By Dr Al Waters, Assistant Head of Operations and Pupil Experience
At Loughborough Grammar School, I see every day how much boys gain from the education we provide. In the classroom, the benefits of a single-sex setting are clear. Teaching can be tailored to the ways boys learn best, often with more active, discussion-based approaches and clear structures that help them stay focused. Freed from the distractions and social pressures that can sometimes affect boys in mixed classrooms, they feel able to raise their hands, ask questions, and take risks without worrying what others might think. Then at break times they play more and mature at their own pace.
At the same time, we know that life is not single-sex. That’s why the co-educational opportunities across the Foundation are so valuable and why the fact they are optional is important. Boys can choose whether to get involved, and when they do, I so often see how much they benefit from the experience.
In sports, boys and girls train together in activities like Gymnastics, Triathlon, Shooting, Fencing and Kung Fu Club. The atmosphere is one of shared encouragement and watching them train side by side, I see boys gain not only skill and resilience, but also an appreciation of teamwork that isn’t defined by gender.
In the creative arts, the opportunities are just as rich. Boys rehearse with girls in our Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Wind Band, and ensembles like the Clarinet Quartet or Con Fuoco Quartet. Whilst in large-scale productions such as the Shakespeare Schools Festival or rehearsals for the latest theatre performance, collaboration across both senior schools helps boys to see different perspectives and grow in confidence.
Even in academic enrichment, co-educational collaboration adds an extra dimension. Whether it’s Debating Club, or Politics Society, the mix of voices sharpens boys’ understanding and helps them to appreciate a different way of thinking.
What this balance creates is young men who are both academically confident and socially assured. The single-sex classroom gives them space to grow, to explore subjects without judgement, and to find their voice. The optional co-educational opportunities provide our boys with real-life experiences alongside girls, learning mixed-gender teamwork, respect, and adaptability that they will need for university, the workplace, and life.
As I watch our boys support their peers in fencing club, I am reminded why our model works so well. At Loughborough Schools Foundation, single-sex education and co-educational opportunities are not opposites, they complement one another, providing our boys with an education that is tailored, balanced, and above all, preparing them for the world beyond school.
