The program – where pupils from Pymble Ladies’ College and Saint Ignatius’ College Riverview spend four weeks at a property in the north-west – was set up by the century-old girls’ school in a bid to create more co-ed experiences.
Year 12 students at Pymble Ladies’ College in Sydney.Jessica Hromas
“Students are away from home for a month. There are no mobile phones,and boys and girls join co-ed learning groups and outdoor lessons,” PLC’s principal Kate Hadwen said. “Last year it was ridiculously over-subscribed.”
Almost 250 year 9 students from both schools will attend these camps over the course of the year.
As the long-running debate about single-sex schools intensifies – and more Sydney boys’ schools shift to co-ed – Hadwen insists that PLC,where tuition fees tip over the $36,000 mark,is an example of how demand for all-girls education is growing.
“Normally enrolments spike in year 7,but now there’s high demand across primary years too. Historically,that is not a trend that we’ve seen.”
But she concedes that some co-ed interaction,including the school’s residential program with Riverview,is beneficial. “It’s not tokenistic;we are making sure that boys and girls are coming together in ways that will benefit the students,” Hadwen said.
Last year,PLC was among the 18 private non-selective all-girls schools that ranked in the top 50 in the Higher School Certificate. Five non-selective boys’ schools made the top list.
Three non-selective private schools appeared in the top 10 list,including all-girls institutions SCEGGS Darlinghurst and Abbotsleigh,but it was the 20-year-old
Girls’ schools outshining boys in the HSC is not new,and 2022 was no exception:all-girls private schools had an average success rate of 28.6 per cent in the HSC,compared with all-boys at 19.5 per cent. Catholic all-girls schools also beat their all-boys counterparts when looking at average success rates in last year’s final exams.
Last year theHerald reported
But professor of educational psychology at UNSW Andrew Martin said while there is evidence girls’ schools do better academically,once controlled for students’ socio-economic background,the difference between co-ed and single-sex schools narrows.
“There are many co-ed schools doing brilliantly,” Martin said. “The good school is one that understands their students and delivers the best education for them. Good co-ed schools will encourage girls to take STEM subjects and boys into arts subjects.”
A new Alliance of Girls’ Schools Australasia survey of 44 independent girls’ schools in NSW found that the vast majority had increased demand for places in 2023. Private Sydney girls’ schools reported an average 2.4 per cent increase in enrolments and a 3.5 per cent rise in primary schools.
Loren Bridge,AGSA’s executive officer,believes there is less gender stereotyping in girls-only schools,and in that environment girls are more assertive,and more likely to select subjects traditionally dominated by boys.
– Barker and The Armidale School have both switched to co-ed and Cranbrook will make the shift in 2026 – girls’ schools feel little pressure to do the same.
“There is this idea that single-sex schools are an anachronism and their demise is coming. But we refute that,” Bridge said.
Students Alyssa Yee and Sophie Waters at Pymble Ladies’ College with principal Kate Hadwen.Jessica Hromas
Martin said one reason boys’ schools are under more pressure to go co-ed is when “things go wrong at boys’ schools it’s often visible,like behaviour issues and student conduct. Boys going co-ed tends to be more top of mind in public debate,” he said.
Monash University’s Professor Helen Forgasz said while single-sex girls’ schools market themselves well to parents,there are many social benefits to co-education.
“In girls’ schools,if bullying does occur,it might not be publicly discussed … and boys-only schools appear in the headlines a lot more.”
But as girls-only schools report increased demand,the number of private single-sex schools across NSW is dwindling:there are 68 private single-sex schools,down from 79 in 2012.
The ongoing debate also isn’t limited to the private system:this week,the NSW government released a consultation that will ask parents their views on merging Randwick Girls’ and Boys’ High School.
A similar proposal was floated by the Coalition government in the lead-up to the March 2018 election to
Hadwen believes ongoing debate about single-sex schools versus co-ed is “too polarised … I think we can have a more nuanced view.”
“One of the things I feel strongly about is we can have single-sex schools and plenty of opportunities for girls to interact with boys,” she said.
“I’m a firm believer that parents know their children best – and make the best decisions for them.”
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