Tasmanian single-sex public high schools agree to join for classes

There are claims Tasmanian parents no longer have the option of sending their kids to single-sex public high schools after a decision to combine classes was allegedly made without consultation.

Ogilvie High School is an all girls public high school in New Town.

TASMANIA’S only public boys and girls high schools’ decision to combine classes threatens to boil over as the state schools association reveals parents haven’t been consulted.

New Town boys and Ogilvie girls public high schools have already started sharing classes this year.

“Why weren’t we told, where was the public consultation?,” state schools association president Nigel Jones said.

“Where was the community transparency? Parents wanting to send their kids to a single-sex public high school now don’t have that option.”

New Town High School. Picture: Eddie Safarik

As part of a memorandum of understanding signed last year between the two schools, each school is offering specialised courses of study, with some students undertaking programs at both campuses.

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New Town, founded in 1919, and Ogilvie, founded in 1937, are two of Tasmania’s oldest highest schools and were the only two schools offering public single-sex education.

A Department of Education list of 2019 Tasmanian public school levies released under RTI revealed Ogilvie was the state’s fourth most expensive high school ahead of New Town – the sixth most expensive.

“I think moving forward with the future of these schools a can of worms has been opened,” Mr Jones said.

In a school newsletter released last week New Town Principal David Kilpatrick said: “We are entering an exciting phase of our school’s history as we develop our co-ed classes in Year 9 to 12”.

“This style of education is becoming popular in many well established independent schools across Australia. We currently have 240 students in thirteen co-ed subjects across Ogilvie and New Town High,” Mr Kilpatrick said.

“Our schools association will be actively involved in designing new opportunities for co-ed classes at our school.”

Mr Jones said the principal’s comments weren’t adequate community consultation.

“New Town High School principal David Kilpatrick says he is excited about the great things happening at the school. But I think there might be some parents who aren’t as thrilled.”

The partnership, which also involves some collaboration with Elizabeth College, sees the introduction of co-ed classes for Years 9 and 10 across both New Town and Ogilvie, with more than 10 co-ed subjects offered.

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Co-ed classes have been rolled out for Years 11 and 12 across all three schools after Ogilvie and New Town introduced grades 11 and 12 learning this year.

“I question if this is a backdoor method to eliminate single sex schools in Tasmania. A lot of questions need to be answered,” Mr Jones said.

“It’s been rolled out to years 9 and 10 now – is this just the first step? Will it be grades 7 and 8 next year? I think there is another agenda here that needs to be called out.”