Work Wise: Numbers Game - GCSE results
Sue Learner
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
The latest GCSE statistics show girls are still doing better than boys but the gap is slowly beginning to close.
Figures from the Department for Children, Schools and Families show that in 2007, 66.4 per cent of girls got five grade A* to C GCSEs compared to 57.7 per cent of boys.
In 2006, the gap was slightly bigger with 63.4 per cent of girls achieving five GCSEs A* to C compared to 53.8 per cent of boys.
Alison Johnston, principal officer for education at teachers' union Voice, said: "Research shows that girls develop at a faster rate than boys when they are young. It is important that there are measures in place to capture the interest of boys and encourage them with reading and writing at an early age.
"Boys develop well when teachers recognise there are developmental differences and put good strategies in place."
