Gender differences

On starting school girls score higher in all baseline tests

62% of the girls could concentrate without supervision for 10 minutes only 49% of boys could

key satges 1-3 girls still continue to do better than boys expeshally in english

at GCSE a gender gap stands at arround 10 percentage points

at AS and A level  girls are more likley to pass and get higher grades although the gap is narrower than GCSE

in 2006 95.8% of girls passed 2 or more A levels whereas boys was only 94% girls do better even at sterotypical boys subjects such as maths and physics

vocational courses a higher percentage of girls achive distinctions in every subject including engineering ect.

External factors factors outside the educational system such as home and family backgrounds and wider society

Iternal factors factors within schools and the education system such as effective school and equal opportunities polcies

the impact of feminism independent felmale rolemodels now inspire girls to want to live there own life and have there own careers changing an attitude in schools

changes in family since the 1970's there has been a increase in divorce rates and a increase in the number of lone parent famlies (mainly female headed) and also families are now smaller. because of these changes young girls now feel the need to get a good well paid job in order to gain a breadwinning role to provide for their family when they get older.

Changes in womens employment the equal pay act was introduced in 1970. the proportion of women in employment has risen, since 1975 the pay gap between men and women has fallen from 30% to 17%, women are now starting to undertake higher level professions and managerial jobs. these changes have encorraged girls to want to be career women when they get older rather than housewives.

equal opportunities policy - the belief that boys and girls are equally capable and entitled toi the same opportunities is now part of mainstream thinking in education and it influences educational policies. for example policies such as , GIST and WISE encourages girls to pursue in these non-traditional areas, science, engineering etc. joe bowler sees the key reason for changes in girls achievement is equal opportunity policies.

 positive role models in schools in recent years there has been an increase in the proportion of female teachers and head teachers theses act as role models for girls showing them that women can achieve positions of importance.

gcse and coursework some sociologists argue that changes in the way people are assessed have favoured girls and disadvantaged boys, for example, steven gorard found that he gender gap in achievement was fairly constant until 1988 when it increased sharply. this was the year in which gcses were introduced bringing coursework as a major part of education this favoured girls more because girls are more likely to do better at coursework because they are more organised, better at meeting deadlines and spend more time on their work.

teacher attention it id found that boys get more attention than girls from the teacher because boys are generally more boyterous and attract the teachers gaze more often than girls. teachers interact with girls more positivley because it focuses on school work rather than behaviour, this may lead to a self-fulfilling phrophecy in which successful interactions with teachers promote girls self esteem and raise there achievement levels.

challenging stereotypes in the curriculum  research in the 1970s and 80s found that reading schemes portrayed women as mainly housewives and mothers and physics books showed them as frightened or amazed by science.

selection and leauge tables marketisation policies have created a more competitive climate in which schools see girls as more desirable recruits because they achieve better exam results, this could also create a self fulfilling prophecy because girls are more likely to be recruited by good schools and they are more likely to do well.

two views of girls achievement liberal feminists celebrate the progress made so far in improving achievement in education. further progress will be made by the continuing development of equal opportunities policies. Radical Reminists believe that even though girls are achieveing more the system still remains male dominant e.g. sexual harrasment of girls continues at school.  

several possible factors acording to the DCSF 2007 the gender gap is mainly the result of boys poor litracy and language skills. is is romoured that this is because it is generally mothers who read to their children this makes boys think it is a feminim activity. The leasure activities that boys part take in such as football and computer games do not help to develop their language and commuincation skills. Since the 1980's there has been a large decline in traditional mens jobs such as mining, this has lead to a idenity crisis for men acording to mitsos and browne. this makes them give up on trying to get qualifications as they feel they have no career to aim towards. On the other hand they were traditionaly no qualifications needed for this type of work.

feminisation of education according to Tony Suel schools do no longer nurture masculine traits  such as leader ship. he also belives that course work is a key factor in schools becoming feminised as it supports the feminim way of learning.

shortage in male primary school teachers