Gender Differences in Education - Impacts of Educational Policy

All notes taken from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7upQLNUpGKI&t=4s

What are the indirect policies which move towards the equality in the workplace?

• Equal Pay Act

• Sex Discrimination Act

• Equality Act

What are the indirect policies which move towards changes in women’s position in society?

• Divorce Reform Act

• Availability of contraception

• Legalisation of abortion

What are the features of the education reform act?

Introduction of National Curriculum:

• Illegal to discriminate on grounds of gender in subject choice

Standardised testing and coursework:

• Girls’ improvement linked to GCSEs and coursework

The marketisation of education:

• Girls as high performers more desirable in school

What are the reasons of boys underachievement by New Labour?

• DfCSF (2007) saw boys’ literacy rates as the largest factor in the underachievement of boys

• Reading Champions

• Raising Boys’ Achievement Scheme

• Playing for Success

What other initiatives and policies are there?

STEM subjects:

• GIST/WISE opening doors for girls to get into STEM subjects

Changes to linear exams:

• Linear- high stakes exams through to favour boys- increased high grades for boys since 2017

Removal of coursework

What are the evaluations of the education policies?

• Jackson et al (2010)- boys underachievement has been the focus of most policies

• The gender gap in achievement closing slightly

• Recruitment of male teachers is still an issue (80% of education graduates are female)