New data published for the first time today by the
Department of Education shows school girls in England
are substantially less likely than boys to consider
taking STEM subjects at A Level than boys.
Whilst the number of girls taking STEM A Levels has
increased by 26% since 2010, the research shows
15-year-old boys are more likely than girls to see STEM
subjects as being useful when it comes to getting a job
and that girls are less likely to consider a STEM
subject as their favourite.
Speaking on International Day of Women and Girls in
Science, School Standards Minister said:
There is growing demand for STEM skills, particularly
for sectors such as engineering, construction and
manufacturing, and it’s essential that gender is no
barrier to ensuring that all young people have the
knowledge and skills to succeed in our outward
looking and dynamic economy.
We’ve made considerable progress in increasing girls’
participation in STEM subjects since 2010, with the
proportion of girls taking STEM A Levels increasing
by a quarter, and 25% more women accepted onto
full-time STEM undergraduate courses.
We are determined to continue this trend, and that’s
why we are funding programmes to increase the take up
of maths, computing and physics, and have reformed
the school curriculum to make sure it meets the needs
of employers.
This research, however, shows that certain
misconceptions are still prevalent, and we all have a
part to play, including parents and teachers, to
dispel misconceptions about STEM subjects and help
encourage our scientists of future generations.
The research published today is based on a survey taken
by 10,010 15-year-olds in 2015, as part of a
longitudinal study. It shows:
- Girls enjoy STEM subjects less than boys: The
proportion of male pupils who ranked KS4 STEM subjects
first for enjoyment was almost twice that for females:
59% vs. 32%.
- Girls are less likely to say STEM is their best
subject: When asked which subject they were best at,
the proportion of male pupils who ranked a STEM subject
first was 60%, which again was almost twice as high
compared to females at 33%.
- Boys are more likely to think STEM leads to a job:
When asked about which subjects were most likely to
lead to a future job, 69% of male pupils ranked a STEM
subject first compared to 51% of females.
- Girls and boys both name STEM as leading to highest
paid jobs: When asked which would lead to the highest
paid job, 81% of male pupils named a STEM subject
compared to 77% of females.
- Girls are less likely to pursue STEM at A level:
When asked what they planned to study at A-Level,
female pupils made up the minority of those naming STEM
subjects. Particularly, in Engineering (14% / 86%),
Computing (15% / 85%) and Physics (22% / 78%).
Home Office research shows 60% the roles on its
shortage list are in the STEM sector while the 2017
Employer Skills Survey found that there is significant
demand for skilled and qualified professionals in IT
and engineering, as well as a need for complex
numerical and statistical skills.
Since 2010, the number of women accepted onto full-time
STEM undergraduate courses increased by 25% and women
accounted for 54% of UK STEM postgraduates.
We have invested in programmes to encourage take up in
STEM-related subjects and courses, including announcing
substantial spending commitments in the Autumn Budget
2017 on maths, digital and technical education.
