Gender Differences in Achievement

The relationship between gender and educational achievement has undergone a dramatic reversal over the past half-century. In the 1960s and 1970s, the main concern was the underachievement of girls. Today, girls outperform boys at every stage of education, from primary school through to university. The AQA specification requires you to understand and evaluate the external and internal factors that explain both the improvement in girls' achievement and the relative underachievement of boys. You must also consider how gender intersects with class and ethnicity.

Key Definition: The gender gap in education refers to the measurable difference in educational achievement between males and females. In the UK, this gap consistently favours females at GCSE, A-Level, and degree level.

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The Gender Gap: Statistics and Trends

Key statistical trends in the UK: