Why Girls’ Schools Matter: The Maltman’s Green Difference
“When one girl rises, we all rise too.”
As I reach the end of my first term leading Maltman’s Green School, I have had the privilege of seeing first-hand what makes this school such a special place.
From exceptional scholarship success and successful senior school transitions, to sports days, performances and swimming galas, the past few months have been filled with moments that demonstrate the breadth of opportunity our girls enjoy.
But beyond the achievements and celebrations, there is something even more important: seeing our girls grow in confidence, curiosity and self-belief.
More than academic achievement
One of the highlights of my first term has been Maltman’s Green becoming an accredited member of the Girls’ Schools Association (GSA), joining a network of schools across the UK united by a commitment to girls’ education.
This reinforces something I have always passionately believed: educating girls is about far more than academic achievement.
At Maltman’s Green, our heritage of more than 100 years of girls’ education, combined with our pioneering spirit, creates an environment where every girl is encouraged to flourish.
Academic excellence is undoubtedly important, and we are immensely proud of what our girls achieve. But it is what sits alongside that academic success that makes such a difference: outstanding pastoral care, an inspiring co-curricular programme, specialist teaching and first-class facilities.
We want our girls to be curious, kind and joyful. We encourage them to think boldly, embrace challenge and develop the confidence to make their voices heard.
Because confidence is not an optional extra. It is an essential part of preparing girls for the future.
Building confidence from the very beginning
When we talk about preparing girls for the future, we often focus on academic results – and rightly so. But perhaps an equally important question is:
How do we help girls believe that they belong in every room they walk into?
Confidence can influence whether a girl puts her hand up in class, tries something new, takes on a leadership role, steps onto the sports field, chooses a STEM subject or simply has the courage to challenge herself beyond her comfort zone.
And these attitudes begin to develop surprisingly early.
Research into children’s understanding of gender and stereotypes suggests that ideas about what is considered “for boys” or “for girls” can begin to emerge during the early years and become increasingly established throughout childhood.
That means education has an important role to play.
At Maltman’s Green, we want our girls to experience a world of possibility rather than limitation.
Where girls can be the norm, not the exception
One of the great strengths of a girls’ school is the opportunity for girls to take centre stage across every aspect of school life.
They are not the minority in the science laboratory. They are not waiting for someone else to step forward in sport. They are not watching from the sidelines when decisions are being made.
They are the scientists, the athletes, the performers, the innovators and the leaders.
Whether they are exploring STEAM in our dedicated facilities, representing the school in sport, performing on stage, speaking in front of an audience or pursuing academic excellence, our girls are encouraged to have a go, take risks, ask questions and learn from challenge.
In a girls’ school, there are no traditionally “male” subjects or activities that girls need to prove they belong in.
Girls are simply expected to participate.
And that expectation matters.
Research has found positive associations between girls’ single-sex education and outcomes including confidence, academic achievement and engagement with subjects and activities where girls have historically been underrepresented.
As Cheryl Giovannoni, Chief Executive of the Girls’ Day School Trust, has said:
“Girls’ schools offer an opportunity to best prepare girls and young women for the world and remain relevant and crucial to helping close the equality gap.”
Preparing girls for the world beyond school
The world our girls will enter is changing rapidly.
They will work in industries and roles that may not yet exist. They will navigate new technologies, collaborate across cultures and face challenges that we cannot yet predict.
What they will need is more than knowledge.
They will need resilience.
They will need curiosity.
They will need empathy.
They will need courage.
And, above all, they will need confidence in their ability to learn, adapt and contribute.
This is why the experience of a girls’ school can be so powerful.
It is not about preparing girls to live in a world without boys or men. Quite the opposite. It is about giving girls a strong foundation from which they can engage confidently with the whole world.
A heritage with a future
At Maltman’s Green, we have seen the impact of girls’ education for more than a century.
Since 1918, we have been committed to providing an education designed specifically to help girls learn, develop and flourish. That heritage gives us a strong foundation, but it is matched by a forward-looking approach, with innovation, opportunity and ambition at the heart of our curriculum.
Every day, I see girls discovering something new about themselves.
A girl who finds her voice.
A girl who discovers a passion for science.
A girl who takes a risk on the sports field.
A girl who stands on stage for the first time.
A girl who puts her hand up and says, “I’ll have a go.”
These moments may seem small, but they are the building blocks of confidence.
And ultimately, that is what we want for every Maltman’s Green girl: not simply to achieve, but to believe in what she is capable of achieving.
As we look ahead to a new academic year, I am excited to continue building on more than a century of educating remarkable girls – creating an environment where they can be ambitious, courageous, compassionate and confident in their place in the world.
Because when one girl rises, we all rise too.
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