Single-sex schools reveal why boys beat girls in NAPLAN numeracy results
When it comes to boys and girls results in NAPLAN there is a big difference. SEE THE RESULTS
Girls have performed higher overall on NAPLAN despite boys achieving considerably better in the numeracy metric as principals weigh in on the different teaching methods adopted by single sex schools.
NAPLAN results for every school across the country were released on Wednesday with on average girls achieving higher scores than boys for 2025.
Interestingly, however, year five boys achieved higher than girls in the numeracy metric with more than double reaching the “exceeding” level.
It comes as experts saying boys require a more “structured and logistical” approach to being taught content than girls.
While 11.9 per cent of year 5 five boys were exceeding in numeracy, just 5.5 per cent of girls were.
According to ACARA, on average year five boys fell under the “needs more support” category at 13.9 per cent compared to 10.1 per cent of year five girls.
Ipswich Grammar School – which had an overall NAPLAN score of 574.2 – Principal Dr Adam Forsythe said boys learnt best when they know what success looks like when they feel safe to have a go.
“For the last decade, really, the school’s been using an explicit teaching approach from prep through to year nine, and as part of that approach, literacy and numeracy has been the foundation upon which everything is built,” Dr Forsythe said.
“The approach we take is just very clearly defined. There’s a clear structure, and we make sure the boys feel that they belong.”
Dr Forsythe said there was an overall school culture of “high expectations”.
Student Leo Riby, 15 said he felt “really prepared and supported” going into the naplan.
“I always put that back to like the teachers and like the boys around me,” Leo said.
“Our teachers know how we learn best as boys, and they’re very explicit with how we’re being taught and what we’re being taught that gets us ready for our exams.”
Brisbane Girls Grammar – which had an average NAPLAN score of 567.2 – Principal Jacinda Euler-Welsh said she felt “very proud” of the school’s achievement in naplan.
“We see NAPLAN as an instrument that helps us to refine our teaching, to make sure if there are gaps, we address them, if there are strengths, we stretch them,” Ms Euler-Welsh said.
Ms Euler Welsh said while every girl was different, some broad methods they used to tailer teaching to girls was to allow them to work in groups, talk and to provide regular feedback.
“Girls are often quite relational in their learning. So those can be some of the things that girls particularly like,” she said.
BGGS year 9 student Allegra Boccolacci said when she went into the actual test day, she felt “really confident” with being able to answer the questions.
“I think that is because our teachers gave us good feedback and we felt supported,” she said.
Independent Education Union Queensland Branch Secretary said the different teaching methods at boys and girls schools illustrated the “thoughtfulness that goes in schools as to how to assist students in terms of their learning”.
“But there are some gender differences in terms of the way that males and females learn at schools more broadly, teachers actually are attuned to that, particularly in certain subject areas,” Mr Burke said.
“Women are far more relational, and that relationships and relational things make really sense to the female mind. Boys are more functional, you know, how do I get from here to here?”
Originally published as Single-sex schools reveal why boys beat girls in NAPLAN numeracy results
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