A controversial legal challenge aimed at preventing Sydney’s Newington College from transitioning to co-education has been unsuccessful. The case was initiated by a student and contested in the Supreme Court, centred on the interpretation of the term “youth” in a trust deed that was established over 150 years ago. Justice Guy Parker determined that “youth” was intended to be gender-neutral rather than exclusive to boys and young men, thereby dismissing the student’s claim.
Newington College, a long-established all-boys school, announced its plan to adopt a co-educational model back in November 2023. This decision has sparked significant discontent among certain parents who oppose the shift. The school’s strategy includes the introduction of female students to the junior school starting in 2026, with the goal of becoming entirely co-educational by 2033.
Amid this transition, former students and parents have staged protests expressing their dissatisfaction with the school’s direction.