Raising boys' achievement in schools

Rasing boys' achievementsSince 2003, the Improvement Foundation has been offering an innovative one-year National Education Breakthrough Programme to help boys achieve their potential by working to change how schools deliver teaching and manage learning.

Over the past decade, awareness has grown regarding the gender differences in male and female performance in education.

The results for the Foundation Stage Profile show that from age four onwards girls perform better than boys in every area of learning.

 

 

 

Foundation Stage Profile 2006:
Percentage of children achieving or exceeding each of the 13 early learning goals:    Girls Boys
1. Dispositions and attitudes 65 52
2. Social development 53 42
3. Emotional development 59 46
4. Language for communication and thinking 52 42
5. Linking sounds and letters 38 28
6. Reading 40 32
7. Writing 35 23
8. Numbers as labels for counting 54 50
9. Calculating 39 36
10. Shape, space and measures 45 41
11. Knowledge and understanding of the world 48 47
12. Physical development 66 54
13. Creative development 52 35

 

% of students reaching the level expected for their age – 2006:
  English
 Reading
 Writing
  Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls
7 year olds (Level 2+)     80% 89% 76% 87%
11 year olds (Level 4+) 74% 85% 79% 87% 59% 75%
14 year olds (Level 5+) 65% 80% 59% 74% 69% 83%

Source: Literacy Trust (2006)

 

16 year olds – 2006:
  Boys Girls
% achieving 5 A* - C grades 53.3% 63.2%
% achieving 5 A* - C grades 45.7% 58.7%

 

There are many examples of schools that have raised boys' achievement successfully. By analysing the key features of these schools' systems, the Improvement Foundation has defined five key 'change principles' upon which the programme is based. These are:

  • Use strong leadership, incorporating parent and pupil voice, to create the environment for change
  • Focus on teaching and learning
  • Use of targeted intervention, including mentoring, drawing upon a variety of relevant sources 
  • Create capacity and enhance opportunities for collaboration
  • Use data to drive improvement.

If you are interested in working with the Improvement Foundation please go to How we can help or click here to contact us.