Educational Achievement By Gender

• External: Impact of feminism (DAVID) raised girl’s expectations and self-esteem which encourage them to have bigger goals in school.
• External: Changes in the family (FRANCIS) there are has been an increase in single mothers or female led households. This gives girls a positive, strong role model that teaches them they do not need a husband to do well.
• External: Changes in women’s employment (FRANCIS) Greater career opportunities, laws and pay have made more role models for girls to have bigger ambitions
• External: Changes in girl’s ambitions (SHARPE) In the 1970s, most girls aimed to get married and have children, however, in the modern world, most want to have a good career.
• Internal: Equal opportunities policies (FRANCIS, ARCHER) Less teachers stereotype children based on gender, there is more encouragement for girls to do male dominated careers.
• Internal: Positive role models in school More women in senior positions show girls they can achieve high status jobs.
• Internal: GCSE and coursework Assessments favour girls to boys because girls are better at doing coursework due to being more organized.
• Internal: Teacher attention (TERRIER) Boys have lower expectations and are seen as disruptive in class while girls are seen as cooperative and well behaved.
• Internal: Challenging stereotypes in curriculum (MCROBBIE) Sexist images have been removed from school. Girls and boys do the same subjects in school now.
• Internal: Selection and league tables Marketisation has created a competitive climate in schools, girls are seen are more desirable because they often get higher grades.
• Internal: Hyper-heterosexual feminine identities (RINGROSE)  however can slow girls down. They may prioritise boyfriends and makeup over education. 
• Literacy (NORMAN): Boys have poorer literacy skills compared to girls e.g., boys are read to less when they are young because it is seen as feminine.
• Globalisation (WILLIS) : There has been a decline in “traditional male jobs” like manual work causing boys to be less motivated.
• Feminisation of education (SEWELL) : school does not nature “male” traits but instead female ones. Sewell says there should be more exams because boys' suit those more.
• Shortage of male primary school teachers: Lack of male role models cause boys to be unmotivated and underachieve.
• Laddish subcultures (BALL) : boys see education and studying as feminine.