Britain: is the education system rigged in favour of girls?

Boys are getting a raw deal because the education system dramatically favours girls, a leading academic has warned.

Professor Alison Wolf, of King's College London, said modular GCSEs and A-levels, and an emphasis on essay-writing, all played to girls' strengths.

But she warned that primary schools were also more 'girl friendly' and said the new 'nappy curriculum' being introduced for under-fives this term is likely to accentuate the disparity.

This is because the Early Years Foundation Stage sets the same expectations for all pupils - ignoring the fact that boys' early progress tends to be slower. 

Many boys find it more difficult to sit still to learn - as they are expected to do from the age of five - which can lead to them becoming frustrated.

Professor Wolf told an education conference in London: 'We are doing something particularly wrong with the Early Years Foundation Stage.

'There is absolutely no notice taken of the fact that boys and girls develop differently at that age.

'We tilt the whole curriculum in girls' favour, right from the age of three onwards now and I think that's a real problem.' More...

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