This report is based on the Department for Education (DfE) School Comparison data for England for the academic year 2022-2023. We have used 2022-2023 data to compare with 2021-2022 data, which was published in the previous report.
Donna Stevens, GSA’s CEO, comments:
“GSA firmly believes in the power of a girls-first education. Robust research consistently proves that girls’ schools fuel the best futures for young women, they always have, and I’m heartened to see the aspirations and talents of all young women across the nation raised in this data set. We know that the world is a richer, more dynamic, successful, and happier place with girls and women taking their rightful place in it. I’m proud that GSA and its Heads are leading that change through transformative and proven educations that are built for girls and put their successes first. It’s a concern that the gap between girls in girls’ schools and girls in co-ed schools is widening in many subjects when we know it has nothing to do with girls’ potential and talents. Our schools are testament to the brilliance of young women in STEM when their abilities are respected and fostered – with subject entry levels growing further than last year in biology, chemistry, and computer sciences for girls in girls’ schools. Computer science has the largest uptake for girls in our schools – almost 14% higher than last year. Our schools actively protect and nurture female talents; our girls excel because girls’ schools honour and understand the ambition of every kind of girl.”
Girls’ A Level Entries in STEM subjects
DfE release KS5 (A level) entries by school for Maths, Further Maths and Science subjects, split by gender and type of school, allowing us to analyse the subject choice of girls by the type of school they attend.
The data shows that:
- Girls in girls’ schools are 2.7 times as likely to take Further Maths and more than twice as likely to take Physics and Computer Science A-levels – compared with girls in co-ed schools.
- The uptake of other sciences is also higher with Biology 43% higher, Chemistry 85% higher and Maths 87% higher in girls’ schools compared with girls in co-ed schools.
- Computer Science continues to have the largest growth in uptake for girls (although it remains low relatively). The percentage of girls taking Computer Science is 14% higher in girls’ schools and 11% higher in co-ed schools, compared with the 2021-2022 academic year.
KS5 attainment data
The DfE 16-18 performance tables report achievements of students aged 16 to 18 who are at the end of advanced level study, (the end of Key Stage 5 or KS5). The analysis below uses the average point score per A level entry for students who were entered for at least one AS or A level qualification.
The data shows that:
- On average, students in single-sex schools continue to outperform those in co-ed schools.
- Girls in girls’ schools continue to perform better than students in co-ed schools across all schools and also when looking at independent schools only.
KS4 attainment data
The Key Stage 4 (KS4) data reports the achievements of students using the Attainment 8 measure which allocates points according to grades achieved by pupils in their best 8 subjects at GCSE level (including Maths and English).
The data shows that:
- Girls perform better in girls’ schools than in co-ed schools, looking at all subjects as a whole, and also for Maths and English separately.
-
- Higher attainment continues to be seen at single-sex schools, compared with co-ed schools when looking at all subjects, and when looking at Maths and English separately.
