Single-sex school is 'most improved' (From Barry And District News)

Single-sex school is 'most improved'

THE headteacher of Barry Comprehensive has played down the significance of single-sex education in the school being named as the most improved in Wales for the second year running.

Barry Comprehensive School was last week officially recognised as the most improved school in Wales for 2004 after winning the School Improvement Index Award.

This is the second year in a row that the school has won the award, given by the Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales.

Seventy percent of pupils at the school achieved five or more A* to C grades at GCSE in 2004.

And more than a quarter of Year 11 achieved 10 or more GCSE/GNVQs at A* to C grades in 2004.

Headteacher David Swallow said: "While I think there are benefits to single-sex education, I don't think the good results can be put down to that.

"We work in a single-sex environment and we have had to get on and do a job in that environment.

"Because we are a single-sex school we have been able to concentrate on techniques that work for a whole year group as opposed to only half of it.

"We have also been able to introduce certain vocational courses where we felt our boys would do well.

"I think the key to improvement is getting pupils to succeed in one area - once they are successful, confidence and self-esteem grow and they are then able to tackle subjects that they find more difficult.

"I think boys in particular respond better to short-term goals," said Mr Swallow.

"Vocational courses, which are often modular, allow you to achieve success in bite-sized chunks.

"Barry Comprehensive runs a wide range of vocational courses in information and communication technology, performing arts, hospitality and catering and engineering.

"We now have lads achieving five or more A to C grades who in the past would probably not have stayed in school to sit their final examinations."

Mr Swallow added that he is in favour of public consultation on co-education in Barry, which is part of the Vale's strategic plan.

The school achieved good results across the curriculum.

In GCSE science the A* to C rate increased by 10 percent, and more than half the entry gained a C or higher in GCSE English.

All 25 pupils who sat the exams passed GCSE music, and every entrant passed in GNVQ Hospitality and Catering and ICT.

Phil Whitcombe, headteacher of Bryn Hafren Comprehensive School, said: "I think there is clear evidence of the benefits of single-sex education.

"I believe girls are less inhibited when boys are not present and as a result participate more actively in lessons.

"I think single-sex education is better for developing vocational pathways and an imaginative curriculum because you have the numbers needed to do it.