Gender differences in education

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Introduction

‘Choice’ is a concept which tends to be regarded highly within any democratic society (Croxford, 2000).  Allowing pupils to choose the subjects that they study, between the ages of fourteen to sixteen gives them more ownership of their curriculum, and reduces the likelihood that they will be alienated by an over prescriptive curriculum according to Croxford (2000).  However, choice can become a problem when the individual responsible for making the choices can be influenced by the values and attitudes of others within society as well as structural barriers that they may encounter.  It is believed that the introduction of the National Curriculum in 1988 had many implications for gender and education.  Girls as well has boys would be legally required to study science until the age of sixteen, and boys would be required to take a foreign language as well as English up until the age of sixteen.  Before the National Curriculum was implemented many girls had ‘opted’ out of science based subjects as these were often perceived as masculine subjects.  As had many boys ‘opted’ out of languages, art and design and social studies as these were often perceived as feminine subjects (Kenway, 1995).   This seminar paper shall firstly look at the underlying principles of the National Curriculum, then it shall look at the structure and content of the National Curriculum, and then examine the different factors that can influence an individual when having to make subject choices.

The National Curriculum

The National Curriculum was introduced in 1988 by the Conservative Government as part of the Education Reform Act.  The National Curriculum is a blueprint used by schools to ensure that teaching standards are universally consistent.  The National Curriculum had three underlying principles, one of them being entitlement and equality. Entitlement and equality is to provide and ensure that every child between the ages of three and sixteen can be taught the contents of the National Curriculum and also ensure that every pupil experiences the different types of study that are included in the National Curriculum. (Sailsbury,2000).  Part of the rationale for the National Curriculum was to ensure that all pupils study a broad and balanced range of subjects throughout their compulsory schooling and all pupils regardless of their sex, ethnic origin and geographical location, have access to broadly the same good and relevant curriculum and programmes of study (Department of Education and Science, 1987).  The National Curriculum had a potential role in reducing inequality by providing all pupils with entitlement to a common core curriculum (Dearing, 1994).  In principle, the National Curriculum should ensure that both sexes experience all modes of study and areas of knowledge (ibid).    This is an important way of ensuring that both girls and boys have equal opportunities to learn and in theory it should remove any possibilities that schools might make different provisions for boys and girls.  However, it is argued that in practice the reality of classroom experiences of different areas of the curriculum may still differ for boys and girls, because of the attitudes and behaviours of both teachers and pupils and also the influences of society.

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Curriculum Content and Subject Choice

Up until Key Stage four all pupils must study English, Maths, Science, Technology, History, Geography, Art, Music and Physical Education.  Once a pupil reaches Key Stage four they are no longer required to study Art, Music Geography or History.  Instead they are given a list of option choices where they can decide which subjects they wish to study.   Although the National Curriculum has encouraged pupils to make non-gendered subject choices by obliging pupils to take English and another language, maths and a science in their examinations at the age ...

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