Yellowknife (July 12/06) - The Grade 7 boys of Weledeh school have jumped ahead nine to 10 per cent from where they were at in the fall.

The experimental split gender Grade 7 class at Weledeh Catholic school is proving to be a success, says the school's principal.

"I am very pleased with the results," says Merril Dean.

"A year ago I never thought that I'd see the results that I have today."

The split gender class experiment began in September and ran until the end of June.

Studies have shown that boys typically learn differently than girls do.

While girls do better in an environment where it is more ordered and logical, boys do much better in an environment that allows them to move around and experience academics hands on.

"The girls advanced 0.6 per cent this last year, which is the same as they have done every year," Dean says.

"The split gender classes have had the greatest effect upon the boys."

She says that instead of having boys share circular tables around the room as they do with the girls, they have gone back to having desks in rows.

They are then allowed to stand and move around their desks or sit as they like, but they aren't allowed to leave their allotted area.

Another aspect is that they don't have extra distractions around, such as girls that they want to try to impress.

"They seem to be a lot more confident," Dean says.

"It confirms all of the anecdotal things that we've heard."

The results are so positive that Weledeh is going to continue its split gender classes next year for Grade 7 and will include the Grade 8 students -- the Grade 7 students from this year, as well, Dean says.