The Education Committee has launched a new inquiry into why boys
consistently underperform compared with girls in educational
attainment across all age groups and nearly all ethnicities, and
examine ways to improve outcomes.
In 2022/23 the attainment gap at GCSE level between girls and
boys tightened to its smallest difference for 14 years. But with
24.9% of girls achieving grade 7 or A compared with 19.1% of
boys, there was still a significant variation of nearly 6%.
Boys also performed worse at a number of phases and on various
measures in the 2022/23 academic year.
According to (DfE) Department for Education data, in the autumn term
boys were nearly twice as likely as girls to be suspended, and
slightly more than twice as likely to be permanently
excluded.
DfE data also shows that by
the end of primary schooling, 63% of girls met the expected
standard in English reading and writing, compared with 56% of
boys. Although, boys did slightly better than girls in maths
alone – 73% of boys met the expected standard for maths, compared
to 72% of girls.
Among 16-24-year-olds, girls historically had a higher NEET rate
(Not in Education, Employment or Training) than boys. But this reversed in 2020,
and the difference is now 11.8% for girls and 12.8% for
boys.
At A-Level and 16-18, girls do better than boys across all
level-3 cohorts, however, the gender gap has decreased in
comparison to previous years. This has also meant that men are
less likely to progress to higher education – in 2021/22, 54% of
women were in higher education by 19, compared to only 40% of
men. Men are also more likely to drop out of university
courses.
DfE data shows that among
children eligible for free school meals, girls outperform boys in
all ethnic groups at GCSE, except for amongst children from Gypsy
Roma and Irish Traveller backgrounds.
One area where there is no significant difference between boys
and girls is in rates of persistent absence from school.
Education Committee Chair Robin Walker MP
said:
“Evidence has consistently shown that half the children in
this country do worse at school than the other. What divides them
is their gender. My Committee wants to find out why it is that
boys have historically underperformed compared with girls. Given
the Government's recent focus on lifelong learning, it is also
concerning that growing numbers of young men are dropping out of
education and becoming NEET.
“There are some state schools where there is little
difference between the genders, and others where the discrepancy
is more stark. In this inquiry we will look at every set of
stakeholders in the system to investigate how methods of teaching
or elements of the curriculum could be improved to raise the
attainment of boys and keep them engaged with their education,
and without bringing down the attainment of girls.”
Inquiry terms of reference
The Committee is inviting written evidence submissions that
respond to the terms of reference below. Experts, organisations
and individuals can submit online by 17 May
2024.
· Why do boys consistently
underperform in academic assessment compared to girls throughout
the primary and secondary phases of education?
· What steps are schools
currently taking to ensure improve academic outcomes for
boys?
· What recent assessment has
been made of the differences in academic attainment between boys
and girls?
· What steps should the
Department for Education be taking to improve academic outcomes
for boys?
· How do boys learn best and
how can this be integrated into future learning and assessment
reforms?
· What can be done to improve
male pupils' engagement with the school system?
· How can the UK improve the
progression of boys into higher education?
· What can be done to reduce
the exclusion and suspension rates of boys from
school?
· Should different approaches
be taken within the classroom to improve male pupil
outcomes?
· What are the wider social
implications of boys' underperformance and under engagement with
education?
