Gender gaps in higher education participation: An analysis of the relationship between prior attainment and young participation by gender, socio-economic class and ethnicity

(2008) - Stijn Broecke, Joseph Hamed

Journal: Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills
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Tags:: #paper #Gender #Attainment
Cite Key:: [@Broecke2008]

Abstract

Historically, women had been under-represented in Higher Education. By 1992, however, the Age Participation Index suggested that young women’s participation rates in England had caught up with those of men. The 2005/06 Higher Education Initial Participation Rate figures for 17-30 year olds showed a 7.2 percentage participation gap, in favour of women - a gap which appears to continue to widen.

Notes

“istorically, women had been under-represented in Higher Education. By 1992, however, the Age Participation Index suggested that young women’s participation rates in England had caught up with those of men” (Broecke and Hamed, 2008, p. 1)

“. In 2007, 65% of girls achieved 5+ A*-C GCSEs or equivalent, compared to 55.8% of boys. Girls are also more likely to stay on in full-time education at age 16 (82% of girls and 72% of boys). They are more likely to be entered for A levels, more likely to pass them, and also more likely to do better (achieve an A grade) than boys.” (Broecke and Hamed, 2008, p. 1)

“For young people (18-19 year olds) who are English-domiciled and who did not attend an independent school in Year 11, we find no conclusive evidence of a gender difference in the likelihood of participating in HE (excluding HE in FE) - once prior attainment (in the form of young people’s attainment at GCSE or equivalent) is controlled for” (Broecke and Hamed, 2008, p. 1)

“We find that young people from ethnic minority backgrounds are overwhelmingly more likely to enter HE compared to White people with the same prior attainment. In the case of young people who were eligible for FSM, we find that prior attainment explains the vast majority of the gap in participation compared to non-FSM pupils, however we still find a small, negative (and statistically significant) effect, which we could not eliminate entirely in any of our models.” (Broecke and Hamed, 2008, p. 1)

“Although gender gaps in HE participation are large, gaps in participation between different ethnic groups and between people from lower and higher socio-economic backgrounds: (i) tend to be larger and (ii) remain significant after controlling for prior attainment - although the socio-economic/FSM gap at the point of entry to higher education is also small once prior attainment is controlled for.” (Broecke and Hamed, 2008, p. 22)