Gender differences in mathematics learning continue to attract much research attention. Single-sex settings as the preferred option for improving schooling for girls have evoked fierce advocates as well as critics. This case study, undertaken in response to a specific request from a co-educational state school in the outer area of Melbourne,…

This article has two inseparable aims: (a) to analyse the relative merits of single-sex and co-educational constructs on self-concept, academic performance and academic engagement; (b) to investigate the manner in which each type of schooling interacts with the individual student; student "peers," close family, and teachers.