Causes of under attainment and gender

There is a link between theory and the type of reserach that is carried out. Feminists began to research girls underachievement in the 1960s. Before then the main concern had been class inequality and gender differences were largely overlooked. The explanations for gender differences offered by different theories reflect the basic assumptions of those theories.

• Functionalists: see gender as being linked to male and female social roles. What happens in education is a reflection of society.
• Marxists: are concerned with class and so gender inequality tends not to be seen as…