An article examined the impact of gender and race on young people's perceptions of the educational and labour market opportunities available to them after they completed their compulsory schooling. Young people from non-white backgrounds were more reliant on `official' sources of guidance (as opposed to friends and families) for their labour market knowledge.
Source: Vanessa Beck, Alison Fuller and Lorna Unwin, 'Safety in stereotypes? The impact of gender and race on young people's perceptions of their post-compulsory education and labour market opportunities', British Educational Research Journal, Volume 32 Number 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Oct
A study (of people in their 40s) found that those who went to single-sex schools were more likely to study subjects not traditionally associated with their gender than those who went to co-educational schools. Girls from single-sex schools also went on to earn more than those from co-educational schools.
Source: Press release 22 September 2006, Institute of Education/University of London (020 7612 6050)
Links: IOE press release | BBC report
Date: 2006-Sep
A study found that single-sex education seemed to make no difference to students' achievements, and that the main determinants of a school's performance were the ability and social background of the pupils.
Source: Alan Smithers and Pamela Robertson, The Paradox of Single-sex and Coeducational Schooling, Headmasters and Headmistress Conference (01858 469 059)
Links: BBC report | Observer report
Date: 2006-Jun
A think-tank paper said that a mother's education had important intergenerational effects on the level of education achieved by her children. The effects were transmitted via a number of channels, including: additional income through having higher qualifications; increased mother s maturity through having children at a later point in her life; and mating effects a better education made it more likely the children would meet a better-educated spouse.
Source: Pedro Carneiro, Costas Meghir and Matthias Parey, Intergenerational Effects of Mother's Schooling on Children's Outcomes: Causal links and transmission channels, Institute for Fiscal Studies (020 7291 4800)
Links: IFS press release
Date: 2006-Apr
An article examined the effects of social class and ethnicity on gender differences in General Certificate of Secondary Education attainment for those who left school in 1997, 1999, and 2001 respectively. Both social class and ethnicity exerted a far greater influence on the GCSE performance of boys and girls than gender.
Source: Paul Connolly, 'The effects of social class and ethnicity on gender differences in GCSE attainment: a secondary analysis of the Youth Cohort Study of England and Wales 1997 2001', British Educational Research Journal, Volume 32 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Feb
A paper examined changes over time in the gender achievement gap at the different stages of compulsory education, and possible causal explanations.
Source: Stephen Machin and Sandra McNally, Gender and Student Achievement in English Schools, DP58, Centre for the Economics of Education/London School of Economics (020 7955 7285)
Date: 2006-Feb
A report said that the higher education sector still faced significant challenges in creating equality for all staff and students, despite making some progress over the previous five years. The proportion of black and minority-ethnic students achieving first and upper-second class honours degrees had increased: but the attainment gap between BME and white students continued to widen. The proportion of professors and heads of department who were women had risen from 15.1 per cent to 18.7 per cent: but at that rate of change it could take another 33 years for men and women to be equally represented at this level.
Source: Equality in Higher Education: Statistical Report 2009, Equality Challenge Unit
Links: Report | ECU press release | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Jan
A new book examined the emotional and social consequences of gendered difference and racial division, as experienced by black and 'ethnicized' women teachers and students in schools and universities. Educational performance tables comparing the exam results of pupils from different ethnic groups were fuelling a new kind of racism. The tables encouraged schools to view some ethnic groups as natural high achievers – the 'model minorities' – and others as the 'failing minorities', always at the bottom.
Source: Heidi Safia Mirza, Race, Gender and Educational Desire: Why black women succeed and fail, Routledge (01264 343071)
Links: Summary | IOE press release
Date: 2006-Jan