Ruth’s Sociology Resources Blog

You’ve probably noticed that every year when the GCSE and A-level results come out, the media make a big fuss about the fact that girls have once again achieved more highly than boys. In fact statistics suggest that the achievement gap between boys and girls is widening and both sociologists and educational policy makers are looking at why this is the case.

However, do bear in mind, that while there is much public attention paid to gender gaps in achievement, social class and ethnic differences in achievement are much greater (Connolly, 2006).

For a look at some of the factors which account for the differences in achievement between boys and girls, click here.