Stepping from single to mixed sex education : boys' progress and perceptions during the restructuring.

Abstract

In 1999 an independent school in South Australia took the courageous step of introducing coeducation into their single sex boys' school. Mixed sex education was phased in over two years, with girls admitted to Years 7 to 12 in 1999 and Years 3 to 6 in 2000. Progress and perceptions of school climate were measured in all primary and secondary level boys in the school in the inaugural year of coeducation and then annually over the next two years. Hierarchical Linear Modelling analyses revealed an interesting pattern of interrelationships between boys' progress and cohort and grade level group perceptions of satisfaction, cohesiveness and competition within the school. Perceptions of the difficulty of schoolwork were also significantly related to boys' progress during the restructuring period. [Author abstract]