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“Single gender classes provide a learning environment where the female voice is not marginalised. The personal attributes of the teachers, most notably their encouragement, care and availability, motivate these female students from single gender schools to excel” (Tully & Jacobs, 2010, www.agsa.org.au).

​There are many favourable reasons to choose a single-sex school, particularly during early adolescent years as girls grow into young women and start laying the foundations for their entry into the wider world. Developing strong core values that lead to a sense of pride in one’s identity, is something that is integral to the mission of St John Fisher College. As the research suggests, amongst other benefits, single sex education leads to “improved self-esteem” and “psychological and social wellbeing in adolescent girls”(Cribb & Hasse, 2016 cited in www.agsa.org.au/why-a-girls-school-the-research/ ).

Social Wellbeing is an important part of the College’s ethos, and as such, a student-led health and wellbeing program, Fun, Food and Fellowship was recently launched. The program is based on a central hub, an inclusive and w​​​elcoming physical space, with ongoing activities and events aimed at creating a sisterhood within the College.

In addition to the social benefits, St John Fisher College offers a holistic environment where girls can thrive, devoid of many obvious distractions. Students are strongly encouraged to participate in and compete across all fields, academic, sporting and culture, and the results speak for themselves. Extensive research has been done surrounding academic results of single sex educational settings, with findings pointing to a better uptake of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in girls’ schools where stereotypes and social pressures don’t exist. The same is true of participation rates in sport, and this is evident at St John Fisher College where girls participate and compete at a high level in sports like AFL that are traditionally male-dominated.

St John Fisher College is a proud member of The Alliance of Girls’ School Australasia, a not for profit organisation that advocates and supports girls’ schools and the opportunities that lie within. For more information and access to the latest research on the many advantages of choosing a girls’ school for your daughter, visit www.agsa.org.au​