Selecting a school for your son can be an overwhelming and deliberating decision for a parent. Choosing a school is difficult enough, let alone having to decide between coeducation or single-sex education. The benefits of a single-sex education are countless — an all-boys school truly knows boys, so their ethos, approach and teaching is specifically tailored to meet their needs.
Here are some of the benefits of a single-sex education.
Tailored curriculum
Each individual, whether boy or girl, learns in their own way. However, evidence suggests that boys and girls learn inversely. Boys show more areas in the brain dedicated to spatial-mechanical strengths, whereas girls focus on verbal-emotive processing. Research also shows that boys’ brains need more rest time during a day of learning as ‘zoning out’ is more common. Such research heightens the advantages of a single-sex education as schools are able to tailor their curriculum to align with such learning styles.
Ability to self-reflect
Boys are able to discover their own identity and self-reflect within an environment free from stereotypes, especially during their adolescent years where the influence of gender roles can form. Boys are more likely to explore interests without conforming to the pressure of others or the need to impress the other sex. This is a vital component during adolescence as it sets them up for their critical academic years in the future.
Increased social confidence
There are views that single-sex education can shelter children from the reality of living in a mixed-gender world. However, there is little evidence to support this view. Evidence has proven that the confidence gained in single-sex education has such a profound impact on students that it allows them to naturally strengthen mixed-gender relationships outside of school.
Cohorts form naturally
The social and gender pressures present in coeducation schooling are found to be absent in single-sex education, enabling boys to develop natural friendships without the demands of segregated groups and cliques. Boys are able to form a camaraderie full of respect for one other — respect being one of the most important traits to attain from a young age.
By selecting a single-sex education for your son, he will have the opportunity to flourish academically and socially. These are just a few of the benefits of a single-sex education for your son. Selecting a school for your son can also involve many other factors dependant on what is most important for your son and family.
If you are interested in learning more about life at Christ Church Grammar School and how our approach to single-sex education benefits boys, download our Prospectus.
