Gender and education

Following the departure of Sky Sports’ broadcaster Richard Keys and Andy Gray for sexist remarks, the question of gender is a pertinent one for discussion. Is Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson right to suggest that the row is ‘baffling and worrying’? Or, should we be more concerned that the gender pay gap for full-time employees is 10.2% (2009, ONS)?

Gender is an important factor in educational attainment, but subject choices at school appear to both reinforce and reproduce gender inequalities in the workplace. To help explore differential achievement by gender, this is a useful card sort / colour coding exercise (borrowed from a colleague with gratitude). Students should sort or pick different colours to show factors explaining a) the achievement of girls, b) the under-achievement of boys, c) factors inside school, d) factors outside school, e) material factors and f) cultural factors.

gender_and_education_sort_cards.doc

Linking these explanations to subject choice, will support discussions about social mobility and gender roles.

A_level_results_2010_subjects_by_gender.doc