Boys in England are significantly outperforming girls in maths and science, according to a new study that shows an emerging gulf between pupils in the past four years.
Research from University College London (UCL), published by the Department for Education, shows that a huge disparity emerged between boys and girls in maths education in 2023 – ending years of similar results since 2003.
Academics used data from over 12,000 schools in 59 countries to generate a maths and science performance scale for pupils from year 5 and year 9.
The study found that in 2023 there was a 26-point difference between boys’ and girls’ performance in maths in England, a stark change from 2019, when there was just a two-point difference. The finding reverses nearly two decades of relative parity between the genders in maths.
The 2023 gap in England was the largest out of any participating country, UCL academics said. But the emerging trend of boys outperforming girls in these subjects was also apparent in the US, Canada and Australia.
Boys also significantly outperformed girls in science in year 9 – with a 14-point lead – compared to 2019 when there was a three-point advantage. Scores for science in year 5 were not significantly different to each other, the study found.
While year 5 performance by gender in science has been equal for the past two decades, year 9 boys and girls only achieved equal results in 2011. As of 2023, boys are now firmly back in the lead in that age group.
Dr Jennie Golding, from UCL’s faculty of education and society, said: “Over the last 20 years, boys and girls have achieved similar scores in both mathematics and science.
“It is difficult to say exactly why this gap has opened up, but our findings point to some factors including confidence, a sense of belonging and absenteeism. However, more research is needed to understand the reasons fully and address this problem”.
The study found that across both year groups in maths, and in year 9 science, boys were more confident about the subjects than girls.
Boys were also more likely to say that they wanted to study maths after secondary school, or say they wanted to do a job in the future that involved mathematics. These results were more mixed for science.
Researchers also found that year 5 and year 9 pupils who were or had been on free school meals were likely to be doing worse in maths than those who weren’t eligible.
For pupils in England, the more books a child had at home, the better they were likely to do at maths.
English students were less likely than Canadian, American or Australian children to report being hungry when they arrived at school – with Japan leading standards internationally on year 5 children feeling satiated at school.
UCL academics calculated that pupils in England performed better than the international average in maths and sciences.
Countries that have consistently performed better over time than England in maths and science scoring are Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Republic of Korea and Singapore.
Schools Minister Catherine McKinnell said: “High and rising standards are at the heart of this government’s Plan for Change, which will break the link between background and success so every child can achieve and thrive.
“This report reinforces the baked-in inequalities that remain in our education system, with disadvantaged pupils continuing to trail behind their peers.
“That’s why we will continue to promote STEM subjects, especially among girls, through a range of initiatives and, more broadly, have launched the independent, expert-led Curriculum and Assessment Review to look at how to make sure all children receive a cutting-edge school experience and an excellent foundation in maths no matter their background.”
