Teacher Expectations: Research indicates that teachers often hold subconscious biases, praising girls for being 'neat' and 'well-behaved' while rewarding boys for 'assertiveness' or 'confidence'.
Double Standards: Sociologists like Sue Lees identified a double standard where girls are harshly criticized for their sexual behavior or appearance, while boys' similar behaviors are overlooked or praised.
Space Dominance: Becky Francis found that boys tend to dominate classroom physical space and teacher attention, often using louder and more assertive communication styles that marginalize female students.
| Perspective | view of Meritocracy | View of Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Functionalism | Education is truly meritocratic; talent is rewarded. | Social solidarity and role allocation for societal benefit. |
| Marxism | Meritocracy is a myth; it disguises class inequality. | Reproduces a workforce for capitalism. |
| Feminism | Meritocracy is a myth; gender bias persists. | Maintains patriarchy and reinforces male dominance. |
Policy Shifts: The introduction of the National Curriculum ensured that both genders study the same core subjects, reducing the overt 'streaming' of girls into domestic courses.
Female Outperformance: Feminist activism has significantly raised awareness, leading to a shift where girls now consistently outperform boys at almost every level of the education system.
Residual Bias: Despite attainment gains, feminists argue that 'subtle' sexism remains in subject choices (e.g., boys still dominating physics/engineering) and in the disproportionate number of male headteachers.
Use Key Names: Always link Becky Francis to classroom space dominance and Sue Lees to the 'double standard' to gain high-level marks.
Compare with Functionalism: Use the contrast between the 'meritocracy myth' and 'role allocation' to show a deeper understanding of sociological debate.
Evidence of Progress: Don't just list criticisms; mention the National Curriculum as evidence of how feminist activism changed the system, but then explain why feminists believe work is unfinished.
Subject Choice Data: Remember that while performance has equalized, 'segregated' subject choices remain a key piece of evidence for patriarchal influence.
Ignoring Class/Ethnicity: A common mistake is assuming that all girls experience the same patriarchal barriers. Intersectionality suggests that working-class or ethnic minority girls face additional, layered disadvantages.
Equating Success with Equality: Students often think that because girls get better grades, patriarchy has vanished. Feminists argue that high grades do not automatically translate into equal power in the workplace or society.
Outdated Context: Avoid speaking as if girls are still forced to do needlework; focus your analysis on the subtle ways the hidden curriculum operates today.
