The survey highlighted initial concerns from some parents regarding the lack of co-ed options in their area, but they later recognized the benefits of single-sex education for their children. Balgowlah Boys High was ranked as the top comprehensive school in the previous year’s HSC, surpassing both selective and private schools. Mackellar Girls also saw success, ranking fifth among comprehensives, while Asquith Boys showed significant improvements in band 6 scores. Discussions have been held with parents about potential changes to five schools on the northern beaches, including the possibility of merging Asquith Girls and Boys, as well as Moorefield Girls’ and James Cook Boys’ High in Kogarah.
Mackellar Girls parent Meg Garrido expressed that single-sex education is suitable for her daughter, Violet, and many parents value the strong academic results and positive culture of the school. Parents appreciate the expertise of teachers in delivering girls’ education and feel that expanding access to co-ed schools may diminish the choices available to them. Asquith Girls P&C president Lisa Rothwell voiced concerns about the lack of communication from the department regarding a possible co-ed move, questioning why Asquith Girls was chosen for conversion while other single-sex schools remain untouched. Balgowlah Heights Public parent Annalies Hodge, however, expressed a preference for co-ed high schools to better prepare her children for life after school and normalize interactions with the opposite sex.
In response to declining student numbers in some single-sex state schools, the government is considering adjustments to more than 30 catchments to provide families in single-sex school zones with co-ed options. There have been proposals to add comprehensive streams to selective schools, such as Manly Selective, up to year 9, causing concerns among parents about potential disruptions. Research indicates that single-sex schools tend to outperform co-ed schools in academic performance, but this advantage narrows when considering socio-economic background and parents’ education levels. However, boys’ schools have made progress in narrowing the gap in academic performance compared to co-ed schools.
The government has announced plans to merge single-sex schools to create new co-campuses at Randwick High, Liverpool High, and Georges River College. A comprehensive consultation process has been conducted in the northern beaches, Hornsby, and Kogarah areas, with feedback being considered to provide updates to the communities later in the year. Parents and stakeholders have raised concerns about the potential impact of these changes on student well-being, academic outcomes, and sense of belonging. Overall, the debate over single-sex versus co-ed education continues, with parents weighing the academic advantages of single-sex schools against the benefits of a more diverse co-educational environment.
