Work

Girls Rock, Boys Roll: An Analysis of the Age 14–16 Gender Gap in English Schools

Year: 2004

Type: article

Abstract: We investigate possible explanations for the educational gender gap at age 16. We employ a national dataset of matched exam results of the cohort of pupils who took Key Stage 3 tests in 1999 and GCSEs in 2001. Our key result is the sheer consistency of the gender gap, across both the attainment and the ability distribution, with regard to both raw outcomes and value added. It is primarily driven by performance differentials in English. The generality of the gender gap suggests its source is not within‐school practice, which means that policy directed at improving such practice may be misplaced.

Source: Scottish Journal of Political Economy

DOI: 10.1111/j.0036-9292.2004.00303.x

Authors: Simon Burgess, Brendon McConnell, Carol Propper, Deborah Wilson

Institutions: University of Bristol, Centre for Economic Policy Research, Imperial College London

Language: English

Topic: School Choice and Performance

Subfield: Education

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Quality education, Reduced inequalities, Gender equality

Open Access status: bronze

Funder: Leverhulme Trust