Why boys only?
The question of single sex education has for many years often been the subject of heated discussion. The indisputable fact that the vast majority of top independent schools in annual league tables are single-sex points strongly to the fact that boys and girls are better educated separately. But why is this the case and how do single sex schools provide more successfully for their pupils?
Recent statistics show big differences between girls and boys in attainment at a young age; for example, an average 20 month old girl is likely to have twice the vocabulary of a similarly aged boy. This trend continues across all assessment areas throughout Nursery and Reception. However, the gap is particularly wide in social and emotional development, knowledge of letters, reading, creative development and, most notably, writing. The government recognise that this pattern that continues up to GCSE, when boys outnumber girls by 20% as low achievers.
In a recently DCSF study, it is stated that generally speaking, girls tend to be more ‘compliant and passive recipients of new skills and knowledge’ – these are characteristics that lend themselves ideally to a normal classroom environment.
St John’s ensures that the educational needs of boys are met in the following ways.
• Creative arts is highly regarded and provided for within and outside of the curriculum. Excellent art, drama and music facilities and opportunities for the boys to perform without the social pressures that can occur in a co-educational environment.
• All subjects are taught in as highly practical manner as possible and significant use is made of our historic woods, games fields and other outside areas.
• Whilst girls are often motivated by the task alone (e.g. revising for examinations), boys gain much of their motivation from seeing the relevance of what they are being taught. Our curriculum has been planned with this important point very much at heart. To justify curriculum merely by the fact that it is necessary for a future examination serves to trivialise a topic and place it very much as something that needs to be remembered temporarily rather than understood and expanded upon. The curriculum at St John’s allows for a great many trips and visiting speakers which provide the wider context that is so important to a boy’s learning. Our ‘Magis’ programme takes this important issue still further.
• Outstanding library provision and reading culture throughout the school – books are selected for their appeal to the reading trends of boys.
• With over 40 extra-curricular activities on offer to boys aged from 4 to 13, the school plans every activity with boys in mind. This means that a genuinely wide variety of sports, hobbies and activities can be offered that recognise the creative and personal growth of each boy.
• Each and every boy is offered plenty of physical exercise on a daily basis. This can be in the form of playtime, PE lessons or our Games programme. Boys learn well when they are able to expend their physical energy and enjoy plenty of fresh air.
• All teachers at St John’s participate in the broader educational experience of our pupils, running extra-curricular activities, sports teams and optional trips and various other experiences.
