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Clayfield College is the only secondary school in QLD to offer a ‘ parallel ’ learning environment . Picture : Supplied .
‘ Best of both worlds ’
Historic Brisbane school goes co-ed .
By Emilie Lauer
After nearly one hundred years , an all-girls independent college in Brisbane has welcomed male students for the first time .
Clayfield College , located in Brisbane ’ s inner-north suburbs , had its first cohort of Year 7 male students walk through its doors in January this year .
Principal Dr Andrew Cousins said when the historical change occurred students “ cheered so loudly that they lifted the roof off the chapel .”
“ Some of the boys in primary school started crying with tears of joy because they could continue their journey at Clayfield ,” he told Education Review .
Since 1931 , Clayfield College has had a co-educational primary school but its high school only enrolled female students .
The school announced in 2021 that male students would be able to study at the college past Year 7 which was welcomed by the entire school community .
“ It creates that great learning environment for them in the classroom , but they also enjoy the opportunity to interact in the playground , do music , sports training , and spend lunchtime together ,” Dr Cousins said .
The college ’ s move to become fully coeducational came after a survey said more than 40 per cent of parents asked for the transition .
In Queensland there are currently 230 independent schools in 37 local government areas , yet only 23 are co-ed .
Dr Cousins , who has a PhD in gender inclusivity , said the change required a lot of planning and preparation to help drive a “ smooth transition .”
“ We ’ re fortunate to have a wonderful staff who are excellent practitioners and worked hard to make sure this transition was a success .”
In order to facilitate the change , Clayfield reviewed its pastoral care program , updated its facilities to accommodate both genders , design new uniforms , and consult staff on new teaching practices .
“ We had a lot of collaborative working with the staff , but because they often teach multiple year levels across the pre to 12 , that helped smooth the transition ,” Dr Cousins said .
“ At the end of the day , it ’ s about having great teachers in front of students , and we know that teachers make the biggest difference in student learning .”
Currently , male and female students at the college are learning separately from years 7 to 9 , before entering a co-educational environment from years 10 to 12 .
They need to evolve in an environment that reflects society .
This parallel learning has been described by research as an ‘ effective bridge for the gender divide ’ because it allows teachers to tailor course content to suit students ’ specific needs .
“ It ’ s about being able to have the best of both worlds ,” Dr Cousins said .
“ There is a lot of change in adolescents , particularly at that age , but they need to evolve in an environment that reflects society .
“ Having these interactions is an important part of the education journey .”
Dr Cousins , who began his education journey more than 25 years ago , said he is passionate about developing students and giving them all the opportunities to succeed later in life .
“ Here at Clayfield , we live by our motto , ‘ Let your light shine ’, which fuels the fire of students by creating that sense of purpose .
“ We also aim to create a place for students to belong so that they feel great , function well , and get great results in whatever they pursue .”
Clayfield College will officially become fully co-educational in 2028 . ■
educationreview . com . au | 3