Gender and achievement

Overview

Changing employment and Sharpe's study of girls, equal opportunities laws, the feminisation of schools, coursework, the crisis of masculinity, Mac an Ghaill, Jackson's ladettes and subject choice.

What you need to know

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Questions from this subtopic

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1. 1

   How have changes in employment affected girls' achievement?

   Model answer

   The growth of service-sector jobs and the decline of heavy industry opened more careers to women. Girls who see a future in paid work have stronger reasons to gain qualifications.

2. 2

   What did Sharpe find when she compared girls' priorities in the 1970s and 1990s?

   Model answer

   Sharpe, a feminist, interviewed London schoolgirls in the 1970s and again in 1994. The 1970s girls put love and marriage first, while the 1990s girls put a job and independence first.

3. 3

   Give two criticisms of explaining girls' success through employment opportunities.

   Model answer

   Women still face a gender pay gap and a glass ceiling, so jobs are not fully open to them. Many girls still aim for lower-paid caring careers, which limits how far job changes explain their results.

4. 4

   How did equal opportunities laws affect girls' education and ambitions?

   Model answer

   The Equal Pay Act 1970 and the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 outlawed much discrimination against women in work and education. Girls could see that qualifications would lead to fairer careers.

5. 5

   How has feminism contributed to girls' improved achievement?

   Model answer

   Feminism raised awareness of sexism and challenged the idea that a woman's place is in the home. Girls' self-esteem and ambitions rose as women gained more rights and visible role models.

6. 6

   How did schools respond to feminist concerns in the 1980s?

   Model answer

   Schemes such as Girls into Science and Technology encouraged girls to take science subjects. The National Curriculum from 1988 made science compulsory for both girls and boys up to 16.

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