A growing movement towards co-education and away from single-sex schools in the private sector has been highlighted by new research from the Independent Schools Council (ISC).

The number of single-sex independent schools has fallen between 2008 and 2017, according to data taken from the annual census carried out among ISC schools.

Girls’ schools made up 15 per cent of the ISC’s membership in 2008, but this proportion has fallen to 11 per cent in 2017 - a drop of 47 schools. Meanwhile, boys’ schools made up 10 per cent of the ISC’s membership in 2008, but just 8 per cent this year - a drop from 125 to 103 schools.

By contrast, the number of ISC schools with a roughly equal number of boys and girls (with a student population including between 50 per cent and 54 per cent of girls) has more than doubled.

The number increased from 65 schools in 2008 to 138 schools in 2017 - with the proportion of ISC members in that bracket rising from 5 per cent to 11 per cent.