Its waves, inspired by a schoolgirl’s flowing tresses - although no one liked to be reminded of this, have been replaced by three bold capital letters. And just in case there was any lingering soupcon of femininity, the background colour on the stationery is blue.

“We decided it was time for a change,” said GSA president Lynda Warrington, headteacher of Bradford girls’ grammar school. “With the old logo, there was mixed feeling within the association as to whether it was loved or loathed.”

It seems that “loathed” won the day. For the past year, executive members have been working behind cosed doors on a make-over of the association’s image. Together with the logo, they have a new website: www.girls-schools.org.uk.

“We decided that we wanted a smarter image in line with our thinking,” said Mrs Warrington. “We feel it’s a very good time for girls’ schools. We feel they are coming in to their own.

“It was time to make ourselves more prominent and let people know what we are about.”

But as delegates received their packs for the GSA’s annual conference in Wales next week, some lamented the passing of the old logo. “I couldn’t believe it when I opened the envelope,” said one. “The circle with two wavy quiffs had gone and there were these very blunt, rather stern three

letters.”

Alison Brace