External factors

• Impact of feminism


  Since 1960's the feminist movement has challenged traditional stereotypes.

  This is reflected in education where now girls are interested in getting a full qualification and putting education before marriage.

  Feminism has changed girls' self-image and ambitions
• Changes in the family

  Major changes include:

  - increase in divorce rate (girls don't want to rely on men)

  - increase in cohabitation, decrease in 1st marriages

  - increase in lone-parent families

  - smaller families.

  These changes have changed girls attitude to education as they are more likely to have a role as a breadwinner now and need a good job.
• Changes in women's employment

  - 1970 Equal pay act makes it illegal to pay men more than women

  - since 1975 pay gap has halved from 30% to 15%

  - women in employment has increased from 53% in 1971 to 72% in 2020

  - some women are breaking the 'glass ceiling'

  this provides an incentive for girls to do well as school
• Girls change in ambition

  Sue Sharpe's study of girls ambitions.

  In 1974 girls had low aspirations in school, they believed educational success was unfeminine and unattractive. Top priorities were: love, marriage, children.

  In 1990 priorities were being able to support themselves and girls wanted to become independent women.

  However WC girls continue to hold gender-stereotypes aspirations as they see motherhood as the only option for their futures or low-income jobs