External Factors: Girls' improved achievement

Question 1

Impact of feminism

Answer 1

Since the 1960’s, feminism has challenged the traditional stereotypes of a woman’s role as mother & housewife within a patriarchal family. More broadly, feminism has raised girls’ self esteem, expectations & ambitions with
regard to careers & family.

The feminist movement has had success in improving women’s rights & opportunities e.g. Equal Pay Act 1970; Sex Discrimination Act 1975. More girls grow up today expecting to have the same opportunities as boys & they also expect educational success a career.

Question 2

Feminism A03

Answer 2

The impact of feminism means that girls try harder to achieve highly in school compared to the past due to their raised expectations, ambitions & opportunities. They want more for themselves outside of the traditional family role of women & work hard to achieve it.

Question 3

Changes in the family

Answer 3

There have been a number of major changes to the family in the last 30 years. Some of these include an increase in the divorce rate, an increase in cohabitation, & an increase in the number of lone-parent families (mainly female headed).

Question 4

Changes in the family A03

Answer 4

These changes are affecting girls’ attitudes towards education in a number of ways.

For example, increased numbers of female-headed lone-parent families may mean more women need to take on the major income-earner role.

This then creates a new financially independent, career-minded role model for girls. The need for good qualifications & a well paid job is made very clear.

Question 5

Changes in women’s employment

Answer 5

• There have been some important changes to women’s jobs in recent years. The expansion of the service sector, the Equal Pay & Sex Discrimination acts have helped to increase the proportion of women in employment: 67% of women in 2013 were working compared to only 53% of women in 1970. (Office of National Statistics)
• Some women are breaking through the invisible barrier of the ‘glass ceiling’ to high level professional jobs previously denied them. E.g. in 2013 Women hold 16% of directorships at the UK’s 100 largest companies. Ten years ago just 7.2% of board members were female.

Question 6

Changes in women’s employment A03

Answer 6

These greater employment opportunities provide an incentive for girls to take education seriously.

Question 7

Changing ambitions

Answer 7

For example, Sue Sharpe compared the results of interviews she carried out with girls in the 1970s & girls in the 1990s. In the 1970s girls had low aspirations, saw educational success as unfeminine & gave their priorities as love, marriage, husbands & children before careers. In the 1990s, however, girls were more likely to see their future as independent women with a career, rather than being dependent on a husband & his income.

Carol Fuller’s (2011) study found that educational success was a central aspect of many girls’ identities. They saw themselves as creators of their own future & aimed for a professional career that would enable them to support themselves which clearly requires good educational qualifications