Leonard Sax in the UK, JAN'08

IBSC Conferences in the United Kingdom
January, 2008

The International Boys' Schools Coalition is pleased to sponsor three one-day conferences in the United Kingdom in January, 2008. The conferences are hosted by Tonbridge School on Wednesday, January 23; Loughborough Grammar School on Monday, January 29; and Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh on Wednesday, January 30.

Leonard Sax

The guest speaker at these conferences is Dr. Leonard Sax, author of Why Gender Matters, and the recently published Boys Adrift. Leonard is the Executive Director of the National Association for Single-Sex Public Education, and his powerful advocacy of single-gender education has generated considerable interest and action in North America. He has spoken widely at schools and universities in North America and Australia, and has been a frequent speaker at IBSC conferences and member schools. This IBSC-sponsored programme is his first introduction to boys' schools in the United Kingdom.


Over the morning and afternoon sessions of each conference, Dr. Sax will explore and develop the following themes:

  • What does the latest brain research really show?
    Dr. Sax will present the latest research from investigators at Harvard University, the National Institutes of Health, and many other centres - based not only on the published papers but also on his personal interviews with the investigators - research which demonstrates profound differences in the trajectories of brain development in boys compared with girls. Dr. Sax will also explore the implications of this research for educators
  • What's happening to boys?
    What accounts for the growing disparity in academic achievement between girls and boys - in England and Scotland in particular? What can educators do to counter the influence of "laddish culture"?
  • What really works in the classroom?
    Dr. Sax will present specific, proven, and practical instructional strategies that promote boys' achievement and engagement with learning at the primary, middle, and senior levels. What has been proven to work in the United Kingdom?
  • Conceptions and misconceptions:
    In the United Kingdom, many parents perceive single-sex education as antiquated, whilst coeducation is perceived as modern and innovative. While the number of boys' schools in the United States is growing rapidly, the number in the UK is continuing a slow decline. How can British educators and school leaders best communicate the message that single-sex education offers better opportunities for genuine innovation, and may indeed provide a better preparation for the globalised workplace of the 21st century?

Conference Schedule

The one-day conferences are held at the three schools on different dates. Delegates are advised to select the nearest host site, or the preferred day. To generate discussion and build upon Dr. Sax's extended workshop, we would especially encourage schools to send a number of representatives.

At each host school, the schedule is as follows:

10:00 to 10:30 Arrival and Morning Coffee
10:30 to 12:30 Morning Session with Leonard Sax
12:30 to 13:30 Lunch
13:30 to 15:30 Afternoon Session with Leonard Sax
15:30 to 16:00 Tea and Departure

Conference Registration Fee

IBSC Member Schools £95 per person

Non-member Schools £130 per person

Please direct any questions to: office@theibsc.org.