GENDER: Differences in Educational Achievment Flashcards
(17 cards)
What was the gender gap in GCSE results in 2022?
Gap= 5.7%
53% girls and 47% boys achieved grade 5 and above in GCSE Maths and English.
Has the gender gap in ed achievement increased or decreased since 2019?
Reduced slightly since 2019 when the gap was 6.6%
In 2022, how many exam entries by girls achieved A*-C compared to boys? (A Level)
In 2022, 84% of exam entries by girls achieved grades A*-C compared to 80% of boys.
Are boys less likely to take A Levels? (2022)
Yes.
423,355 A Level certificates were rewarded to females in 2022. (Rounded: 423,000)
353,270 A Level certificates were rewarded to males in 2022. (Rounded: 353,000)
University entries by Gender
43% of 18 year old females entered university through UCAS in 2022 compared to 32% of males.
What is the reason for gendered subject choices? Colley (1998) and Edwards and David (2000)
The influence of socialisation by the family and influential peers who subscribe to gender stereotypes. E+D indicate that parents believe certain toys, games and activities are suitable for either boys and girls. Colley observes that these cultural pressures are less likely to be influential in single sex schools.
Gendered subject choices: changes to the educational system?
Female take up of science increased after the Girls Into Science and Technology (GIST) social policy initiative was introduced into schools in the 1970s.
What did Kelly (1987) argue about science as a subject choice?
Girls were put off choosing science because of its masculine characteristics. Most science teachers in the 1980s were males, textbooks mainly focused on males scientific achievements etc.
What did liberal feminists argue about external influences on girls achievement?
External influences such as economic and social policy changes led to changes in the aspirations of girls and women. Changes in the economy from the 1960s onwards increased jobs and careers available for women. Social policies in the form for equal opportunity and pay laws improved the educational and employment options for females.
What’s an example of a social policy which influenced girls/women’s aspirations?
The Equality Act of 2010
What does Beck (1992) argue about western society’s influence?
Western societies became increasingly individualised in the late 20th century. As a result, the aspirations of girls became more self-orientated compared with women of previous generations.
Sue Sharpe (1976) liberal feminist research on girls:
Girls no longer follow or prioritise the traditional pathways of marriage and motherhood. Instead, they prioritise education, career and less reliance on men.
What do Edwards and David (2000) suggest about socialisation for girls and boys?
Gender differentiated primary socialisation gives girls an initial advantage in both primary and secondary schools because:
- girls may have better language skills than boys (mothers talk to baby girls more than baby boys) and as a result, girls are more experienced at talking and listening by the time they get to secondary school.
- girls are taught by their parents to conform to more formal standards of behaviour than boys
What did Burns and Bracey (2001) find about differences in motivation?
Girls generally work harder and are more motivated than boys. On average, girls put more effort in and spend more time on homework.
Evaluation: girls succeeding- external influences
-despite 30 years of gender equality in education, employment remains deeply segregated in terms of men dominating particular types of jobs (e.g science and engineering) while the majority of low paid and part time workers are women (2016)
- radical feminists argue that most of the changes to the education system are largely cosmetic because, regardless of improvements in girls education, the glass ceiling is still firmly in place.
Girls succeeding: internal influences
