A recent analysis of NAPLAN results says boys and girls tend to perform slightly better academically in segregated environments.

Data from 304 single-sex schools across Australia suggests that, adjusting for socio-educational factors, the study by Catholic Schools NSW, using NAPLAN data from 2019 to 2022, the advantage was particularly prominent in boys' schools. 

Boys in these schools typically scored 11 to 12 points higher in numeracy compared to their co-ed counterparts.

For girls, attending single-sex schools translated to an average of three points higher in numeracy compared to co-ed attendees, once social background differences were considered.

Despite these advantages, the proportion of students in single-sex schools slightly declined from 7.2 per cent in 2018 to 7 per cent in 2022. 

This shift is attributed to some boys' schools opening their doors to girls, such as Sydney's Marist Catholic College North Shore and Marist school Corpus Christi College.

In 2026, Cranbrook in Bellevue Hill will admit girls, and Newington College in Stanmore is considering a similar move.

However, Dr Katherine Dix from Flinders University has cautioned against overvaluing single-sex schools' academic benefits, based on her analysis of NAPLAN data from 2010 to 2012. 

She found that boys' schools held a one-term advantage in numeracy over girls' schools but ultimately found no added academic value over time when compared to co-ed schools.

Dix suggested that the enduring appeal of girls' schools might be attributed to the values they promote, which align with the aspiration to empower independent young women. 

This motivation seems less applicable to boys' schools.

While the academic advantages of single-sex schools appear evident in NAPLAN data, the debate over the value of these schools continues, with various factors influencing parental decisions in choosing the right educational environment for their children.

More details are accessible here.