Factors Affecting Educational Achievement: Gender (WJEC Eduqas GCSE Sociology): Flashcards
Exam code: C200
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True or False?
Girls have always outperformed boys in education.
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True or False?
Girls have always outperformed boys in education.
False.
Traditionally, boys outperformed girls at A level, but by the early 2000s girls were achieving better results at both GCSE and A level.
How do young women and men in England compare in going into higher education?
In England, 57% of young women go into higher education by age 25, compared with 45% of young men (DfE).
How has feminism helped to improve girls' achievement?
Feminism has challenged traditional gender roles and raised girls' aspirations and confidence, so they see education as a route to financial independence.
How did girls' priorities change, according to Sue Sharpe (1994)?
Sue Sharpe found that girls' priorities changed from love and marriage in the 1970s to careers and independence in the 1990s.
Which two laws made gender discrimination illegal?
The Sex Discrimination Act (1975) and the Equality Act (2010) made it illegal to discriminate based on gender.
The National Curriculum (1988) gave girls and boys ________ access to subjects, including science and maths.
The National Curriculum (1988) gave girls and boys equal access to subjects, including science and maths.
What did Girls into Science and Technology encourage girls to do?
Girls into Science and Technology, like Women into Science and Engineering, encouraged girls to take up traditionally male subjects.
What does Weiner (1995) argue that teachers now do?
Weiner argues that teachers now challenge sexist attitudes and promote positive female images.
True or False?
Boys and girls now tend to choose the same subjects post-16.
False.
Boys are more likely to study physics, computing and maths, while girls are more likely to study English, sociology, psychology and health and social care (JCQ, 2026).
Define gendered curriculum.
A gendered curriculum is one in which women tend to be missing or in the background, e.g. feminists believe the history curriculum hides women.
How can gendered language in textbooks affect women?
Gendered language in textbooks, such as using he, him and man to refer to people in general, can downgrade women and make them invisible.
Define gender-based career guidance.
Gender-based career guidance is the tendency to direct girls towards the caring professions.
How can single-sex schools benefit girls?
Girls in single-sex schools often perform better in male subjects, such as science and maths, and are more confident and less influenced by gender stereotypes.
How do radical feminists view girls' experience of school?
Radical feminists argue that patriarchy remains deeply rooted in schools, as girls still experience sexism, harassment and bias.
How did boys' average Attainment 8 score compare with girls' in 2026?
In England in 2026, boys' average Attainment 8 score was 44.3, compared with 48.2 for girls (DfE).
What did Harris et al. (1993) find about working-class boys?
Harris et al. found that working-class boys often have low self-esteem and poor motivation.
Define laddish subculture.
A laddish subculture encourages boys to reject schoolwork and value peer approval over teacher approval, so they gain status by being disruptive or tough.
How did boys view academic success, according to Carolyn Jackson (2006)?
Carolyn Jackson found that boys viewed academic success as feminine, so they avoided showing effort in school.
True or False?
According to Jackson, acting tough lets boys blame failure on a lack of ability.
False.
Acting tough gives boys an excuse for failure, as they can blame it on not trying rather than not being capable.
How do boys' study habits compare with girls'?
Compared with girls, boys are less able to manage their time, more easily distracted, less willing to complete homework and less focused on long-term goals.
What does it mean to say that schools have become feminised?
Feminised schools are better suited to girls' learning styles than to boys'.
Which skills and assessment methods favour girls, according to Moir and Moir?
Moir and Moir (1998) claim that coursework and communication favour girls, which makes education too girl-friendly.
Around 86% of nursery and primary teachers in England are female, so boys may lack male ___________ models in early education.
Around 86% of nursery and primary teachers in England are female, so boys may lack male role models in early education.
True or False?
Teachers' lower expectations of boys can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy.
True.
Some teachers label boys as less capable, and boys may then live up to these lower expectations.
Define crisis of masculinity.
A crisis of masculinity is the loss of men's traditional roles in the family and workplace, which leaves many uncertain about their identity.
How has the decline of manual industries affected boys' motivation?
The decline of manual industries, such as coal mining, raised unemployment among working-class men, which reduced boys' motivation to achieve academically.
Why do critics question boy-friendly initiatives in schools?
Critics argue that boy-friendly initiatives risk ignoring the gender inequality that still affects girls.
True or False?
All boys underachieve in education.
False.
Some boys, particularly from middle-class backgrounds, do very well, which shows that social class and ethnicity also matter.
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