The last year I spent abroad as a foreign language assistant in England where I was teaching German from year 7 to 13 at a grammar school for girls. As a result of my time there I decided to write a paper about the educational system in Great Britain because there are some differences between the German and British education. Teaching only girls offered me something that I will never experience in a German school. Single- sex schools are non- existing here or just to a rare amount and although I experienced the teaching as positive, there are also disadvantages of single- sex learning. “One positive effect of being at a girls school” most of my girls said last year, is “that you are not distracted by the classroom- behaviour of the boys”. If this very common way in England of separating the genders in different schools is supportive for the school results is a question which I am going to talk about in my work. Besides that I’d like to find out if the so called “gender gap” is really existing and what is meant by that. As a basis for my paper I’d like to give a short introduction to the English school system. Following that I will deal with the education politics during the period of Thatcherism and New Labour to find out which role education played in the past years in British politics and which reforms were made recently. It is obvious that the political dimensions of education are broad, and for that reason I am going to name only the main important changes. In the main part of my work I will consider the problems of inequalities in English secondary schools with special regard to the “gender gap”.
The literature I have worked with is taken from the internet especially the one about the politic parties and their policies. I also used certain books about British culture and society which will be listed on page 14. It is important to mention that the names (Great) Britain and UK stand in my work for the entire country including Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland. If I am talking about England it will be named like that.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Education in England
2.1. Introductory Knowledge
2.2. Education in British Politics
2.2.1. Thatcherism and Education Policy
2.2.2. Education Politics under New Labour
3. Inequalities in English Education
3.1. Introduction
3.2. Gender Inequalities in English Secondary Schools
3.2.1. Development
3.2.2. Explaining the Gender Problem
3.2.2.1. Girls’ Improvement
3.2.2.2. Boys’ Underachievement
3.2.3 Equality Supporting Strategies
4. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines the educational system in England with a specific focus on gender inequalities in secondary schools. It explores whether the "gender gap" in academic achievement is a persistent issue and how different political eras and school structures influence student performance.
- The historical development of the English education system and political reforms.
- The impact of Thatcherism and New Labour policies on educational standards.
- The phenomenon of the gender gap and its evolution in secondary school outcomes.
- Differences between single-sex and mixed-sex learning environments.
- Strategies to promote equality and support student achievement.
Excerpt from the Book
3.2.1. Development
The field of gender inequalities is, compared to race and class inequalities, a not very well researched one. A fact which makes it even more difficult to research here, is the existence of four different educational systems in Great Britain namely in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The most gender research had been done so far in England, in which the surveys of Willis (1977) and Stanworth (1983) on manlike behaviour as well on behaviour in the classroom are the best known ones (Delamont 341).
Although the social and race referring inequalities are more present or evident in school life, the gender problem has developed dramatically in the last years in England. In the 1960s there was a gap between girls’ and boys’ achievements in which the boys attainments were 5% better than the girls’ ones. The following ten to fifteen years both genders achieved similar results. A decisive change came at the end of the 1980s when only 29.8% of boys passed five or more higher grades in the GCSE exams compared to 35.8% of the girls. This gap shows a difference of 6% that in 1999 was rising to more than 10%. In 2001 the 56.5% of girls who had achieved now five or more A*-C grades not only closed the old gender gap where boys were outperforming them, they also opened up a new one where boys are struggling behind and could only get GCSE higher grades to a percentage of 45.7% (Arnot 1).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The author introduces the topic based on personal experience as a language assistant in England and outlines the focus on gender inequalities and the gender gap.
2. Education in England: This chapter provides an overview of the English school system, the Education Act of 1944, and the influence of Thatcherism and New Labour policies on educational reform.
3. Inequalities in English Education: This section investigates the roots of social and gender-based inequality, analyzes the performance gap between girls and boys, and evaluates strategies to support educational equality.
4. Conclusion: The author summarizes the findings, reflecting on the advantages and disadvantages of single-sex versus mixed-schooling and acknowledging the complexity of the gender issue in current education policy.
Keywords
Education in England, Gender Inequalities, Secondary Schools, Gender Gap, Thatcherism, New Labour, National Curriculum, Academic Achievement, GCSE, Single-sex education, Educational Policy, Social class, Student performance, Teaching methods, Equal Opportunities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic paper?
The paper primarily investigates the existence and development of gender inequalities within English secondary schools, specifically focusing on the so-called "gender gap" in academic performance.
Which key political periods are analyzed regarding their impact on education?
The paper analyzes the educational reforms and policies implemented during the Thatcher era and the subsequent New Labour government.
What is the central research question of the study?
The study aims to determine if the gender gap exists, why it has shifted over time, and whether separating genders in different school systems supports better student outcomes.
Which research methodology was applied?
The paper employs a qualitative review of existing sociological literature, government policies, and comparative analyses of school systems, supported by the author's personal observations in an English grammar school.
What topics are covered in the main body of the work?
The main body covers the historical structure of the English school system, the political influence of major parties, the sociological roots of inequality, factors influencing the performance of boys versus girls, and potential intervention strategies.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Education in England, Gender Inequalities, Gender Gap, National Curriculum, Thatcherism, New Labour, and Single-sex education.
How does the author interpret the impact of the 'hidden' curriculum?
The author argues that the 'hidden' curriculum plays a significant role in reinforcing gender-specific expectations, social roles, and attitudes that ultimately affect student motivation and subject choices.
What are the primary reasons identified for the 'second' gender gap (boys' underachievement)?
The paper identifies male classroom behavior, the 'laddish' culture, disinterest in subjects perceived as feminine, and teacher expectations as primary drivers behind the underachievement of boys.
- Citar trabajo
- Janina Böttcher (Autor), 2005, Education in England, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/130842
