People campaigning for a doomed Oxford girls' school have been given fresh hope by Government plans to bring back single-sex education, writes Madeleine Pennell.

Education Secretary David Blunkett is to introduce single-sex classes in mixed schools in a bid to prevent teenage boys falling behind in their exams. A pilot scheme to teach boys and girls separately for basic subjects such as English and maths is to be announced this week.

This year, for the first time in the exam's 49-year history, girls outperformed boys at A-levels. And GCSE results due on Thursday are expected to underline the huge divide between boys and girls.

Last year, 53 per cent of girls achieved five or more A to C grade GCSEs, compared to 42 per cent of boys.

Oxford's only single-sex school, Milham Ford, off Marston Road, is earmarked for closure as part of plans to abolish the city's middle schools and replace them with primaries and secondaries.

Anne Peterson, headteacher of Milham Ford, said: "This certainly strikes a blow for our case. Educationally we are offering a good opportunity for young women." Tom Richardson, county councillor for the ward that includes Milham Ford, said: "What people in this neighbourhood want is for boys to be admitted at the school to boost the numbers, but educated separately. That appears to be too sensible an idea for the educationalists."