‘Brightest Girls’ Drop Physics

-Some of the brightest female students studying Physics at AS Level drop the subject without completing the full A-Level a report has revealed.

At A-Level (17-18 year olds) only one fifth of students are female but, on average, girls achieve a quarter of a grade higher than boys.

The paper, reported by the BBC, states,

“There is a clear advantage to being female to study physics: a greater chance of top grades and a lower chance of failure and lower grades. This holds at both AS and A2”

Charles Tracy, head of education at the Institute of Physics, said some girls might find a very male-oriented physics A-level class “off-putting”.

However, he said, in some ways the data was “reasonably positive”.

“Some girls might want to study medicine at university and choose physics as a fourth subject to take to AS and we’re glad that they’re at least taking on some physics, even if not to the end of A2.”

News source: BBC

Image source.

You need to Login or Register to bookmark/favorite this content.