I don’t know enough about boys outside the primary classroom to pass judgment on their academic prowess at 16. Virtually all the children in my family are girls: daughters, stepchildren, nieces, stepnieces, stepnieces by proxy, goddaughtersI and one nephew, aged 13. The dog, of course, is male. It is the behaviour of the dog that has convinced me boys are definitely different, if not always as inferior as exam results would indicate.

It is the very maleness of the dog which makes him so appealing. He has definite behavioural traits that could be taken as performance indicators in preparation for booster strategies this autumn.

The dog cannot cope with being praised. For example, we can be walking along a narrow lane with the dog trotting proudly to heel. “Good boy,” you say and his immediate response is to leap up in an uncontrolled manner and attempt to chase the next passing car. Praise seems to bring out the worst in him, especially when he is tired. Much better to ignore the positive behaviour and punish the loutishness, says my husband.

And there is a definite pecking order in the pack. Daddy comes first. One word from the dominant male and the dog becomes acquiescent. One raised eyebrow from the boss and the dog lies down and looks sorrowful. The dog himself is next in line. He knows that he is male and he will bully anyone who fails to achieve this status. He will “play” fight any female in the family and he will positively trample on any female under the age of 10. He will nominally take notice of my commands if there is nothing better to do. I have learned to take on a masculine, domineering tone if I want an immediate response.

When he is being seriously schooled and a response is being reinforced, he will perform all his actions grudgingly.

“Come here.”

“Do I have to? Look, there’s a pile of manure over there. I want to roll in it. You want me to come now? Oh for goodness sake, if I must.”

It is possible to make comparisons with the behaviour of boys in the classroom. Boys have been known to respond to well-meaning public praise by reverting to the antithesis of the praiseworthy behaviour. Praise is often better given privately and sincerely so that it can be absorbed. As being clever is not cool, but boys still want to do well, they will appreciate an honest assessment of their progress on a one-to-one basis. They also like their parents to be told of their successes in an understated way so that minimum fuss is required but honour is satisfied.

In terms of pecking order, it is better if the praise comes from someone with standing; someone who is respected and regarded by the populace as a person with credibility. Some women have this status. This may be because they have a sense of humour, can talk knowledgeably about sport or wear trendy clothes. They will know if they have achieved this status by the boys’ body language.

Men will be acceptable for the same reasons but will achieve status more easily by being dominant personalities, and tall. Teachers with senior management titles will have instant credibility, especially if carrying mobile phones.

Boys will often display nonchalance, particularly if they are learning new skills and are not confident of immediate success. Their body language could drive a sane teacher to violence, but underneath the sloping shoulders lies an uncertainty that requires patience and understanding. Never let them know you have worked that one out. Treat them with guarded wariness - they appreciate that. Make sure they have an early success so they can sneer at anyone who hasn’t grasped the concept yet.

Competition is a great motivator. Boys against girls is not sexist; it’s a way of encouraging boys to take part when they would otherwise leave the girls to get on with it. If they win, they can wave their arms (and fingers) in the air in a provocative manner. If they lose, they can say it was a pathetic competition anyway, so there was no point in trying. But they will want to win next time. So it is worth persevering.

It is possible to teach boys and girls together if you can unravel the psychology. Teaching single-sex classes should enable teachers to focus on the methods that motivate each of the sexes, and this should lead to success in exam results (as long as the teachers have the status to deliver the goods to the boys, that is.) The long-term social benefits of single-sex classes will, no doubt, be the focus of a survey costing thousands of pounds.

As for the dog, he has just had a small operation.

Val Woollven is head of St Andrew’s C of E primary in Plymouth