Gender differences in educational achievement

A department of education study (2013) found that in state primary schools, boys were two and a half times more likely to have special educational needs.

At AS and A-Level girls are more likely to sit, pass and get higher grades than boys. Even in so called boys subjects like maths and physics girls would be more likely to get better grades. 

External factors and gender differences in achievement

Many sociologist attribute the external factors being the result of feminism, changes in the family, changes in womens employment and girls changing perceptions and ambititions.

The impact of feminism 

• Feminism has raised womens expectations and self-esteem
• It has move the stereotypes of women away from just being a housewife
• A good example is this is found in the 1994 study by McRobbie who looked at girls magazines. In the 1970's they emphasised the importance of getting married. But nowadays, they contain images of assertive, independant women

So the changes in girls self images and ambitions with regard to the family may explain their improvement in schools

Changes to the family

There have been major changes to the family since 1970. These include

• an increase in the divorce rate
• an increase in cohabitation and a decrease in the number of first marriages
• an increase in the number of lone-parent families
• smaller families

These changes have affected girls in a number of ways. For example the increase in female headed single-parent families means that more women take on the bread winner role. This is a new role model for girls, the financially independant women. To achieve this they need qualifications which they get through school. Similarly an increase in divorce rates may mean that girls cannot rely on a husband to be their provider. They need to look at themselves to be financially independant. 

Changes in womens employment

• The 1970 equal pay-act makes it illeagle to pay women less for the same job
• Since 1975 the pay gap between men and women has halved
• The proportion of women in employment has risen 

These changes have encouraged girls to see their future in terms of paid work rather than as housewifes. 

Girls chaning ambitions

Sue Sharpe's study into girls ambitions shows a major shift in the way that girls see their future. 

In 1974 they had low aspirations; they believed that educational sucess was unfeminine and that appearing to be ambitious was unattractive. They gave their priorities as "love, marriage, husbands, children, jobs and careers" in that order.

But by 1990 the girls ambitions had changed and they had a different order of priorities. Careers and being able to support themselves. Sharpe found that they saw their future as being independant earners rather than reliant on their husbands.

Beck and Beck-Gernsheim (2001) link this trend to movement to a modern society where people value individualisation more. So a carrer is part of a womens life project becuase it promises recognition and economic self-sufficieny.

Internal factors and gender differences in education

These include equal oppurtunites…