Girls overtake boys with better vocational qualifications

Girls are outperforming boys in both applied science and business, according to results achieved by students taking vocational BTEC qualifications this year.
By The Newsroom
Published 8th Jul 2011, 10:28 BST

Traditionally held to be “male” subjects, the data showed that female pupils were in fact achieving better results.

Most – 52 per cent – of students achieving a BTEC level 2, comparable to a GCSE-type qualification, in applied science were girls.

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And at level 3, which is comparable to an A level, 54 per cent of students achieving a BTEC national in the subject, which is marketed as a more practical approach to scientific learning, were girls.

In business, while more boys (55 per cent) achieved a BTEC national in the subject, they were outshone by their female classmates.

Some 43 per cent of girls awarded a BTEC national diploma in business achieved the highest possible grade (DDD – triple distinction) compared to 33 per cent of boys. Overall, however, more BTECs were awarded to boys, who took 52 per cent of BTEC firsts and 55 per cent of BTEC nationals.

The newly-released data is for the period from June 2010 to May 2011.