The great school debate

Single-sex or mixed – the great schools debate

By Rachel Jones, Families TVW Editor

Cambridge University – amongst the most traditional of educational institutions – has announced that one of its last remaining women-only colleges will accept men. It is a move that is increasingly being reflected in the independent schools sector. Settings that have been single sex since time began are, one-byone, moving to co-education. In the Thames Valley, some well know girls- or boys-only schools have announced a change of direction this year – from The Oratory near Reading to Rupert House in Henley-on-Thames.

Others remain resolutely single sex, and claim it makes for more focused, uninhibited pupils who achieve better. Nationally, each of the top ten independent schools (by GCSE results) teach boys or girls discretely.

Alun Jones, former President of the Girls’ Schools Association, makes a good case for the performance gap: “If you have a very bright, very driven, very focused, very articulate lady (which a lot of girls are), that intimidates a boy in the classroom, especially those of average ability. The result is that boys don’t put their hands up to answer questions or they indulge in immature behaviour to avoid being shown up. Boys are falling behind as girls are doing better. Boys will put their hands up if they feel safe; they won’t if they are in fear of being ridiculed or humiliated.”

Those who champion co-education claim it better prepares children for the real world. Slightly lower grades are, it is suggested, a price worth paying for increased confidence and social skills, and being more at ease with the opposite sex. They maintain that girls and boys can learn from each other in the classroom, and that great teaching is about

adapting for the different personality types – not just genders – you come across in any classroom. There is one point on which many educationalists agree. Every child is different and the most important challenge is to find the school in which you think yours will thrive, and which dovetails with your family’s values – whether that be co-education or single sex. The debate is bound to rumble on, and I for one think it can never be resolved. The grass is green on both sides of this particular educational fence.

I spoke to the headteachers from several schools across Berkshire and South Oxfordshire about why they believe their particular model works.

The Oratory The Oratory Schools Association near Reading – a longstanding boys-only senior school with a mixed prep – has recently announced that itwill be accepting girls throughout from September 2020. Governors and the senior leadership team made the move in the interests of equity. Headteacher Joe Smith explains: “We wanted to remove the barrier to girls coming through the school, and to provide equal access to the excellent education that our boys enjoy. Our parents tell us that they want their daughters to be educated – and, in the case of boarders, to live – alongside their sons. Logistically, it can be very challenging to have siblings at different schools. In talking to our parents, it became clear that they are choosing

“Teaching the core subjects separately ensures that no child feels dispirited or distracted, and can fulfil his or her own potential.” David Fleming, Brockhurst & MarlstonHouse

The Oratory for a range of reasons – the atmosphere, ethos, personal attention, academic results – rather than because we were single sex.”

Some aspects of PSHE and RSE are likely to be taught separately to give pupils more freedom to express themselves without feeling self-conscious. Mr Smith accepts that the change will not be without its challenges: “Good teachers can accommodate the differences in learning styles, and we will be providing plenty of preparation and training. Boys and girls are not a different species.

“In my experience, personality type has a greater impact on learning styles than gender. Having said that, boys are often inherently competitive – if the advent of bright, articulate girls in the classroom encourages them to ‘up their game’, that can only be a good thing. If the influence of boys makes some of the girls more academically robust and confident in standing their ground in a debate, that is also a positive.”

Rupert House School Clare Lynas, head teacher at Rupert House School in Henley-on-Thames agrees: “Learning styles vary greatly according to the individual and not simply by gender. However, there

are significant numbers of children who benefit from, for example, anactive and physical approach to learning. This will include some boys and some girls. The vast majority of our staff were trained and gained their teaching experience in co-ed schools, and are very aware of the learning styles and needs of different groups of children. We would automatically plan for this by differentiating in our schemes of work and lesson plans.”

Boys currently leave Rupert House School at the end of year 2 but, from September, will be welcome until the end of Year 6 along with their female peers. Mrs Lynas explains the rationale: “It is a natural progression for us as a school. Firstly, our boys have benefitted from the excellent foundations provided by our Pre- Prep School and then gone on to win accolades and prizes in their next schools. We want to keep these capable boys and allow them to carry on working alongside the girls whom they have known since Nursery. There does seem to be a movement, nationally, towards greater co-education and we felt that our parents would like that option. In the past, prospective parents have been very keen on the school until they learned that their son would have to move.”

Brockhurst School

Luckley House Like Rupert House, Luckley House School has made the move from all-girls to co-education with great support from existing and potential parents. The small school in Wokingham now has around 300 pupils on-roll between the ages of 11 and 18. Headteacher Jane Tudor is

10 • Henley • Reading • Wokingham • Bracknell • Newbury • West Berkshire familiesonline.co.uk

passionate about the school’s ethos, which recognises the inherent and creative value in every child. This leads the school’s approach to learning and pastoral care more than assumptions about the difference in ability and performance between girls and boys. Jane has personal experience of gender stereotyping. A science and maths-loving child who happily ‘knocked out’ her homework on the school bus, she was once criticised by a teacher for ‘working like a boy’!

Jane says: “Trying topigeon-hole learners into what their gender says does

“Trying to pigeon-hole learners into what their gender says does young people a disservice.” Jane Tudor, Luckley House.

young people a disservice. As a small school, we have the luxury of knowing every pupil well and ensuring that they are individually progressing well. It would be fair to say that you often have to work a little harder to engage the boys, but that is the mark of a great teacher, and dynamic teaching can only benefit the girls too.” Jane argues that too much store can be placed on the co-ed versus single sex debate. “For me, there are far more important factors for families to consider when choosing a school. Are the children happy and relaxed? Does day-to-day life feel calm, reassuring and purposeful? What are you seeing on the walls – is it versions of the same thing, or originality? All that is what sets apart a great school.”

Brockhurst & Marlston House Brockhurst & Marlston House Schools at Hermitage, near Newbury believes it takes the best from both single sex and coeducation in a ‘diamond model’. Pre-preparatory children are mixed, before being separated into boys (Brockhurst) and girls (Marlston House) until year 7, when they are finally reunited for the last two years. Throughout the single sex years, the two schools share facilities, and boys and girls are mixed for many of their extracurricula activities, plus meal times and assemblies. Their classrooms are adjoining, with pupils coming together for certain lessons.

Headteacher, David Fleming, believes that girls and boys often learn in different ways and at

different rates, and are happier and more successful if they are taught separately for the formative years. He says: “While much is down to the nature of the child, girls tend to mature earlier; they work well collaboratively and are more confident in areas like reading. Boys’ concentration can be less and they respond well to subject matter that taps into their interests, so we find that they are more engaged with shorter, more focused tasks with plenty of variety. Teaching the core subjects separately ensures that no child feels dispirited or distracted, and can fulfil his or her ownpotential.

“By mixing the children outside the classroom, they still have the opportunity to socialise and to learn from each other. There is little trouble readjusting in Year

7 when our classes become co-educational, or for those pupils that move on to a mixed secondary school.” Teaching the sexes separately until Year 6 also enables teaching staff to prepare the children for their next educational step – sometimes at 11+ entry for girls, and otherwise 13+ Common Entrance for boys. David acknowledges that there is a performance gap between boys and girls throughout their schooling. “You cannot deny the data. Boys do get there – but often not until their University Finals!”

Horris Hill School Flying the flag for single sex schools is Horris Hill in Newbury – a boarding and day preparatory school for boys aged 7 to 13. Headteacher, Giles Tollit, says: “We believe that the period from 4 - 13 years of age is the most critical in any boy’s life. These are the years where the foundations of the men they can become are laid. At such a crucial stage in their cultural development, we believe that an all-boys’ school provides the optimal setting where boys will exercise their intellectual inquisitiveness, free to explore all avenues, building self-confidence and awareness in a safe and encouraging environment.”

With a history stretching back 130 years, the staff at Horris Hill draw from a great collective understanding of educating boys. “We know and understand boys,” adds Giles. “We celebrate and

support them, and are not surprised by what they do. Boys are not held back by being negatively compared to girls (who, for several crucial years are quite a bit better at most things!), or because they

Rupert House School

shy away from activities which are seen as more for girls. Of course, there is no such thing as a perfect school, and families must be aware of what they need to provide at home to complete the package.”

familiesonline.co.ukEmail: editor@familiestvw.co.uk • Tel:07968 711937

Families Thames Valley West • 11