Research Research Library

Research Library

Girls’ education is backed by evidence. The GSA Research Library brings together the latest reports, insights, and data on single-sex girls’ education.

~90,000

girls are educated in girls’ schools across the UK and robust research ensures their voices are heard.

Careers

80% of leading UK and US companies have never appointed a female CEO (October 2026)

Girls Focused

Almost nine in ten young women have experienced sexism, with growing concerns about misogyny among young men (October 2026)

Curriculum & Teaching

Only 39% of girls believe their sport is valued equally to boys’, as gender stereotypes continue to grow (October 2026)

Attainment & Education Policy

Girls aged 12–13 are nearly four times as likely as boys to report high levels of emotional difficulties (October 2026)

Girls Focused

Girls disproportionately affected by thousands of sexual offences reported in schools (October 2026)

Curriculum & Teaching

AI lesson planning assistant saves teachers almost 50 minutes a week without reducing lesson quality (October 2026)

Higher Education

UK higher education has educated 60 serving world leaders – its joint-highest total on record (September 2026)

Attainment & Education Policy

Young women are more likely to complete secondary education and progress to university than young men (September 2026)

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Campus antisemitism remains 65% higher than before 7 October 2023 (September 2026)

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Careers

80% of leading UK and US companies have never appointed a female CEO (October 2026)

The Women in Work Group’s Glass Ceiling Tracker 2026 reveals that 80% of FTSE 100 and S&P 100 companies have never appointed a woman as CEO, despite progress in female leadership over the past three decades. Just nine FTSE 100 companies and seven S&P 100 companies are currently led by women, although half of all female CEO appointments recorded by the study have occurred in the last decade. The report highlights persistent barriers to women reaching senior leadership positions and calls for more inclusive succession planning, with the 30% Club targeting 30 female FTSE 100 CEOs by 2035.

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Girls Focused

Almost nine in ten young women have experienced sexism, with growing concerns about misogyny among young men (October 2026)

The Young Women’s Trust’s Nowhere to Escape report, based on a survey of more than 4,000 young women and non-binary people aged 18–30, finds that 87% experienced sexist behaviour in the past year, rising to 90% among 18–24-year-olds. Three-quarters (75%) said sexism had negatively affected their lives, including their confidence (41%) and mental health (31%), while 74% believe sexist comments are becoming more acceptable among young men. The report highlights how these experiences often begin during school years and calls for stronger education to challenge misogyny and harmful gender stereotypes from an early age.

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Curriculum & Teaching

Only 39% of girls believe their sport is valued equally to boys’, as gender stereotypes continue to grow (October 2026)

The Youth Sport Trust’s Girls Active 2026 research, drawing on a survey of more than 16,000 young people, reveals persistent inequalities in girls’ experiences of school sport. Just 39% of girls believe girls’ and boys’ sport are valued equally, while only 47% feel they have access to the same range of activities in PE. Gender stereotypes are also becoming more entrenched, with 41% of boys and 25% of girls believing certain sports are only for one gender, up from 35% and 20% respectively in 2023/24. The findings highlight the importance of tackling gender stereotypes, improving access to sporting opportunities and addressing barriers such as periods, body confidence and negative peer comments.

Report Summary

Secondary Girls Report

All Girls Report

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Attainment & Education Policy

Girls aged 12–13 are nearly four times as likely as boys to report high levels of emotional difficulties (October 2026)

The Department for Education’s Growing Up in the 2020s study, drawing on data from nearly 8,000 Year 8 pupils in England, finds that 22% of girls report high levels of emotional difficulties, compared with just 6% of boys. Girls were also more likely to meet the criteria for a probable mental health disorder (28% versus 23%) and to report high levels of overall mental health difficulties (21% versus 13%). The findings highlight significant gender differences in mental health at an early stage of adolescence, alongside wider inequalities associated with socioeconomic disadvantage and special educational needs.

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Girls Focused

Girls disproportionately affected by thousands of sexual offences reported in schools (October 2026)

A Guardian investigation reveals that police in England and Wales recorded more than 8,500 sexual offences against children under 13 on or near school premises between 2021 and 2025, averaging almost five incidents a day. Nearly 2,000 reports involved rape or attempted rape, while girls accounted for almost two-thirds of victims where sex was recorded. The investigation highlights the prevalence of child-on-child sexual abuse, concerns about inadequate safeguarding responses and calls for stronger prevention, education and specialist support for victims.

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Curriculum & Teaching

AI lesson planning assistant saves teachers almost 50 minutes a week without reducing lesson quality (October 2026)

An Education Endowment Foundation trial involving 464 Key Stage 2 teachers across 108 schools found that those encouraged to use Oak National Academy’s AI lesson assistant, Aila, spent an average of 49 minutes less per week preparing lessons and resources than teachers in the comparison group. Independent assessments found no reduction in resource quality, although teachers used Aila for only 7% of lessons on average and many preferred other AI tools or existing planning methods.

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Higher Education

UK higher education has educated 60 serving world leaders – its joint-highest total on record (September 2026)

HEPI’s 2026 Soft-Power Index finds that the UK has educated 60 current world leaders, placing it second only to the US (66) and matching its highest total since the Index began in 2017. Oxford alone has educated 11 serving leaders, while Oxford and Cambridge combined have educated 17, highlighting the report’s argument that attracting international students gives UK education a significant and enduring role in the country’s global influence.

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Attainment & Education Policy

Young women are more likely to complete secondary education and progress to university than young men (September 2026)

The OECD’s Education at a Glance 2026 finds a persistent gender gap in educational progression: 78% of women complete upper secondary education on time, compared with 72% of men, while 39% of female upper-secondary graduates progress directly to bachelor’s or master’s study compared with 31% of males. Women’s stronger educational outcomes do not, however, translate into equal earnings: among 25–34-year-olds working full-time, women still earn 15–19% less than similarly educated men, depending on their level of attainment.

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Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Campus antisemitism remains 65% higher than before 7 October 2023 (September 2026)

The Community Security Trust recorded 178 university-related antisemitic incidents across 2024/25 and 2025/26, 65% more than in the comparable two-year period before 7 October 2023. Incidents also rose by 14% between the two latest academic years, from 83 to 95, while Jewish students were the most frequently targeted group, accounting for 61 incidents; abusive behaviour, including verbal, written and online abuse, made up 84% of all recorded cases.

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