The widening GCSE results gap in the UK between the genders Thread

Yet again, this year the gap between the results is widening. The reason is obvious. It's 'uncool' for boys to study, but for girls it isn't. The cause of this however is more unclear. Here are the reasons I can see:

Hormones: In my opinion mostly an excuse, but it propably plays some part.

The Media: American media especially affects people. It is 'cool' to do drugs and to mess around at school. The consequences aren't shown.

It's time for my lunch, so I wont go on anymore. Maybe girls are just more academic. What do you think?

I sux, i failed, im just stupid, life sux

i assume GCSE is the school VCE equivalent.

Maybe it's because english woman is frigid.

Its a stage in life, where the guys there don't study and in a few years they might realise they should have. or maybe there are mafias and gangs developing where skills learnt at school aren't needed anymore

Well, I live in Australia, so I wouldn't know what GCSE is, but I'll assume it's similar to the VCE here in Australia.

I'm not sure what the results are here in Victoria in terms of boys v. girls, but I would say that it is the same as you have stated, higher scores for the ladies. Looking back on my schooling past, I would have to say it's the attitude. Boys tend to be much more lazier and the normal girl probably could be related to a male nerd, so basically, I think they just get in there and do the work, whereas the boys really couldn't give a fat rats ass.

Now, this is just a generalisation that I have made. Obviously some guys are going to be more dedicated then some girls, but I'm just talking about generally. It's also just my opinion, so I could be wrong, but that's what I believe.

Greg

EDIT: Sorry there M@t, you snuck in a post whilst I was typing this out.

- Edited By liquid On Thu 22nd, Aug 2002 @ 8:48pm

have you ever had girl's ask you to do their assignments? maybe that's whats happening.

the english chicks are asking the guys to do the assignments. they do the chicks assignments, and have no time to do their own

I got :

B/C in English
B in History
D in Maths
D in Science >O

The rest are subjects I dont mind failing in...

Ive had to change my course at college, cant take the top course no more

Is there really such a results gap? I always heard that the difference in average marks was maybe 5 ~ 7% max between male and female? I am not sure if this is ignorant of me but honestly is that such an extreme thing? I guess it must be. Personally I never really worked too hard in my life, and was just generally alright at most subjects which helped me achieve fairly good marks - but I mean I can understand why so many guys maybe getting poor marks, I mean your schooling days espicially towards the end when it actually counts, the last thing you want to be doing is 'nerd style' studying when you could be lapping up the 18ths and other assorted fun activies you will never again be able to experience...

Interesting point to raise, I really never have put much thought into it... (oh and one thing we are all forgetting is COMPUTER GAMES lol... i mean how many hours do you pump into that, compared with a sorta equilvent chick. I got this stange feeling it'll be slightly more )

It's higher than 7% or 8%. In some subjects it's up to about 20% I think. I can't remember the exact figures. Even in IT the girls were about 9% or something ahead.

But this isn't the worrying thing. It's not the fact that girls do better than boys, it's the fact that the gap is widening, so the problem's getting worse. All of the points so far people have made wont have changed in the past 20 years, so why is the gap rising?

Boys did better in Physics and Biology, but that's it.

It's actually just the current year set going through, and it's because boys learn 'physically' i.e. PE and technology, and girls learn mentally i.e. English.

However, boys generally speaking do better in maths because maths works better if you think spatially (you can 'see' what you're working on in your mind) which is a physical base activity.

Also, in my year group, the boys beat the girls in virtually every subject because we're getting pissed off with all this "Girls have higher results than boys" crap. The only people to get level 8s in English and maths (highest mark possible in standard marking) were me and my friend, and we both had level 7s in science (the top mark possible) with a comfortable 20 point lead over anyone else.

By percentage it's about 50/50 in my school, and most schools in the North of the UK. It's actually schools in the south where the teachers favour girls which drag down the averages.

Technology involves no mental stimulation?

It's all down to social conditioning. When someone says it's 'uncool' to study, it can have a big impact on a weak minded child.

Unfortunately, I know of few school systems which actively promote how enjoyable learning can actually be, and I know of more than a few popular figures, movies and media which gives out the message that it's OK to go through your entire life without picking anything up.

Good point.

I still say though, in my year there is no gap, and if there has to be one it brings boys out slightly on top, beacuse we're all pissed off at being told girls perform better. We have to sit boy-girl this year because 2 years above us scored badly in GCSEs. What's with that?

I maybe a little late here, but if you study the results, boys are outperforming/drawing level with girls at science & maths- News.bbc.co.uk
All the 'extra' new subjects are warping the figures somewhat- Social science? Welsh literature? Home economics? etc...

Well said, a lot of the new subjects (Child development) will be done by very few boys (not meaning to be sexist here, but it's true). That will screw the figures totally.

Quite frankly I don't care whether some girl gets A* in French, Drama or Welsh Literature - if that person decides to pursue that at A-level or University level, then they're gonna find that after they finish there's not really any job they can get apart from a teaching job. And even if they do find one... where's the money? To be a successful actor/writer it's all down to your luck... finding a good agent/publisher, coming up with a good idea for a bestseller, and getting it done on time...

Originally posted by jacksonj04
Also, in my year group, the boys beat the girls in virtually every subject because we're getting pissed off with all this "Girls have higher results than boys" crap. The only people to get level 8s in English and maths (highest mark possible in standard marking) were me and my friend, and we both had level 7s in science (the top mark possible) with a comfortable 20 point lead over anyone else.

LOL Say, did you by any chance do a statistics/data handling coursework on some "Mayfield High School"? Round about Nov-Dec 2002?

i dunno, other than a d and a b that i got in 9th grade, my lowest grades are like two b+'s, and all the others are some form of a

well, now I'm actually doing GSCEs and I can safely say the lads are trouncing girls. Every subject. Even child development and food technology.

:o Lucky school, 90% of the lads at my school were ogre's who'd rather fight than get a grade.

we're about 60% assholes, but the rest who do pay attention actually drag the average above the girls, proof that lads pwn.

define pwn...

Own more intelligence than the average breeder bi-otch.

jacksonj04 are you doing paper 2 (reading and directed writing) and paper 4 (coursework folder of 3 pieces) for English?