Gender Divide in A-level Results

The gender gap in A-level results in Britain has shown signs of narrowing, with boys regaining a slight edge over girls in top grades. Last year, girls led boys by 0.6 percentage points, but recent data indicates that boys have now taken a 0.3-point lead. Chris McGovern, chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, welcomed the narrowing gap but emphasized the need to address the educational challenges faced by white working-class boys, who continue to lag behind other groups. National figures reveal an overall increase in top A-level grades, with 27.8% of entries awarded A or A*, marking a rise from 27.2% last year and surpassing pre-pandemic levels. The proportion of A* grades has also increased to 9.3%, the highest since the grade was introduced in 2010. This year's cohort faced unique challenges, having been in Year 9 when schools closed due to COVID-19, and they were the first to sit GCSE exams after cancellations. However, disparities persist between private and state schools, with 49.4% of independent school candidates achieving A or above, compared to just 22.3% in comprehensive schools. Boys outperformed girls in securing A* grades, with 9.5% of boys achieving this distinction compared to 9.1% of girls. Political responses to these educational inequalities have emerged, with Labour proposing to end the VAT exemption for private schools to fund additional teachers in the state sector. Critics argue that simply taxing private schools may not address the underlying issues, emphasizing the importance of quality teaching and support for underperforming state schools. Despite the challenges, UCAS reports that 82% of applicants secured places at their first-choice universities, indicating a positive outcome for many students.