The feminisation of education

• What is the feminisation of education?

  • (Sewell)- Refers to the way in which education has become a female dominated environment, with 76% of the teaching workforce being female. This pattern is something which has been consistent over time, providing girls with a pro-education role model.
  • Only 14% of primary school teachers are male, this benefited girls and made boys feel less comfortable with their learning environment.
  • This therefore may make boys withdraw form the system and form anti-school subcultures to reaffirm their masculinity, W.C boys suffer most due to schools M.C habitus.
• Why might the feminisation of education lead to female overachievement in education?

  • Girls are provided with a pro-education environment and may be more likely to ask for help.
  • Girls are also more willing to conform to school rules, whereas boys are not, the disproportionate number of female teachers alienates them further from the school subculture.
• What are the evaluations of the feminisation of education and how its a contributing factor to gender differences in education?

  • A government report on the school workforce in England showed that the state education sector is 74% female, yet only 65% of headteachers are women, this highlights a disproportionate amount of male headteachers.
  • Also highlights that males do have role models in school to look up to so why do they struggle under the education system subculture as much?