Only 65 per cent of boys aged 14 achieved the expected Level Fivestandard in English last year, compared to 80 per cent of girls, the KeyStage 3 test results for 2006 show. But girls' lead over boys in mathsand science is narrower; one per cent for maths and two per cent forscience.
Schools minister Jim Knight said personalised learning and extendedservices should help narrow differences in attainment, and he pledged10m to improve guidance to schools on supporting boys' readingand writing, targeted at schools where the gender gap is largest.
He said: "Only through better targeting of individual learners anddriving up the progression of all pupils can we stretch the moreadvanced pupils and prevent others from falling behind."
- www.dfes.gov.uk.
