St Catherine's Prep School, Bramley on the power of girls only

Naomi Bartholomew, Head of St Catherine’s Prep, on the benefits of girls only education in primary years

At St Catherine’s Prep School in Bramley, we are advocates of girls only education. So why do we recommend that girls are educated separately during their formative years? In a world increasingly focused on equity, opportunity, and inclusion, it might seem counterintuitive to advocate for single-sex education. Yet, time and again, I witness how a girls only environment offers a powerful foundation – not only academically, but also socially and emotionally.

The early years of a child’s education are crucial. These are the years when personalities are formed, values embedded, and self-belief built. We can tailor every element of school life to the way that we know – and research endorses – that girls learn best. This ranges from classroom dynamics and curriculum choices to extracurricular and leadership opportunities.

Girls are known to thrive in environments where collaboration, creativity and communication are at the heart of learning. At St Catherine’s, we nurture these traits while also providing the structure and challenge that encourage girls to take risks, make mistakes, and grow in confidence. In a girls’ environment, pupils feel uninhibited by traditional gender stereotypes. Girls are the priority in every lesson, every club, and every sport. They become scientists, coders, engineers, debaters, and leaders in their fields – not because they are exceptions, but because they are expected to.

“Girls leave us as confident, articulate, and intellectually curious individuals – they know their worth”

Research continues to support what we observe daily – that girls in single-sex schools are more likely to pursue STEM subjects, feel more confident in expressing themselves, and take on leadership roles without hesitation. Free from comparison or competition with boys, they are more likely to find and use their voices early. These are skills that last a lifetime.

Crucially, this environment also allows us to address the emotional and psychological needs of girls as they grow. We understand the social dynamics that can shape girls’ experiences and provide thoughtful, structured pastoral care to help them navigate friendships, self-image, and resilience. We teach them how to speak up for themselves and others, how to recognise healthy relationships and how to embrace who they are.

Of course, we are preparing girls for a world that is very much ‘co-educational.’ That’s why our curriculum incorporates diverse perspectives and our enrichment programme offers ample opportunity to collaborate beyond the school gates – whether through joint initiatives with boys from other local schools, community projects or wider partnerships. What we offer is not insulation from the real world, but preparation for it, grounded in the strong sense of self that an all-girls’ setting uniquely cultivates.

At St Catherine’s Prep, our girls leave us at age eleven as confident, articulate, and intellectually curious individuals. They are ready to take on the challenges of senior school and beyond, not because they’ve been sheltered, but because they’ve been empowered. They know their worth, their capabilities, and their place in the world.

The benefits of a girls only primary education are profound and enduring. It’s not about removing boys from the equation – it’s about placing girls firmly at the centre of it.

St Catherine’s Prep School, Bramley stcatherines.info

Further reading: York House School on smashing stereotypes