Catholic Coeducation

Adolescence is a time when children undergo a multitude of changes and developments, and is usually a challenging experience on a number of levels. The development of sophisticated communication and social skills is a major factor in the journey from childhood through adolescence, and learning to communicate and relate to members of the opposite gender is a vital aspect of this development.

A coeducational environment fosters the positive development of interpersonal skills between both genders, where students are able to interact with each other within a safe, supported environment. Valuable skills are learned through these interactions, such as learning to cooperate with and work alongside peers of both genders, and learning to respect and celebrate both the differences and similarities shared between female and male students. Sharing a learning environment with the opposite gender allows students to develop mutual respect, acceptance, and the ability to relate to each other in an appropriate and acceptable manner.

When young adults complete their secondary school education, they are faced with the task of integrating into the wider community on several levels, including the workforce, tertiary education, and social settings. Students who have been immersed in a coeducational learning environment are fortunate, as they have already gained several years' experience interacting with and sharing space with both genders. A more mature and insightful understanding of society in general can be gained by individuals who attend a coeducational school, and these individuals are well-equipped to continue their journey into adulthood as respectful, responsible and courteous young adults.

Extensive independent studies exploring the impact of a coeducational environment on an individual's academic performance have revealed that students in a coeducational learning environment achieve more consistent results academically, and that segregating students to single-gender learning environments does not provide any benefits behaviourally, academically or socially. A coeducational environment promotes gender equality and working collaboratively in the pursuit of academic excellence.

Nazareth College is dedicated to providing students with opportunities to achieve their personal best academically, spiritually and socially. In our coeducational setting students develop strong interpersonal skills with an emphasis on spirituality and respect for all others, and the ability to successfully interact with both genders on a day-to-day basis.