Principal

Single-Sex Schools: Part of the Past or Part of a Vibrant Future??

In the last few weeks, we have been bombarded with the news that there are changes afoot in a couple of the independent boys’ colleges in Sydney. Citing the recent concerns about boys and the matter of “consent” and “right relationships”, Cranbrook is exploring moving to a coeducational model.  Furthermore, St Aloysius' College at Milsons Point has announced that remote learning could become a permanent fixture in a sign that a behaviour shift brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic could be sticking around. The remote approach would involve each school student in Year 11 and 12 spending three days per fortnight undertaking remote learning in an online environment and will allow the school to increase its enrolment capacity. Trinity Grammar School at Summer Hill has already introduced a fortnightly lesson-free Monday for Year 12, a focus day, to allow for boys to develop skills in self-management.

What about St Patrick’s? A college nearing its centenary…… 

I have been asked regularly about what the school’s plans are for the future. Are we going coeducational? Are we moving to a part-time model in Stage 6? The answer to both questions is no. Regarding remote learning models, we are fortunate to have a wonderful campus and can accommodate the needs of our college within its existing footprint. 

St Patrick’s is fully committed to the education of boys from Years 5 to 12 and indeed, it is recognised as a centre of excellence in boys’ education. I am concerned that the issues around “consent” and “right relationships” has been conflated to questioning the existence of boys’ schools. The way that young people relate to one another is an issue for both boys and girls and in all environments, be it single-sex schools or coeducational schools. Our college will not suit the needs of all boys however, we work hard to ensure that the boys can reach their full potential.

There is research that has shown that single-sex schools have many advantages for their students. Overall, students educated in single-sex schools have more confidence than their coeducational peers and perform better academically. In addition, these students tend to not feel the pressures of gender roles and learn to pursue areas that interest them no matter what is considered socially acceptable for their biological sex. Though it is impossible to make conclusions about all same-sex schools, the following is commonplace for most of them. 

A More Relaxed Environment

Even though many boys' and girls' schools demonstrate high standards of education, they often have more relaxed environments than their coeducational counterparts. These are cultivated in the absence of gendered desires to impress. When students are among peers that are physically like them, they do not feel as if they must prove something about their biological sex, as is often the case for girls and boys in traditional schools.

In addition to being true to themselves and behaving as they please, students in single-sex schools are more willing to take risks when they are not afraid of failing in front of the opposite sex. The resulting classrooms are often dynamic, free, and bursting with ideas and conversation—all hallmarks of a great education.

Same-sex schooling also reduces the formation of cliques in some cases. With oppressive gender stereotypes and gender distraction out of the picture, students can concentrate on their studies and cocurricular activities. Some experts say that this lack of pressure and competition gives rise to more welcoming attitudes toward peers of the same biological sex and the easier formation of platonic relationships as well.

Less Gender Stereotyping

Gender stereotypes rarely find their way into and impact same-sex schools, though they persist outside of them. In coeducational schools, students speak and behave in the interest of affirming their gender-related self-concept. In same-sex schools, this is a much less prominent issue and students worry less about whether their behaviour is masculine or feminine enough for how they would like to be perceived.

Teachers in traditional schools tend to unconsciously (and unfairly) differentiate between males and females in their classroom when it comes to academics, behaviour, and discipline—sex-segregated schools could not do this even if they wanted to. Overall, students in same-sex schools are less likely to feel pressured to act "correctly" in terms of cultural standards for their sex in the eyes of their teachers and peers.

A Curriculum Tailored to Student Needs and Interests

Some same-sex schools train their teachers in gender-specific teaching so that they can take full advantage of the opportunities a sex-segregated classroom affords. Same-sex schools make certain studies more productive and meaningful than coeducational schools.

Teachers at all-male schools can teach books that speak to the male experience. A class discussion of Hamlet in these schools might involve studying the complicated formation of a young man's identity. In an all-female school, students can read books with strong heroines such as Jane Eyre to understand how women's lives are affected by prevailing attitudes toward their sex and how they prevail despite these. Carefully selected topics can benefit students by speaking to the nuanced experiences of a single sex.

[Adapted from Grossberg, Blythe. "3 Advantages of Single-Sex Schools." ThoughtCo, Feb. 16, 2021, thoughtco.com/advantages-of-single-sex-schools-2774613]

Mother's Day Masses

I am looking forward to seeing you on Friday and once again apologise to those mothers who missed out. We will strive to address this for 2022! In the meantime, a reminder that if you do not have a ticket, you will not be able to be accommodated in the Gym as seating is limited. Our COVID-19 plan will be adhered to and there will be staff marking off the attendees as they arise. 

That does not stop our boys making a fuss of their mothers on Sunday! Going to mass together on Sunday after breakfast in bed is still a beautiful way to celebrate this day and receive God’s blessings for the gift of our mothers.

Mother’s Day Mass Tips

Please note the following tips to prepare for Friday’s Masses:

• Your name needs to be on the list for access
• Doors will open 30 minutes prior to each Mass, not earlier, as per the following:
  
  - 7.15am for Hanrahan, Hickey, Rice and
  - 9.30am for Berg, Coghlan, Crichton
   
• Masses will start right on time, so we ask people to give enough time to enter, having their names marked off at the door.
• You will only be able to enter from the two back doors of the Gym: 
  
  - A – K surnames are to go down the path next to the Back Ovals and 
  - L – Z surnames are to go down the Waterford House Driveway.
   
• You will not be able to enter the glass doors near the pool for any reason.
• Please do not bring anybody who is not ticketed.
• Please join in the singing and responses in Mass.
• The College day will run as normal with classes for all students.  Period 1 will commence at 8.40am with Homeroom slightly later in the day.
• We have now decided to Livestream the 7.45am Mass for those Mothers who missed out on attending.  It will not be a big production.  Please use this link to connect - Mothers' Day Mass Livestream Link 7.45am

We wish all Mums and mother-figures a wonderful day on Sunday and pray for each of you in your journey of service and love.

In Memoriam

We keep in our prayers Jamie (Year 6), Riley (Year 8) and their dad, Paul Padd (Old Boy) on the loss of the boys’ grandfather, Joseph Padd who passed away last week. 

Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon him. 

May he rest in peace. 

Amen.

Dr Vittoria Lavorato

Principal

SPC boys can do anything! *

*except divide by zero