Does co-ed schooling actually work? Calrossy's new school leaders have their say

It's a debate which has raged for decades, and been fueled in more recent times by Newington College's decision to go co-ed by 2033.

In turn, the prestigious Sydney boys school has endured it's fair share of criticism from the school's alumni and some parents, who seem stanchly opposed to the move, to the point of protest.

Tamworth's Calrossy Anglican School made the decision to go co-ed in 1999, when they established their primary school at the Brisbane Street campus.

But it doesn't go right through the years.

They call it the 'diamond model'.

Essentially, it sees both genders educated together throughout primary school, before being separated into single-sex classes in years 7 to 9, and then both sexes are reintegrated for the final three years of high school.

Newly inducted school captains, Olivia Coombes and Tom Aitken, say it's a system which has proven "quite successful", because it allows the students to mature and establish themselves academically before they reach their HSC years.

But when the transition was first talked about "back in year 7" Olivia said it was quite a "scary" notion.

"At the start, it was not great, as boys and girls just handle things very differently, and it was a different dynamic," she said.

"But, over time, it was something we adapted to and now we see it works super well."

The pair have worked together in leadership roles previously.

Tom said having student representatives from both genders is essential for gaining perspective.

"Boys and girls have different things they care about, and different things they want changed in the school," he said.

"So for a particular issue, being able to get a male perspective and Olivia get the female perspective and then bringing it to the school executive and having more students voices heard."

Both students say their peers benefit from a co-educational environment.

"It's better, from my own experience, knowing that we are prepared, as all of life is co-ed", Tom said.

"When we leave school and go out into the workforce and society, males and females are integrated all the time, so I think it is really setting us up for life," Olivia told the Leader.

Politics aside, the new Calrossy school captains say they are excited for the educational year ahead.

Both Tom and Olivia were inducted into their roles, along with the school's 2024 leadership team, at a special assembly on Monday, February 12.