Should the sexes be separated for secondary education -- comparisons of single-sex and co-educational schools?

The publication of schools' examination results in England has reopened in sharper form the old debate about whether single-sex or co-educational schooling is better for secondary education. This paper considers both the claimed academic and social advantages. Performance at GCSE and A level has been analysed for boys and girls separately in singlesex and co-educational schools using national data supplied by the Department for Education and Employment. OFSTED and the Independent Schools Information Service, School experiences and ease of adjustment to university have been explored through in-depth interviews with a sample of l00 students in their second term at university, balanced for sex and type of school. There is enough in the evidence to see how the various claims have arisen, but they are nevertheless caricatures of a complex reality. The outstanding performance of the single-sex schools in the examination league tables has much more to do with academic selection, socioeconomic background and the standing of the school itself than with the segregation of the sexes. When, as far as possible, like is compared with like, the apparent academic differences between single-sex and co-educational schools largely disappear. Similarly, while pupils from single-sex schools feared they would have more difficulty in adjusting to the mixed environment of the university, case of transition depended mainly on personality and other factors. Neither the claimed academic nor ease-of-transition advantages stood up to detailed scrutiny, but co-educational schools received the stronger support socially. Furthermore, nearly all those who had been to co-educational schools said they would also send their own children to co-educational schools, but only about a third of those who had been to single-sex schools said they would send their children to single-sex schools. It looks therefore as if the move away from single-sex education is set to continue. This... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]