Single-sex versus coeducational schooling

One of the biggest concerns (and sources of confusion!) for parents deciding where to send their children is whether to send them to a coeducational or single-sex school. Plenty of research has been carried out on the topic, but no conclusive evidence exists about which method works best and for whom. Recent years have seen a number of single-sex schools converting to a coeducational system, in some cases because it allows schools to provide a larger number of academic and co-curricular options for their students.

The decision is made easy for some parents due to family tradition, religious values or a lack of schooling options in their area. But for those parents who are sitting on the fence, there are a range of academic, co-curricular and social considerations that need to be made. Weighing up some of these factors will hopefully give you a better idea of which system you would prefer for your child. When considering the information below, also note that some of these considerations might also be affected by other factors, such as school size and school sector.

Key considerations:

  • Choice: The majority of schools are coeducational, with single-sex options typically less common on the whole and concentrated in metropolitan areas.
  • Cost: While single-sex schools can be found across the independent, Catholic and government sectors, schools are more typically independent or Catholic, so cost may be a factor.
  • Co-curricular programs: Co-curricular programs, sports, camps and excursions may be more limited in single-sex schools, where the more limited student body may make it less feasible to offer a multitude of co-curricular options. The school networks used for activities such as inter-school sports might also differ depending on whether the school is coeducational or single-sex. Be sure to investigate the availability of co-curricular options and ensure that you are happy with the range and type of options on offer.
  • Socialisation: One of the main arguments for coeducational schooling is that it allows students greater opportunities to socialise with the opposite gender and is therefore deemed to better prepare them for life after school. Keep in mind, though, that many single-sex schools will have brother or sister schools, which allow students opportunities for social interaction with the opposite gender on some occasions, such as school visit days, socials, dances and musicals.
  • Learning style: One of the main arguments presented for single-sex schooling is that they may be able to cater better to the different learning styles of either boys or girls. This follows a widespread belief that the academic learning styles, interests and maturity levels differ between girls and boys (and at varying ages). This is apparent in the fact that a number of schools that have recently made the transition to coeducation have maintained single-sex academic classes. For example, some have mostly single-sex classes but allow boys and girls to socialise in the school grounds, and some have single-sex classes (and even campuses) in middle years (often from ages 12 to 15) and mixed classes in senior years. Some schools argue that this method allows girls to achieve better results in subjects in which boys typically outperform them (such as science and mathematics) and vice versa.
  • Academic choice: Depending on the size of the school, you may find that the breadth of academic subjects may be compromised in some single-sex schools, particularly in senior years. Keep in mind, though, that in schools where there is less breadth in the curriculum, provisions may be made for students to attend another school to complete particular subjects.
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