‘Boys should be educated separately’

Boys aged 11 to 16 should be educated separately to avoid them being intimidated by girls, according to the new head of the UK’s Girls’ Schools Association.

Alun Jones, president of the body, told The Sunday Times: “If you have a very bright, very driven, very focused, very articulate lady, which a lot of girls are, that intimidates a boy in the classroom, especially boys of average ability.

“The result is that boys don’t put their hands up to answer questions or they indulge in immature behaviour to avoid being shown up.