A PRESTIGIOUS co-educational school in Kew has won the right to refuse extra boys for three years so they do not "swamp" girls in some classes.









Preshil, the Margaret Lyttle Memorial School, was granted an Equal Opportunity Act exemption in 2005 so it could maintain an equal ratio of boy and girl students.

The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal this week extended the exemption until 2011 after hearing there was double the number of boys in some year levels.

"There is possible discrimination here, but there is a significant public interest in granting the exemption," tribunal deputy president Cate McKenzie said. "It prevents girls at the school being swamped in those classes where boys are in very great numbers, and so tries to ensure the boys and girls in all classes receive the same co-educational experience."