Boys enjoy maths and science more than girls — but get same grades

In the report published today, researchers found that girls’ outcomes in maths and science were not significantly different from boys
Matt Cardy/Getty Images
Anna Davis @_annadavis8 December 2020

Boys are more confident in their abilities in maths and science and enjoy the subjects more than girls — despite there being no significant difference in their results, new research reveals today.

Researchers at UCL Institute of Education looked at the attitudes of pupils in years five and nine towards maths and science, and found that in both year groups and for both subjects boys were significantly more confident and liked learning than girls.

In the report published today, researchers found that girls’ outcomes in maths and science were not significantly different from boys. But there was a clear gender difference when pupils were asked about their confidence and liking for the subjects.

More boys in year nine, aged 13 and 14, said they valued maths and science than girls. In year five, where pupils are nine and 10 years old, 39 per cent of boys said they were very confident in maths, compared with 24 per cent of girls.

The report said: “Girls were significantly less confident and liked the subject less in both year groups and for both subjects. These negative aspects did not manifest themselves in differences in achievement, however, with girls’ outcomes not significantly different from boys’.”

Co-author Dr Tina Isaacs, from the UCL Institute of Education, said: “Despite social concerns about the differences between boys’ and girls’ performance, the results show that they’ve performed largely at the same level in both subjects and both year groups. However, girls still are less confident, and don’t much like mathematics and science. There is already a plethora of research underway into why girls lack confidence in and enjoyment of mathematics and science.”

Researchers at UCL analysed the performance of English students in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), which uses data from 64 countries. More than 9,000 year five and nine pupils were tested in 368 schools in England. Researchers also found that pupils in England are improving in maths but falling behind in science. For year five pupils, maths performance has significantly improved since 2015. But in year nine science results have significantly declined.

In maths at year five, only seven countries performed better than England. These were Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Northern Ireland and Russia.

The Department for Education said: “We are reviewing the responses in the TIMSS results to better understand the difference in confidence across boys and girls, and the wider implications of this.”

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