1.5 Gender (Pt 1)

Question 1

Gender Gap in Achievement

Answer 1

1. On Starting School: Girls ahead by between 7-15% points in all 7 areas of learning.
2. GCSEs: gender gap stays at roughly 10% points
3. A Level (2013): 48.6% of girls gained A / B grades in comparison to 42.2% of boys.

Question 2

External (Summary)

Answer 2

1. Impact of Feminism
2. Changes in the Family
3. Changes in women’s employment
4. Girl’s Changing Ambition
5. Class, Gender and Ambition

Question 3

Internal (Summary)

Answer 3

1. Equal Opportunities Policies
2. Positive Role Models in Schools
3. GCSE and Coursework
4. Teacher Attention
5. Challenging Stereotypes
6. Selection and League Tables
7. Two Views of Girl’s Achievement

Question 4

1.1. Impact of Feminism

Answer 4

McRobbie: study of girl’s magazines
1970s: emphasised importance of not being ‘left on the shelf’
Modern: Contain images of assertive, independent women

Question 5

1.2 Changes in the Family

Answer 5

Increase in divorce, cohabitation and number of lone-parent families (smaller families)

Question 6

1.3 Changes in Women’s Employment

Answer 6

1970 Equal Pay Act: Illegal to pay women less than men for work of equal value
1975 Sex Discrimination Act: outlaws discrimination at work
Since 1975, gender pay gap has halved: 30-15%

Question 7

1.4 Girl’s Changing Ambitions

Answer 7

Sharpe: Interviews in 70s and 90s

• 70s: Love and marriage was prioritised
• 90s: More likely to see future as an independent women with a career

O’Connor: 14-17 year olds didn’t see marriage and children as a priority

Question 8

1.5 Class, Gender and Ambition

Answer 8

Reay: Low WC aspiration reflects reality of girls’ class position

Biggart: WC girls more likely to face precarious position in labour market

Question 9

2.1 Equal Opportunities Policies

Answer 9

Feminist Ideas have had a major impact on education system / policymakers
- GIST and WISE encourage girls to pursue careers in non-traditional areas.
Boaler: sees impact of equal opportunities policies as key reason for changes in girl’s achievement

Question 10

2.2 Positive Role Models in Schools

Answer 10

Teachers etc

Question 11

2.3 GCSE and Coursework

Answer 11

Gorard: gender gap in achievement was fairly constant from 1975 until 89. (89: increased sharply when GCSE was introduced)
- Gorard: gender gap is a “product of the changed system of assessment”

Mitsos and Browne: Girls more successful in coursework because they are better organised

Question 12

2.4 Teacher Attention

Answer 12

French and French: boys received more attention but more reprimands

Francis: while boys got more attention, they were disciplined more harshly and felt picked on

Swann: boys dominate in whole class discussion while girls prefer pair-work and group work

Question 13

2.5 Challenging Stereotypes

Answer 13

• Weiner: since 80s, teachers have challenged stereotypes and sexist stereotypes have been removed from learning material

Question 14

2.6 Selection and League Tables

Answer 14

Jackson: high achieving girls more attractive to schools whereas low achieving boys are not. (self-fulfilling prophecy / girls more likely to be recruited by good schools)

• Slee: boys are less attractive to schools because they are more likely to suffer from behavioural difficulties

Question 15

2.7 Two Views of Girls’ Achievement

Answer 15

Liberal Feminists: celebrate progress made so far in improving achievement
- Further progress will be made by development of equal opportunities policies, encouraging positive role models and overcoming sexist attitudes

Radical Feminists: Education system remains patraiarchal (sexual harrassment, education limits girls’ subject choice and head teachers more likely to be men)