Helping boys manage the gender gap

By Catherine Loble and Lisa Wander

A 2022 global report shows that boys are increasingly becoming left behind in education. Furthermore, recent school entry baseline assessments show over one million boys are already under-achieving by the time they enter Reception. So, what are the reasons behind this?

One key factor is that the male brain is wired to respond in external, rather than internal ways. This leaves boys at a disadvantage in the school environment where teaching focusses on the sedentary development of verbal skills, at the expense of active learning. A calm, controlled classroom is usually the teacher’s end goal, but boys tend to learn better by doing rather than sitting.

Both at home and at school, boys participate less in activities such as storytelling and nursery rhymes that support language and literacy development. Even playtime choices affect their development; whilst girls often use make believe and role play activities which further develop their language skills, boys generally choose more physical outlets.

The gender gap is further evidenced by the fact that boys make up around eighty per cent of pupils excluded from schools. They are often easily distracted and less likely to follow instructions.

What is being done to address this? Some approaches have been successful in developing specific strategies to raise boys’ attainment. These involve refining approaches to learning and teaching by challenging stereotypical perceptions and making necessary changes to the curriculum. An excellent model which proves the theories about the different learning styles needed for successful boys’ education is the rapid emergence of Forest Schools. Here educators are seeing young boys excel when allowed to learn in the right environment, mixing physicality with academia. The benefits are limitless and encourage children of both sexes to learn in their own ways.

While it may not be possible to find or have access to the perfect learning environment, acknowledging that boys will mature later and have different learning needs and styles and giving them the encouragement and support they need, will help them progress through the school system. Encouragingly, once they are mature and by the time they finish school, the gender gap will have decreased with boys often outperforming their female counterparts at A-Level.

Catherine and Lisa are co-founders of Emparenting (emparenting.co.uk), supporting children, parents and families with insights, skills and tools to nurture the development and well-being of the next generation.

Supporting boys from an early age

Provide boys with physical outlets before, after and during school. Any outdoor activity can be a learning opportunity.

Value boys’ achievements to improve self-esteem.

Encourage their confidence by validating their strengths. Understand their strengths and interests. Find time for family activities, such as board games, baking and crafting, all of which provide excellent opportunities for conversation and chat.

Weave in time for reading for pleasure Let them choose books based on their interests. Make a variety of genres available including non-fiction and magazines. Give your son the responsibility of helping with simple chores.

Try not to compare. While we know that girls outperform boys up to GCSE, from thereon it becomes a far more even playing field. It is important to give boys time to mature. Try to find positive male role models or mentors. Often schools will run these schemes and they are a great benefit.

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Mrs Nicola Nicoll from Heatherton School

What would you say is the ethos behind the school’s educational approach?

Heatherton is well known for being like a big family, with a caring and supportive team who all want the best for the children and are prepared to go the extra mile. The ethos stems from our School values – aim high with integrity, be adventurous and serve others. We also highly value the essential partnership between School and Home and offer many opportunities throughout the year to meet with parents for learning, discussion and sharing.

You are co-ed in the nursery but from Reception are an all-girls school. What would you say the benefits of single-sex education are? There is much research that shows the academic benefits of a single-sex education but, colloquially, what we witness at Heatherton, is also the space and opportunity for every girl to build her confidence, self-esteem, self-belief, courage to not fear failure, bravery to try something new, to work at the level of her emotional maturity and to play freely in the playground. The girls have the space to do their very best.

You have a range of specialist teachers at Nursery level and upwards. What are the benefits of this? Our nursery benefits from being a ‘school nursery’ which means a share in all the resources at Heatherton, including our most important resource of teachers. Our specialist teachers are passionate about their subject and this rubs off! For example, the nursery learn to sing in different languages with a linguist, paint with an artist, look at fossils with a scientist, play musical instruments with a musician, hammering and sawing with our caretaker, dance with a ballerina ... The children are starting their educational journey with us. Could you tell us a little more about what happens outside the classroom. What extra-curricular activities are on offer? Each member of staff offers a club, every term, and what this entails will depend upon their passions and interests or something they wish to learn too. Highlights include coding, Arabic, Lego building and other arts and crafts. There are huge amounts of music and sports activities too.

Every year group at Heatherton have a chance to go to our outdoor education space on our campus in Haresfoot where the girls learn leadership and team building skills using the climbing wall, zip wire, high ropes etc. Years 3 and 4 have a chance to sleep away from home for a night and then in Year 5 there is a week residential trip in the UK and in Year 6 a week in France.

How do you prepare the girls for life beyond Heatherton? We know from research that investing in your child’s education in the Early Years is paid back in life beyond school. At every stage of development, we have a range of educational experts who support and challenge the pupils to fulfil their potential and transition successfully into next schools of choice. Many of our girls choose to go to Grammar Schools, many to Berkhamsted Girls’ Senior School or to another excellent school of choice. Equally importantly, we ensure Heatherton girls have the personal skills, values and experience to go on be a force for good.

You have a background as a science teacher and Head of Science at your previous schools. How important do you think it is to get girls interested in STEM subjects and careers? I believe it is incredibly important to have gender equality in all sectors so that the next steps taken are driven by a diverse, broad, creative and challenging thinking. As a girls’ school, it is important to break down gender stereotypes and ensure that our girls are exposed to inspiring role-models and have the self-belief to dream big. STEM is an area of great potential future excitement. In my view, understanding the world around us and ourselves is essential in global problem solving and creation for the future.

What has made you most proud since joining Heatherton? There have been so many moments that have made me very proud to be Head at Heatherton. However, if I had to pick one thing, it would be that the incredible Heatherton community spirit and care has endured through the pandemic. There are a very large number of adults and children who all care passionately about Heatherton and will work their socks off to make every School experience the very best it can be. It is a very special place and I love it!

Heatherton School will be holding a Stay & Play event on Friday 10 March. Find out more at: Heatherton.com