Sydney parents turn their backs on state boys' schools

Story here. Excerpt:

'Parents are turning their backs on state boys' schools, forcing the government to consider opening their doors to girls in a bold attempt to address Sydney schools' overcrowding crisis.

Families living in catchments where single-sex schools are the only public high school option are demanding better access to mixed gender education for their children.

Parents of boys are particularly concerned; data reveals enrolments at girls' schools outnumber those at neighbouring boys' schools by up to 50 per cent. As the government spends billions on building more schools to meet population growth, that's a lot of empty desks.

Parents advocating for more mixed gender options say schools should reflect the reality of the adult world, and point to research that shows there is no difference in academic achievement between single-sex and co-ed schools.

But parents of girls, who have historically resisted proposals to merge schools, argue there is evidence that girls do better in all-female environments during early puberty, especially when it comes to science and maths.

In the Randwick catchment, where the closest out-of-area co-ed school is full, one option being considered by the government and advocated by locals – including the Randwick Boys' principal – is to keep the girls' school but make the boys' school co-ed.'