Harrogate Ladies' College
7 April 2026
Empowering courageous leadership in girls' education
The home of girls’ education since 1874. Inspiring and empowering girls, young women, and those who lead them.
For the girls who will shape the world. For the headteachers who shape them. We are a network of headteachers from outstanding independent and state girls’ schools, united in a shared mission to shape the future of girls’ education.
180+
school leaders in GSA schools
90K+
girls in our schools
The Girls’ Schools Association is a vibrant professional network dedicated to growing purposeful leadership in head teachers and school leaders.
Every event, course and development opportunity is designed specifically for those shaping girls’ education – conferences, seminars, and a unique confidential peer-to-peer roundtable where members navigate difficult conversations together.
In the GSA no one leads alone.
Without distraction or limitation, GSA schools give every girl the freedom to follow her ambitions, embrace her curiosity, explore her interests – and discover exactly what she’s capable of.
GSA schools give every girl the chance to follow her ambitions, embrace her curiosity, explore her interests, and to be inspired by all that life has to offer.
Why choose an
all-girls school?
Our girls seize every opportunity – to grow, to lead, to succeed.
Girls are
40%
more likely to apply for engineering degrees at a Girls’ School
Our girls seize every opportunity – to grow, to lead, to succeed.
Girls in girls’ schools are 2.9× more likely to take Further Maths at A-level than girls in other schools.
Girls in girls’ schools are over twice as likely to take Physics at A-level than girls in other schools.
Girls are more than 3x more likely to apply for economics and 4x more like to apply for math at university.
Girls in girls’ schools are far more likely to apply for STEM degrees: 4× for Maths, 2× for Sciences, and 40% more for Engineering.
Girls from all-girls’ are significantly more likely to pursue STEM degrees at university compared to the national average for girls.
Girls are significantly more likely to study STEM subjects at A-level than their counterparts in mixed schools.
Girls are significantly more likely to study STEM subjects at A-level than their counterparts in mixed schools.
Girls are significantly more likely to study STEM subjects at A-level than their counterparts in mixed schools.
View our full library of research articles
Login to member zone
Our girls play more sport and are rewriting the rules in male dominated sports
Girls play
37%
more sport in our schools
Our girls play more sport and are rewriting the rules in male dominated sports
Girls in girls’ schools are 30% more likely to play football than girls in co-ed schools.
Girls in girls’ schools are 5 times more likely to play cricket compared to girls in co-ed schools.
Nationally, girls’ sport participation drops by 65% between the ages 14 to 18, in girls' schools that figure is just 25%.
Our research shows that girls face unique barriers to participating in sport, including periods, a higher risk of ACL injury, and slower recovery than boys.
View our full library of research articles
Login to member zone
Our girls reach their full academic potential
Girls achieve
20%
higher A-Level grades in girls’ schools
Our girls reach their full academic potential
Girls in girls’ schools are: 2.9 times more likely to take Further Maths, 2.2 times more likely to take Physics, and 2.1 times more likely to take Computer Science at A-Level.
Girls in single-sex schools consistently outperform their peers in co-ed schools.
Girls in girls’ schools GCSE attainment is 22% higher in their best eight subjects than girls in co-ed schools.
Girls in girls' schools are: 38% more likely to take Biology, 78% more likely to take Chemistry, and 86% more likely to take Maths at A-Level.
View our full library of research articles
Login to member zone
Our girls go on to succeed in every profession
84%
of parents feel their girls are empowered to explore every subject equally, supporting future career choices.
Our girls go on to succeed in every profession
Girls’ school alumnae are far more likely to enter STEM careers: 50% have worked in STEM, compared with 8% nationally.
Girls’ school alumnae are more likely to work in finance: 16% compared with 3% nationally.
Girls in girls’ schools are 40% more likely to apply for engineering degrees.
Girls in girls’ schools are three times more likely to apply for economics at university.
View our full library of research articles
Login to member zone
Our girls are more confident, resilient, and calm under pressure
80%
of alumnae, parents and teachers believe their daughter wouldn’t develop the same confidence in a co-ed school
Our girls are more confident, resilient, and calm under pressure
More than 4 in 5 alumnae, teachers and parents think girls develop greater confidence in girls' schools.
Our girls are more resilient than girls in co-ed schools.
80% of teachers agree that teaching methods in girls' schools are tailored to girls’.
Girls with SEND in girls' schools had wellbeing 2.5% points higher than girls with SEND in co-ed schools.
View our full library of research articles
Login to member zone
Our events
Everything from senior leadership development to student summer programmes – designed exclusively for GSA schools.
View all upcoming events
