Gender and Achievement resources

Related articles and books

The following list of articles and books acts as a guide to some of the literature available on gender and achievement. They are not endorsed in any way by the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

Archer, L & Francis, B (2007). Understanding minority ethnic achievement; race, gender, class and success. Routledge.

Barrs, M. and Pidgeon, S. (1998). Boys & Reading. London: Centre for Language in Primary Education.

Barrs, M. and Pidgeon, S. (eds). Reading the Difference. Gender and reading in the primary school. Contact: Centre for Language in Primary Education, Webber Street, London SE1 8QW. Tel: 020 7401 3382.

Clark, A. and Milard, E. (Eds) (1998). Gender in the Secondary Curriculum: Balancing the Books. London: Routledge.

Clark, C, Osborne, S. & Akerman, R. (2008). Young people's self-perception as readers. National Literacy Trust.

DCSF (2008). Improving the attainment of white working class boys; a study of a small sample of successful secondary schools

DCSF (2007). Gender and education: the evidence on pupils in England.

Epstein, Debbie , Elwood, Jannette, Hey, Valerie  & Maw, Janet. Failing Boys? Issues in Gender and Achievement. It includes challenges to a number of the many myths that surround the issue of boys' academic achievement plus a series of case studies and a useful catalogue of surveys, educational research and quotes from relevant educational documents. Published by OUP, 1999. ISBN 0 335 20239 X (hardback); 0 335 20238 1 (paperback).

Estyn (2008). Closing the gap between boys' and girls' attainment in schools. HMI for Education and training in Wales.

Francis, B. (1999). "Lads, lasses and (New) Labour 14-16-year-old students responses to the laddish behaviour and boys' underachievement debate", British Journal of Sociology of Education, 20, 3, 355-71.

Frater, Graham. Improving Boys' Literacy. A survey of effective practice in secondary schools. A useful survey of effective practice in secondary education based on visits to fourteen mixed secondary schools. Free of charge (reference A751).
Contact: Basic Skills Agency Publications. Tel: 0870 600 2400.

Frater, Graham. Securing Boys' Literacy. A survey of effective practice primary schools. Free guide from the Basic Skills Agency based on a survey of effective practice in 12 LAs, intended to relate to the primary Quality Mark. It lists boy-oriented measures to improve literacy skills, including support, rewards and sanctions, with case studies. Free of charge (reference A918). (2002)
Contact: Basic Skills Agency Publications. Tel: 0870 600 2400.

Gillborn, D. and Kirton, A. (2000). "White heat: racism, under-achievement and white working-class boys", International Journal of Inclusive Education, 4, 4, 271-88.

Gillborn, D. & Mirza, H. (2000). Mapping race, class and gender. Educational inequality. Institute of Education.

Gorard, S., Rees, G. and Salisbury, J. (2001). "Investigating the patterns of differential attainment of boys and girls at school", British Educational Research Journal, 27, 2, 125-39.

Gutman, L. & Feinstein, L. (2008). Children's well-being in primary school. Centre for Research on the Wider Benefits of Learning, Institute of Education.

Millard, E. (1997). Differently literate; boys, girls and the schooling of literacy. The Falmer Press.

Moss, G. (2007). Literacy and gender. Routledge.

Moss, G. (2000). "Raising boys' attainment in reading: some principles for intervention", Reading, 34, 3, 101-6.

Myers, K. (2007). Genderwatch; still watching. Trentham Books.

Myhill, D. & Fisher, R. (2005). Informing practice in English. HMI 2565.

Neall, Lucinda. Bringing the best out in Boys - Communication Strategies for Teachers. (2002). [ISBN 1-903458-29-3]. Lucinda Neall works with teachers and schools to identify what helps boys learn. The result is this teachers' handbook which gives techniques, examples and tips.

Noble, Colin & Bradford, Wendy. Getting it Right for Boys and... Girls. Published by Routledge.

Ofsted (2003). Yes he can; schools where boys write well. HMI 505.

Ofsted (2008). White boys from low-income backgrounds: good practice in schools.

QCA (1998). Can Do Better. A report with practical suggestions for improving boys' enthusiasm for and attainment in English. Contact: Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, 29 Bolton Street, London W1Y 7PD. Tel: 020 7509 5555.

Robinson, P. and Smithers, A. (1999). "Should the sexes be separated for secondary education - comparisons of single-sex and co-educational schools?" Research Papers in Education, 14, 1, 23-49.

Sainsbury, M. & Clarkson, R. (2007). Attitudes to reading at ages nine and eleven. NFER.

Sharp, C., Kendall, L., Bhabra, S., Schagen, I. and Duff, J. (2001). Playing for Success: an Evaluation of the Second Year (DfES Research Brief 291). London: DfES.

Skelton, C. (2001). Schooling the Boys: Masculinities and Primary Education. Buckingham: Open University Press.

Warrington, M. and Younger, M. (1999). "Perspectives on the gender gap in English secondary schools", Research Papers in Education, 14, 1, 51-77.

Younger, M., Warrington, M. and Williams, J. (1999). "The gender gap and classroom interactions: reality and rhetoric?" British Journal of Sociology of Education, 20, 3, 325-41.

Topping, K. Samuels, J. & Paul, T. (2008). Independent reading: the relationship of challenge, non-fiction and gender to achievement. British Educational Research Journal, Vol 34, No 4.

UKLA (2004). Raising boys' achievement in writing. UKLA & Primary National Strategy.

Younger, M., Warrington, M with Gray, J., Rudduck, J., McLellan, R., Bearne, E., Kershner, R. & Bricheno, P. (2005). Raising boys' achievement. DfES.