Korowa Anglican Girls' School

Why A Single Sex Junior School?

14 May 2008

At a Parent Seminar entitled ‘Beyond Sugar and Spice' on the same evening, Dr Sax spoke about the profound differences in the brains of boys and girls in the primary years of schooling. During this period, girls can be 4 years ahead of boys of the same age in terms of fine motor co-ordination and language development. At the same stage, boys can be 4 years ahead of girls of the same age in terms of gross motor co-ordination and spatial understanding. Although these differences shrink as children grow into adulthood, they are so large that the primary classroom must accommodate these huge variations in development.

Dr Sax was emphatic that it is almost impossible for a teacher to cater adequately for the needs of boys and girls in one classroom, and that we do a disservice to our children if the teaching program does not meet their needs in these crucial years. He pointed out that boys will need specific work on skills such as language and handwriting while girls will need work on physical skills such as running and catching as well as spatial mathematics including geometry. Friendship issues are different for girls and boys too. Teachers in girls' schools are much more likely to understand the specific learning needs of girls and the motivation that girls bring to the classroom. Our Junior School is completely focussed on the emotional, social, physical, spiritual and learning needs of primary aged girls from Prep to Year 5.

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