Best learning environment may be one without the opposite sex

Many states have no single-sex public schools despite the evidence for them, says Loren Bridge

MANY families in Tasmania are fortunate to have a choice between government-funded co-educational and single-sex schools. In most states and territories, families are not so lucky. In Queensland, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory, only independent and Catholic schools provide single-sex options. There are no state single-sex schools.

The debate over single-sex verses co-ed schooling often polarises opinions. While we each have our own school experience, schooling has changed and how do we know which model is best for our 21st century children.

Proponents of co-education argue that our world and specifically our workplaces are co-ed therefore our schools too should be co-ed. But the reality for women is that our world and workplaces, while mixed gender, are a long way from being gender-equal.

Research into gender bias shows girls as young as four perceive themselves to be less powerful than boys, and by five children are well on their way to learning gender stereotypes. In high school girls are more likely to view their maths ability as “below average” and there’s a significant difference between girls’ and boys’ subject choices with fewer girls participating in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and fewer boys taking creative and humanities subjects. Once in the workplace, women are not represented equally in senior leadership roles and earn on average 19 per cent less than their male counterparts.

In contrast, girls’ schools provide a unique environment where girls don’t have to compete with boys for leadership positions or their teachers’ attention. Nor do they have to conform to gender stereotypes or deal with unwanted sexual attention. They thrive in subjects typically dominated by boys, and learn their own worth, beliefs and value without social pressure from boys. Girls’ schools provide a safe space for girls to learn to combat the gender bias and sexism that still exist in universities, workplaces and broader communities, so that when girls leave school they feel confident to lead and work alongside males as equals.

Girls are increasingly subjected to pressure from the media and social media over body image. They are victims of unwanted sexting, sexual harassment and exposure to pornography. The rise in anxiety, depression and selfharm in girls and young women is a major concern with a 2016 Mission Australia report finding nearly 30 per cent exhibited symptoms of a

serious mental illness. Girls’ schools are uniquely placed to support students through these complex issues, because girls’ schools specialise in girls. From teaching and pastoral care to enterprise and leadership programs, the focus is on what’s best for girls.

At our student leadership conferences, girls tell a familiar story. Their all-girls school is where they can be themselves, feel supported and confident and escape the intrusion of sexualisation into their lives. Girls are able to value themselves and each other as independent entities. They are not subjected to the male scrutiny and gender stereotyping that can diminish a girl’s identity and sense of a possible future. As one student put it, “You’re able to be more open … everyone has an equal chance to speak up and be heard”. And on boys, “There’s plenty of opportunities to socialise with boys outside of school but at school my focus is on learning”.

In some countries, notably the US, single-sex education is on the rise, supported by a growing body of research showing students do better academically in single-sex learning environments.

In Australia, co-education is by far the dominant model (about 88 per cent of secondary schools) and the driver is economies of scale and enrolment numbers, not students’ (and definitely not girls’) academic, social and emotional wellbeing. What’s the bottom line? The best educational environment may just be one without the opposite sex. Single-sex learning environments increase student confidence, provide a safe place to develop identities and could help reduce to the gender gap. If we want fearless, strong girls who challenge gender bias and stereotypes and step up and lead, we need to ensure parents have the option to choose a girls’ school.