This report is based on the Department for Education (DfE) School Comparison data for England for the academic year 2021-2022. We have used 2021-2022 data to compare with 2018-2019 data, which was published in the previous report. Data is not available for the two intervening years as a result of changes to examinations during the covid-19 pandemic.
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 also important to note that our schools are actively protecting and nurturing female talent in Further Maths, Chemistry and Computer Science; girls excel at these in our schools 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 2.6 times as likely to take Further Maths and more than twice as likely to take Physics and Computer Science A level – compared to girls in other schools
- The uptake of other sciences is higher with Biology 40% higher, Chemistry 85% higher and Maths 88% higher in girls’ schools – compared with girls in other schools
- Computer Science has seen the largest growth in uptake for girls, with the percentage of girls taking Computer Science doubling in girls’ schools and has also grown in co-ed schools by 68%, compared with the 2018-2019 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
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- 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
