An article examined gender differences in cognitive assessments at age 5 across ethnic groups in a sample of English children from the Millennium Cohort Study. Although girls generally performed better than boys, general trends masked some differences across ethnic groups. Gender gaps at the mean were largest for black, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi children; and smallest for white children. They were also larger for the teacher-rated assessments than for the survey-administered tests.
Source: Kirstine Hansen and Elizabeth Jones, 'Ethnicity and gender gaps in early childhood', British Educational Research Journal, Volume 37 Number 6
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Dec
A study examined strategies by European Social Fund providers that had proved to be successful in engaging with unemployed women, and identified best practice.
Source: Eta de Cicco, Rachel Spacey, Jane Ward, Jane Watts, Emily Jones, Fiona Aldridge, Sue Parkins, and Steve Hartshorn, Engaging Unemployed Women in ESF-Funded Training, Skills Funding Agency
Links: Report
Date: 2011-Oct
A new book examined the gendered aspects of educational experiences and outcomes of migrant children, and particularly young migrant women, in 5 European countries (including the United Kingdom).
Source: Josie Christodoulou et al., Young Migrant Women in Secondary Education: Promoting integration and mutual understanding through dialogue and exchange, University of Nicosia Press
Links: Book text | EWL press release
Date: 2011-Oct
A study examined whether there were problems in the European Union member states concerning sex discrimination in access to compulsory education. Sex discrimination appeared to be a 'marginal' issue.
Source: Katerina Mantouvalou, Inga Pavlovaite, and Pat Irving, Sex Discrimination in Access to Education: Evaluation of the need for and effectiveness of current measures in the member states, European Commission
Links: Report | Corrigendum
Date: 2011-Oct
A paper examined the effect of lifelong learning on women's employment and wages. Once employment effects were taken into account, all forms of lifelong learning showed substantial returns.
Source: Richard Dorsett, Silvia Lui, and Martin Weale, Estimating the Effect of Lifelong Learning on Women's Earnings Using a Switching Model, LLAKES Research Paper 30, Centre for Learning and Life Chances in Knowledge Economies and Societies
Links: Paper
Date: 2011-Oct
A briefing paper examined gender equality in relation to skills. Women were increasingly acquiring qualifications at all levels. The gender gap in utilization levels was diminishing, with women closer to men in their use of advanced technologies.
Source: Tom Schuller, Gender and Skills in a Changing Economy, UK Commission for Employment and Skills
Links: Briefing
Date: 2011-Sep
An article drew on material from case studies in the National Health Service in England to examine the conditions under which workplace education and training had the most potential to facilitate women's job progression.
Source: Anne McBride, 'Lifting the barriers? Workplace education and training, women and job progression', Gender, Work and Organization, Volume 18 Number 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Sep
A report for the equal rights watchdog said that careers education and guidance were failing some young people – particularly disabled people, women, and people from ethnic minorities – either because it did not meet their needs or because it did not effectively challenge stereotypical thinking.
Source: Jo Hutchinson, Heather Rolfe, Nicki Moore, Simon Bysshe, and Kieran Bentley, All Things Being Equal? Equality and diversity in careers education, information, advice and guidance, Research Report 71, Equality and Human Rights Commission
Links: Report | EHRC press release
Date: 2011-Jul
A paper examined the relevance of family background (in particular parental education) and gender on differential educational achievement. Parents' education attainments were found to be strong predictors of the education of their offspring. In particular, maternal education was the main determinant in relation to the decision whether to stay on beyond compulsory education.
Source: Javier Valbuena, Family Background, Gender and Cohort Effects on Schooling Decisions, Discussion Paper 1114, School of Economics (University of Kent)
Links: Paper
Date: 2011-Jun
An article examined the effects of women's education and the rate of aggregate unemployment on birth incidence, using data from the 1958 and 1970 British cohort studies.
Source: Andrew Jenkins, 'Educational attainment, labour market conditions and the timing of births', Longitudinal and Life Course Studies, Volume 2 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-May
An article examined the impact of educational expansion under the Labour governments (1997-2010) on levels of social class and gender differentials in educational attainment and participation. Social class inequalities had declined since 1997: but more modestly in terms of relative rankings than of proportionate gaps.
Source: Alice Sullivan, Anthony Heath, and Catherine Rothon, 'Equalisation or inflation? Social class and gender differentials in England and Wales', Oxford Review of Education, Volume 37 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Apr
A paper examined the determinants of females' decisions to invest in post-secondary education in Europe.
Source: Alessandra Casarico, Paola Profeta, and Chiara Pronzato, Great Expectations: The determinants of female university enrolment in Europe, Working Paper 44, Dondena Research Centre (Bocconi University, Milan)
Links: Paper
Date: 2011-Apr
The inspectorate for education and children's services said that some girls were receiving weak careers education, which was making it difficult for them to make properly informed choices about courses and careers.
Source: Girls' Career Aspirations, HMI 090239, Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills
Links: Report | OFSTED press release
Date: 2011-Apr
A report called for early years settings to develop a more rounded and inclusive approach to working with men and fathers. Settings that focused on engaging fathers would help to encourage more men to choose childcare as a career. It was also important that young children grew up seeing men active in caring roles, both as fathers and as childcare workers, as this was key to correcting the misperception that caring was women's work rather than human work.
Source: Tim Kahn, The XY Factor: Addressing gender issues in the early years, Pre-school Learning Alliance
Links: Summary
Date: 2011-Feb