Boys underachieve, relative to girls, at every age/stage of their education. Currently, the UK government has no sex-specific plan to change this. Their policies all claim to target all pupils.
This report, by the APPG on Men and Boys’ Issues, focusses on secondary schools pupils.
The report identified several schools that had closed the gap for their boys. This summary – Yes he can – explains what they did. The positive news is that they did it with their own resources, not requiring extra funding or outside ‘experts’.
‘Yes he can’: Closing the attainment gap for boys at secondary school
Summary
- Despite comparable measures of intelligence between genders, boys consistently underachieve academically relative to girls.
- Existing research on Boys’ Educational Underachievement lacks comprehensive solutions tested at scale.
- Four UK secondary schools successfully closed the gender gap, offering interventions aligned with high-quality evidence.
- Their approaches dispel common myths and focus on whole-school culture change.
- Effective interventions include fostering a safe, respected, and valued environment, celebrating diverse achievements, maintaining high expectations, building strong relationships, and engaging parents.
- Role-modelling, peer mentoring, literacy support, oracy development, and consistent discipline strategies are pivotal.
- School leaders emphasise staff support, reducing workload burdens, identifying and addressing biases, and upskilling educators.
Closing the gender attainment gap is achievable with no extra resources. It requires a concerted whole-school effort, offering equitable and inclusive learning environments benefiting all students.
Positive messages to boys in school
Many people are concerned about the influences on boys in school, ideas about ‘masculinity’ etc. This inquiry aimed to find out what is being said to boys on these issues and to attempt to create some guidance on good practice.
The inquiry heard from eight organisations who are invited into UK secondary schools and asked them to identify:
- What messages they give to boys in schools.
- Why they give these messages.
- Any messages which they consider unhelpful.
The report can be read or downloaded here.
Summary
The goal is to empower boys through inclusive, supportive educational cultures that address their unique needs without disempowering girls, helping them resist harmful influences and shape positive identities.
The report examines the impact of external groups on boys in secondary schools, addressing concerns about negative influences like online figures (e.g., Andrew Tate) and terms like “toxic masculinity.” It evaluates messages delivered to boys, their motivations, and their effects to guide schools, policymakers, and journalists in promoting positive outcomes.
Key Issues:
- Boys face an educational crisis due to confusion over modern masculinity, with traditional ideals eroded and no clear replacements, making them susceptible to harmful online influencers.
- Boys feel neglected, invisible, or unfairly labelled as problematic by terms like “toxic masculinity,” which they see as hostile.
- Societal challenges include higher male-perpetrated violence and normalized negative behaviours via social media (e.g., sharing sexual images, accessing pornography).
Recommendations:
- Create safe, supportive spaces for boys to discuss masculinity, aspirations, and identity without judgment.
- Avoid harmful language like “toxic masculinity,” “man up,” or “boys will be boys”; use terms like “be real” to encourage authentic expression.
- Focus conversations on boys’ hopes, fears, and definitions of being a “good man,” promoting empathy, kindness, and critical thinking about online influences, gender, and consent.
- Foster a cultural shift in schools through long-term staff training and parent engagement, building on external speaker sessions.
- Provide positive male role models and stories showcasing diverse, constructive masculinities, emphasizing no single way to be a man.
- Create environments where boys feel seen, valued, and safe to express vulnerability, avoiding blame for societal issues.
- Use curiosity-driven discussions about behaviors and consequences rather than punishment alone.