Pandemic Widens Gender Gap in Education, Hitting Girls Harder in Reading and Maths
A new report reveals that girls' reading and maths skills suffered more during the Covid-19 pandemic, with significant regional variations in pupil outcomes.
- Girls' reading and maths skills were more negatively impacted by the pandemic than boys', with girls falling further behind in maths and the gender gap in reading narrowing.
- The Education Policy Institute analyzed over six million reading and maths tests, showing that boys are now 3.1 months behind girls in primary reading, a reduction from 4.1 months pre-pandemic.
- In primary maths, girls have fallen a further two months behind boys, putting the gender gap at 2.9 months in favor of boys. In secondary maths, the gap has narrowed significantly.
- Regional disparities in education outcomes persist, with pupils in London pulling further ahead of those in other areas, particularly Yorkshire and Humber.
- The pandemic's impact on girls' educational performance is linked to its greater effect on their wellbeing, with studies suggesting a surge in eating disorders among teenage girls during lockdowns.
Evening Standard 
The Telegraph 