A level Science Results Analysis 2024 and girls versus boys

The summary below is based on this article from the Association for Science Education (ASE)

Here is a link to the original article: https://www.ase.org.uk/news/post-16-exam-results-summary

The Institute of Physics has published an article noting the rise in A level Physics student numbers, but pointing out some other more worrying trends about boy versus girl numbers and inclusion.

Here is a link to the IOP article: https://www.iop.org/about/news/iop-hails-physics-a-level-popularity

Interesting facts

In 2024, for the first time, more than 100,000 students took A level Maths

All 3 sciences are in the top ten A level subjects. Here are the numbers...

mathematics (107,427), psychology (78,556), biology (74,367), chemistry (62,583), history (47,297), business studies (44,961), sociology (44,359), art and design subjects (43,668), physics (43,114) and economics (40,451).

But please note this caveat: Physics is the 2nd most popular subject for boys, but only the 15th most popular subject for girls

The total number of physics students is up from approximately 39,000 in 2023 to over 43,000 in 2024.

A levels are not the only option with these other level 3 qualifications also available (depending on your location) Scottish Highers and Nationals, and BTec or equivalent vocational or technical Level 3 qualifications.

Key Exam Results Highlights:

• A-Level Performance: There has been an increase in top A-Level grades (A* and A) compared to last year, with Ofqual confirming that the rise is due to higher student attainment rather than grade inflation.

• Scottish Highers: A decrease in A-C pass rates was observed, along with a widening attainment gap for disadvantaged students.

• Regional Disparities: Performance differences between regions were noted, with the South of England showing stronger results in higher grades compared to the rest of the UK. Wales and Northern Ireland saw a decline in pass rates, with the gap between state and private school performance also widening.

• University Acceptances: Higher Education institutions have accepted a large number of students, including more from disadvantaged backgrounds than in previous years. Universities have quietly dropped the grade requirements to fill their courses this year.

Positive Trends in Science Subjects:

The STEM fields saw encouraging developments, with biology, chemistry, and physics ranking among the top ten most popular A-Level subjects. Mathematics entries topped 100,000 for the first time, and A-Level Physics experienced a significant 12% increase in entries, a level not seen since the 1990s. This resurgence in physics is promising for both young people and society as a whole, given the crucial role of physics in driving economic and societal progress.

Challenges and Opportunities:

Despite these positive trends, the gender gap in physics remains a significant concern. The proportion of girls taking A-Level Physics has only slightly increased, from 22.9% to 23.3%, indicating that girls are still far less likely than boys to pursue physics. Physics remains the 15th most popular subject among girls, compared to being the second most popular among boys. Research from the Institute of Physics (IOP) indicates that stereotypes and little female and minority representation in the physics field, continue to deter girls and other under-represented groups from pursuing physics. It is crucial to demonstrate that physics is a field for everyone, regardless of background.

Additionally, there is an estimated shortage of 3,500 physics teachers across England, which needs to be addressed through targeted recruitment, retraining, and retention of specialist teachers. Ensuring all young people have access to a high-quality physics education is essential.

Addressing Inequalities and Encouraging Technical Routes:

The ASE encourages schools to analyse their results to identify under-represented or underperforming groups in science post-16. Schools should reflect on how they support these students, considering how science is represented and how its relevance to everyday life is communicated.

Furthermore, it is important to continue promoting high-quality technical routes, such as T-levels, which offer rewarding opportunities in further study, training, and employment. However, to encourage broader uptake, barriers such as the shortage of industry placements need to be addressed, as many employers find the process of running T-levels overly complicated.

Thoughts from Alison about the boys versus girls uptake in physics:

Increasing the numbers of girls taking physics is a difficult conundrum. It is not just about stereotypes, although that is a factor.

The problem is with an embedded and entrenched bias towards men in our patriarchal society. Even people who are not sexist, and believe themselves to be unbiased, perpetuate existing inequalities unconsciously. This is often due to there being no women in the room when policy decisions are taken. And there are no women in the room because of the existing bias for men… Ahhhhhh!...

For example,

• It wasn't until a woman got to the top at Google, and made the policy changes herself, that pregnant women should get preferential parking, time off for health check-ups, and started childcare availability there.

• Women overwhelmingly do the unpaid caring in our society (of the elderly and children), so policies which favour paid work (for example maintaining roads rather than subsidising buses, pension contributions, underfunding of/no childcare facilities) favour men over women.

• Women who have the same qualifications (or better) are much less likely to get the job than a man with the same (or inferior) qualifications and experience. Taking on a woman, is seen as a "risky" option. This leads to under-representation of women at the top of every field, most notably academia, and especially in physics and engineering.

• Did you know that crash test dummies are all modelled on the average male? There is no legal requirement that new-car crash tests are done with average female dummies. And where manufacturers do tests with female dummies, they are invariably put into the passenger seat! In every car I have ever owned, the seat belt mounting point is too high - even in its lowest position, so I will be strangled in a crash.

• New medications are almost never tested on women (our menstrual cycles complicate the findings) but that means we don't know if approved medications actually work for women! Women's heart attack symptoms are almost never chest and arm pains, so women's heart attacks are often misdiagnosed and they are labelled 'abnormal' in their symptom presentation on their medical notes, despite being totally normal for most women!

And the list goes on...

The solution is to view every policy through the female lens, (and while we're at it through the minority lens too whether that is by ethnicity or sexual preference or disability). In order to do this, women need to be in the policy making rooms, and to get more women there we need positive discrimination.

For more reading on this fascinating topic, read "Invisible Women" by Caroline Criado Perez

Conclusion:

In summary, while the increase in A-Level Physics entries is a cause for celebration, much work remains to ensure that physics is an inclusive and accessible subject for all students. By tackling these challenges, we can ensure a stronger future for both individuals and society.