Patterns of gender differences in GCSE and A Level results

GCSE performance by gender

• Overall subject performance - Girls outperform boys in the vast majority of subjects at GCSE, including maths in recent years.
• Narrowing gender gap - The difference in overall GCSE results between boys and girls has decreased over the last decade.

A Level performance by gender

• Achievement of passing grades - Since 1995, girls have consistently outperformed boys in achieving grades A to E, meaning more girls pass their A Levels overall.
• Top grades - Girls are also now more likely to secure the highest grades at A Level.

Gender imbalances in university attendance

In 2014, there were 58,000 more female students at university than male students. This gap indicates that women are more likely to pursue higher education.

Stereotypical subject choices and feminist perspectives

Common gendered subject choices at A Level

• Under-representation of females - Girls are less likely to choose subjects like physics and maths.
• Over-representation of females - In contrast, girls are more common in subjects such as English literature, sociology, and psychology.

Impacts of gendered choices on degree courses and employment

Effects on university degree selections

Females are less likely to pursue degrees in engineering and maths, but more likely to study arts and humanities subjects.

Consequences for employment and gender inequalities

• Under-representation in well-paid jobs - Gendered subject choices contribute to women's lower presence in well-paid jobs.
• Glass ceiling - Gendered subject choices may be partly responsible for the glass ceiling.
• Pay gap - Gendered subject choices may be partly responsible for the pay gap experienced by women in employment.