Why improving boys' education means looking beyond gender
Boys' educational attainment is attracting renewed attention, but the evidence suggests that gender alone is a poor guide to understanding which children are falling behind. Adrienne Burgess considers the importance of socioeconomic disadvantage, the influence of families and the potential for greater father engagement to improve children's learning.
Boys doing less well at school has become a subject of public debate in recent years, with one leading men’s advocate even suggesting boys should start school a year later.
Much of the discussion on this topic treats boys as a single, unified group with very different needs from girls. But the evidence is more complex. Gender gaps exist, but poverty and disadvantage have a much greater effect on both boys and girls.
For the Fatherhood Institute’s submission to the Boys’ Education Commission, I looked at research on the gaps and the actions most likely to help. Here is what I found:
The bigger picture
Concern about boys doing less well than girls is far from new. It has appeared for many years, even when the education system gave boys more opportunities.
The gender gap also changes by subject and age. Girls usually do better in reading, while boys do better on average in maths. The reading gap becomes smaller in the later years of primary school, then grows again in secondary school. However, boys are found among both the strongest and weakest readers, and boys’ and girls’ results overlap greatly.
The picture becomes even more complex when we consider ethnicity and family income. England’s 2022–23 Attainment 8 GCSE data shows that pupils receiving free school meals scored about 15 points less than other pupils. In comparison, the gap between boys and girls within ethnic groups was usually only four or five points. Boys in some ethnic groups do better than girls in most other groups. Disadvantaged White British and Black Caribbean pupils, both boys and girls, are among the lowest-performing groups.
There is another important point. School programmes that help boys often help girls too. Good teaching, strong relationships, personal support and a positive school environment benefit all children. A programme may still be successful if it improves boys’ results but does not reduce the gap between boys and girls. What matters most is whether it helps children who might otherwise fall behind.
Dads and the home learning environment
Learning is shaped by family expectations, relationships and daily activities – and gender stereotypes start early. Girls may see women reading more often and receive more encouragement with literacy. Parents may also overestimate daughters’ reading and sons’ maths ability, shaping children’s interests and confidence. Schools cannot challenge these stereotypes alone. Working with parents and carers can strengthen learning at home. BookTrust research in 2023 found that 73% of fathers influenced their children’s reading, compared with 77% of mothers. Yet 33% of fathers with children aged 0–7 did not read with them regularly, compared with 5% of mothers. Almost a third lacked confidence in choosing books, although most wanted to help. So dads need more support. Seeing fathers enjoy books may help boys who view reading as feminine, and daughters benefit too. This is not about replacing mothers or adding male role models: it’s about helping fathers take a positive, regular part in learning.
From evidence to practice: Fathers Reading Every Day
The Fatherhood Institute's Fathers Reading Every Day (FRED) programme provides an example of how father engagement can be strengthened in practice. Originally developed in the United States and adapted for the UK, FRED is a four-week, home-based reading-for-pleasure programme delivered through early years settings and primary schools. Participating fathers and father-figures commit to reading with their children for 15 minutes each day during the first two weeks, increasing to 30 minutes during the following two weeks.
An independent evaluation of a pilot involving ten schools in London and Salford found encouraging results. The 300 participating children were more than four times as likely to improve their reading levels above expectation as non-participating children. Boys accounted for more than 60% of the participating children, suggesting that a structured approach to father engagement can be particularly effective in encouraging boys' participation in reading activities.
These findings provide a promising basis for further development, although they should not be interpreted as demonstrating that FRED alone can resolve wider inequalities in educational attainment. FRED’s value lies in providing a practical, evidence-informed approach to increasing fathers' involvement in an activity known to support children's learning, while offering schools a means of reaching families who may not otherwise participate in reading initiatives.
Towards a more effective response to educational disadvantage
Renewed interest in boys’ education is a chance to help struggling children, but the response must follow the evidence. Gender gaps are real, but poverty is a much stronger predictor of attainment. Broad policies for all boys may miss those who need the most support.
A better approach would consider gender alongside poverty, ethnicity and individual needs. It would invest in good teaching, supportive relationships and family engagement. Success should be judged by improved learning, not only by whether the gender gap closes.
Fathers should be part of this work. Research shows they can support reading, and FRED shows how settings can help them take part. The aim is not simply to teach boys differently, but to remove barriers for every child and treat fathers, mothers and other carers as partners in learning.
