Girls' Schools Association

The GSA represents the heads of independent day and boarding schools in the UK.

The Girls’ Schools Association represents the heads of many of the top performing day and boarding schools in the UK independent schools sector. We have an international affiliate membership and are a member of the Independent Schools Council.

Many of the schools in our membership were founded in the nineteenth century when a national movement to provide better education for girls and women gathered momentum. Campaigners founded new schools in which girls studied similar subjects to boys – a far cry from the superficial curriculum they had previously been given.

Today, 21st century girls’ schools come in many different shapes and sizes. Some cater for 100% girls, others provide a predominantly girls-only environment with boys in the nursery and/or sixth form. Some follow a diamond model, with equal numbers of boys but separate classrooms between the ages of 11 to 16.

The GSA encourages high standards of education for girls and promotes the benefits of being taught in a largely girls-only environment. We aim to inform and influence national educational debate and we provide our members and their staff with professional development courses, conferences, advice and opportunities to debate and share best practice.