Long-standing public, single sex schools welcome co-ed opportunity

Almost 250 Years 9 and 10 students from two Hobart high schools have engaged in a range of co-education subjects following a trial program late last year.

New Town High School teacher Jane Brooks during a Sport Science class with grade 10 students Jack Grace 15 (New Town High) and Temo Robertson 15 (Ogilvie High School). Picture Chris Kidd

NEW Town and Ogilvie High School staff and students have welcomed the rollout of classes combining students from both schools.

From this year 249 Years 9 and 10 students from both schools have engaged in a range of coeducation subjects following a trial program late last year.

Both schools have long stood as Tasmania’s only public single sex schools.

The co-ed program also sees both high schools combining classes with Elizabeth College for some units.

New Town High Principal David Kilpatrick said co-ed classes were an opt-in choice for students saying individuals who wanted to remain in single sex classes had that option.

Year 10 student Temo Robertson said the merge of boy and girl classes has been good for student learning.

“It’s been very different because I was with girls for three years straight and now I’m studying alongside boys again,” she said.

“But it’s been great and a good taste of what it’s going to be like in college classrooms.”

Grade 9 and 10 sports science teacher Jane Brooks said the students have gelled well together in co-ed classrooms.

“I was a bit nervous about how it would go but once the students got to know each other they were really comfortable with one another,” she said.

“It’s a change in dynamic for them but they don’t seem to mind it. For me as a teacher it’s quite easy.”

Asked if New Town can still be referred to as a “boys school” Principal Kilpatrick said “we are a boys school that has some co-ed classes”.

“What we’re trying to do is have a range of single sex and co-ed opportunities,” Mr Kilpatrick said.

“The part of bringing students together for co-ed means we can offer more classes and specialities at each campus and share resources and staff.”

Mr Kilpatrick said consultation over the schools merge was first made with the community, including parents 18 months ago – a claim questioned by state schools association president Nigel Jones.

Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff said the providing of both single sex and co-ed classes had been “well supported by students, parents and educators”.

“We are very supportive of the approach by Ogilvie and New Town High Schools in partnership with Elizabeth College, to explore approaches to work together to support innovative individualised pathways from Years 7 – 12,” he said.