A strong sense of community and individual worth is what separates a Fahan girl from her peers.
Many Australian studies* have been conducted in recent years on the benefits of a single-sex education. This extensive research has shown that girls rise to higher levels of development in this environment rather than in co-educational schooling. However, there is more to the success of girls-only schools than numbers, statistics and standardised tests.
At Fahan School, we provide an environment that supports achievements of all kinds and by all students. Our girls are given the freedom, through an all-girl education, small classes and one-on-one attention, to express and better themselves in the company of like-minded and equally developed individuals. It is often suggested that boys and girls develop and learn differently as they approach adulthood. At Fahan, we are able to provide a style of teaching that suits the needs of growing girls exclusively, giving them the best opportunity to reach their full potential. Our small class sizes are vital in giving every student the individual attention they need and deserve, encouraging an atmosphere of progression and personal achievement.
At Fahan, girls are able to perform across all areas – sports, drama, music, academics, etc. – without the added pressure of co-educational competition and gendered stereotyping. This allows girls to recognise their value in their own right and to embrace their strengths, whatever they may be. It also provides girls with the freedom they need to want to extend themselves, to get their hands dirty, and to have a go. Involvement levels are higher, relationships are honest, and girls are given every opportunity to rise to challenges.
As all of the high achievers at Fahan School are girls, from student leaders to sports captains, students recognise that they have the ability to achieve anything. This contributes to high self-esteem and produces confident and independent women who are capable of positively contributing to the wider community.
In a twenty-year Australian study of 270, 000 students, Dr Ken Rowe of the Australian Council for Educational Research found that both boys and girls performed between 15 and 22 percentile points higher on standardised tests when they attended separate schools. To read more about the benefits of girls' schools download The Alliance of Girls' Schools' Brochure.
