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G ender and Educational Attainment. By Sam, Greg, Bronagh, Heather and Kay . C ontext. Gender attainment is changing in favour of girls. Primary school boys fail to close the gap with girls. Almost half of all boys fail to meet targets for writing.
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Gender and Educational Attainment By Sam, Greg, Bronagh, Heather and Kay
Context • Gender attainment is changing in favour of girls. • Primary school boys fail to close the gap with girls. • Almost half of all boys fail to meet targets for writing. • Girls are doing better than boys for all stages of education. • Girls outperforming boys in every subject at GCSE.
Evidence in research GCSE Attainment A-Level attainment % %
A-Level Participants University Applicants
Theories Feminist perspective • Liberal feminists worked to eliminate the barriers to female achievement in mathematics and other subjects. Liberal feminists believe changes in equal opportunities and educational policies, e.g. the National Curriculum, will end patriarchy. • Radical Feminists believe that the biggest oppression at work in our society is based on gender. Some believe a married woman can't be a feminist or that straight women can't be feminist. Radical feminists believe patriarchy will only end when women are freed from the physical and emotional violence inflicted by men in the classroom and the playground. Source: Men engaging feminisms: pro-feminism, backlashes and schooling.
Theories cont.. Primary and secondary socialisation • Primary: Roles passed on through the family • Secondary: Roles learned through the educational system
Theories cont.. • Warrington and Younger (2000) noted male and female career aspirations still reflected traditional gender stereotypes (childcare, nursing, hairdressing and secretarial for girls, computing, accountancy and plumbing for boys)
Reflection/Discussion • Explaining Girls’ improvement: • Changes in attitudes • Changes in the labour market • Changes in marriage/ marital breakups • Changes in school • Changes in society-risk and individualisation. • Girls mature earlier. • Why boys’ are not excelling: • Laddish culture/ macho peer groups/ too much football • Teachers giving up on boys • Extinction of male teachers at primary school
Conclusion Equal Opportunities Commission (2007) has argued: “Girls' educational achievements are not necessarily helping them into well-paid jobs and Eliminating gender stereotyping in school education, in vocational training, and in careers choices is a vital step towards tackling the gender pay gap in employment" .