schedule of fees, listed by level and type of registration - day student or boarder.  

A young girl wearing a school uniform sits in the sunshine with a sweet icy drink next to her.
Eleven+ students may choose to sit a pre-exam assessment. Photo by A xin on Unsplash

Cheltenham’s Interviews and Examinations

If your daughter is entering at 11+ or 12+, she may choose to sit a pre-assessment exam between the February and October preceding her entry. Cheltenham has a team in charge of the assessment who will guide your daughter through a series of verbal reasoning, maths, and creative writing tasks for about 90 minutes. You will then receive a verbal brief from the assessor, followed by a complete report at a later date. If Cheltenham is confident in your daughter’s academic abilities, it increases her chance of acceptance the following September.   

If your daughter is entering the Upper College, she must complete an exam for English, Mathematics, Science, Humanities, and the Modern Language she wishes to study at GCSE. She will also need to complete an academic interview, and provide both a reference from her current school and a completed Upper College Examination Form.

If your daughter is entering Sixth Form, she will be asked to choose either an A-Level or International Baccalaureate Diploma, which may be altered at a later date given the availability. She will also take a one-hour exam in up to four potential A-Level subjects, or six subjects for the IB Diploma. Lastly, Cheltenham assures you that their Admissions Department is more than happy to field any questions you may have about the interview process. You can also check out their Sixth Form Entrance Booklet for more information.   

Badminton School

This school was established by one Miriam Badock so girls could enjoy the same quality of education their brothers were benefiting from. By contrast, Cheltenham was founded a mere three years earlier by a board of six men. Once they decided what would be taught and how, they hired a headmistress to oversee the school.

Mrs Badock had no such constraints. She instituted a broad curriculum so that her students would have maximum exposure to all the disciplines. She further developed a broad range of extracurricular activities and established a sports program. The sports activities were especially unusual for girls' schools in those days.

This school is named after the Badminton House in Bristol. This city's laid-back atmosphere, combined with its proximity to London makes it a target destination for students from all over England. But that doesn't account for its consistently high performance in exams and league tables. That's probably more down to its relatively small size and individualised attention.

What to Expect from Badminton School

You'll have to complete a short online survey and pay a registration fee to get the process started. Your daughter will sit an age- and level-appropriate entrance exam but the school recommends you visit beforehand. That way, you can see for yourself what the school is like and the school administrators can get to know you and your daughter.

Godolphin School

Elizabeth Godolphin founded this school for eight 'orphaned gentlewomen' in 1726. They were to receive instruction in dance, reading, writing and 'the business of housewifery'. This, in a time when educating girls was considered 'mere tomfoolery and dreaming'! Widow Godolphin was a very religious woman who wanted her students to be members of the Church of England's daughters exclusively. It's easy to see why her plan ran into headwinds.

These days, the school has moved far beyond its 'housewifery' curriculum. The goal is now to encourage students to find independence and forge careers of their own. Indeed, many Godolphin alumni have done just that. Deborah Meaden stands as a perfect example of such; Hannah White is another.

Three girls walking through the countryside arm in arm and laughing with a city skyline visible in the distant background.
Godolphin School encourages its pupils to find their independence and forge their own paths. Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

What to Expect from Godolphin School

Godolphin accepts girls as young as three. Obviously, there will be no preparations needed but you will have to submit a registration form, which you will get when you visit the school. At this level, entry assessments are conducted informally.

Older students will sit exams in English and Maths, and submit to an interview. Thirteen+ students will further sit a Verbal Reasoning exam. Again, at this level, you and your daughter have little to prepare for. Sixth Form students will be assessed based on their performance on level-appropriate exams. Unfortunately, Godolphin School does not provide a list of resources to prepare for their exams. However, you may ask for guidance when you visit.

Downe House School

Of all the schools featured in this article, Downe House is the youngest. Founded in 1907, the school was initially housed in Charles Darwin's former accommodations. Just over ten years later, the House grew too small for all the students; they moved to its current location, The Cloisters, in 1921.

Olive Willis, the school's founder and first headmistress, was herself a rebellious child. She was sent to a boarding school when she was 14 years old, perhaps to get a grip on her wild temperament. In the four years she was there, she proved to be an apt scholar. She rounded out her education at Somerville College, Oxford, where she read History.

For the next six years, Ms Willis would work in different schools, finally mustering the support she needed to start her own. Word of Downe House got around, both for its efficiency and excellence in academics. Six years after welcoming its first pupil, the school hosted Punch Magazine's cricket match. By 1925, Downe House had become a leading girls' school.

A group of young women all with long hair posing in front of a colourful mural.
Girls-only schools have a way of forging lifelong friendships. Photo by leah hetteberg on Unsplash

What to Expect From Downe House School

You and your daughter should attend the first Open Day of her eligibility period. You should aim for two to three years before her proposed enrolment date. After you tour the school and talk with the teachers, be sure to pick up your registration form. You'll need to send it, along with the registration fee (£250 in 2022) as soon as you've made your decision.

One year ahead of your daughter's entry date, your daughter may attend Assessment Day. The nature of these assessments depends on your daughter's level at the time of proposed enrolment. Be sure to read our full-length article to learn all the particulars.

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Emma

I am passionate about traveling and currently live and work in Paris. I like to spend my time reading, gardening, running, learning languages, and exploring new places.