BATHURST has bucked the state-wide trend of declining student numbers at single-sex high schools.
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The number of single-sex schools in NSW declined by around 20 per cent in the last two decades according to school associations data.
In addition, the number of single-sex Catholic high schools dropped from 46 to 36 since 1996, while independent single-sex high schools dropped from 69 in 1997 to 58.
By comparison, 39 co-educational independent schools were added in the last decade, and the number of co-ed Catholic schools rose from 60 in 1996 to 73.
But at Bathurst’s two single-sex high schools – St Stanislaus’ College and MacKillop College – enrolments have remained stable.
MacKillop has 608 students this year, up 9.5 per cent on the 555 students they had in 2008.
While Stannies’ declined by 1.8 per cent over the same time period – from 613 students to 602.
But MacKillop principal Maureen Moore said it is the college’s continuing excellence in education that encourages parents to choose to send their children there.
“We find parents are very much in favour of all-girls schools,” she said.
Mrs Moore said girls “flourish” from not having boys interrupt their learning during what may be thought of as traditionally male subjects like maths and science.
“It’s a higher sense of independence and the girls don’t have boys put them down and it gives them a sense of confidence,” she said.
“Girls can do anything and here they have the opportunity for every role at the school.
“Boys can be a distracting influence.”
While public speaking and debating may not be strong subjects at co-ed schools, they are at MacKillop according to Mrs Moore.
She said girls do not miss out on the social aspect of interacting with boys as MacKillop and Stannies students regularly get together for learning and social activities.
“We see the girls have got the best of both worlds because of the social aspect,” she said.
Mrs Moore said science proves girls benefit from the single-sex school environment, but research is “mixed” for the benefits to boys.
St Stanislaus’ College head of college Dr Anne Wenham was contacted for this story but was unavailable for comment.