نبذة مختصرة : Each year, when GCSE and A level results are published, a common talking point in media coverage is how results of male and female students differ. This reflects a popular fascination with such differences, but there is also a deeper, longstanding research interest in sex differences in education, not just in England, but around the world. Research into educational sex gaps in England has a long history, but there have been few, if any, systematic examinations of sex gaps in recent years. This is particularly pertinent, as recent years have seen widespread disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and substantial reforms to GCSEs and A levels, both of which could have affected the existence and magnitude of sex gaps. Hence, there is value in looking at the state of educational sex gaps, to gain a better understanding of the state of the system following this period of change and disruption. This report documents the presence of sex gaps at multiple stages of education in England, using data from publicly available datasets that all provide data across multiple years. It addresses gaps from Early Years Foundation Stage, through early formal education in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, through to high stakes examinations at GCSE and A level, up to Higher Education applications and undergraduate degree results. Overall, results indicate that gaps in attainment and subject choice between male and female students have persisted over recent years, largely in the same directions as those identified by previous research. This suggests, then, that neither recent reforms nor pandemic-related disruption have changed the direction of existing patterns, and that, aside perhaps from uptake of some science subjects, there is limited evidence of any longer-term reduction in gaps.
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