Digital Education Resource Archive

Introducing T Levels : Thirty-Fifth Report of Session 2024–25

Roberts, Nerys

Long, Robert

Bolton, Paul

Burnett, Hannah

 
 
1 Background 2 
2 Parliamentary material 5 
3 Press and stakeholder materials 9 
4 Further reading 10 
 
 
 
 
 
Debate Pack 
9 July 2025 
Number CDP-0154 (2025)  
 
By Nerys Roberts, 
Robert Long, 
Paul Bolton, 
Hannah Burnett 
Educational attainment of boys 
 
 
 
 
Educational attainment of boys 
2 Commons Library Debate Pack, 9 July 2025 
1 Background  
There will be a backbench debate on the educational attainment of boys on 
Thursday 10 July 2025. This debate will take place in the Commons chamber 
and will be led by Sam Rushworth MP. 
1.1 School outcomes 
Boys perform worse than girls on most major educational indicators through 
their school years. In England, and in the 2023-24 academic year, boys 
performed worse on the following measures: 
- Exclusion: in the spring 2024 term, boys were more than 1.5 times 
more likely to be suspended than girls, and more than twice as likely 
to be permanently excluded.1 
- End of reception year: Just under two-thirds of boys had a ‘good level 
of development’ aged around five, compared to three-quarters of 
girls.2 
- End of primary schooling: 64% of girls met the expected standard in 
all of English reading, writing and maths, compared to 57% of boys. 
However, boys did slightly better than girls, in maths alone: 74% met 
the expected standard, compared to 73% of girls.3 
- End of compulsory secondary education: girls do better across all 
headline Department for Education (DfE) measures than boys. For 
example, in 2024, 68% of girls in state-funded schools achieved both 
English and maths GCSEs at grade 4 or above, compared to 63% of 
boys.4 
- Some groups of boys have particularly low attainment levels. For 
example, of those eligible for free school meals (FSM), only 33% of 
White British boys, 33% of mixed White and Black Caribbean boys, and 
35% of Caribbean boys attained grade 4 in both English and maths 
GCSEs in 2024. FSM-eligible boys from Gypsy/ Roma or Traveller of 
Irish Heritage backgrounds had particularly low pass rates but small 
 
1  Department for Education, Spring term 2023/24, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, 
24 April 2025, main text 
2  Department for Education, Early years foundation stage profile results: 2023 to 2024, 28 November 
2024, main text 
3  Department for Education, Academic year 2023/24, Key stage 2 attainment, 22 February 2025, main 
text 
4  Department for Education, Academic year 2023/24, Key stage 4 performance, 27 February 2025, 
custom table 
 
 
 
 
Educational attainment of boys 
3 Commons Library Debate Pack, 9 July 2025 
absolute numbers of these pupils mean caution is needed interpreting 
the percentage figures for these groups.5  
Boys are also more likely to have identified special educational needs than 
girls. In January 2025, 23% of boys had identified SEN, compared to 13% of 
girls. 7% of boys had Education, health and care (EHC) plans, suggesting 
more complex special educational needs, compared to 3% of girls. These 
figures include pupils at all types of state-funded school, and non-maintained 
special schools.6  
1.2 Higher education  
Men are considerably less likely to progress to higher education (HE) by age 
19, than women, and this has been the case for many years. In 2022/23, 54% 
of women had started in HE by 19, compared to only 40% of men.7 Men are 
also more likely to drop out of their HE courses. 15% of male full-time 
undergraduate entrants in 2021/22 did not continue to their second year 
compared to 11% of female entrants.8  
Of those that do go into HE by 19, broadly similar proportions of men and 
women go to ‘high tariff’ institutions – that is, institutions typically requiring 
higher grades for entry.9 
Course choices also differ, with men more likely than women to study most 
science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) courses, and women 
more likely to study education, subjects allied to medicine and most 
humanities.10  
1.3 Outcomes after completion of higher 
education 
The picture shifts after graduation. Men who complete their HE qualification 
are more likely to be in professional or managerial posts, further advanced 
study, or other positive outcomes, than women. The latest data is for 2021/22 
 
5  Department for Education, Academic year 2023/24, Key stage 4 performance, 27 February 2025, 
custom table 
6  Department for Education, Special educational needs in England, 12 June 2025, custom table 
7  Department for Education, Widening participation in higher education, academic year 2022/23, 24 
October 2024, main text 
8  Office for Students, Access and participation data dashboard, 25 July 2024 
9  Department for Education, Widening participation in higher education, academic year 2022/23, 24 
October 2024, custom table 
10  See for example UCAS undergraduate end of cycle data resources, 2023 
 
 
 
 
Educational attainment of boys 
4 Commons Library Debate Pack, 9 July 2025 
graduates where the progression rate for men was 1.6 percentage points 
higher than for women.11  
Men who complete higher education also go on to have higher wages on 
average, than women. The latest data is for earnings in the 2022/23 tax year, 
and covers UK-domiciled students who attended an English higher education 
institutions:  
• Five years after graduation, the median earnings of females graduates 
with a first degree (only) were 13% lower than their male peers 
• For females with a taught masters-level qualification, meaning earnings 
five years post-qualification were 17% lower than for male peers.12 
The underlying data cannot distinguish between part-time and full-time 
working patterns, however, and some of the difference in earnings will be due 
to differences in the incidence of part-time work by sex.  
 
 
11  Office for Students, Student characteristics data: Outcomes data dashboard, 3 September 2024 
12  Department for Education, LEO Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes, Tax year 2022-23,, 26 June 
2025, main text 
 
 
 
 
Educational attainment of boys 
5 Commons Library Debate Pack, 9 July 2025 
2 Parliamentary material  
2.1 Parliamentary questions 
Education: Boys 
11 April 2025 | UIN 44086 
Asked by: James McMurdock 
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has 
made of the effectiveness of the education system for supporting the 
academic attainment of boys. 
Answering member: Catherine McKinnell | Department for Education 
All young people should have every opportunity to succeed, no matter who 
they are or where they are from. That is why, through our work to deliver the 
Opportunity Mission, the department will improve opportunities and life 
chances across the country for all children and young people. 
As in previous years the latest attainment data shows girls continue to do 
better than boys across all headline measures, however, the gap has 
narrowed when comparing the 2023/24 academic year to the 2018/19 
academic year. The department publishes attainment data by sex on an 
annual basis in the autumn term, which can be broken down by specific local 
authorities, including Essex. Further data can be accessed 
here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/key-
stage-4-performance/2023-24. 
High and rising standards across schools are the heart of our mission and the 
key to unlocking stronger outcomes for every child and young person, 
regardless of their gender. The department aims to deliver these 
improvements through excellent teaching and leadership, a high quality 
curriculum and a system which removes the barriers to learning that hold too 
many children back. 
The quality of teaching is the single most important in-school factor in 
improving outcomes for all children, which is why the department is 
committed to recruiting 6,500 new expert teachers. We have also launched 
an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, which is closely 
examining the key challenges to attainment for young people and the barriers 
that hold children back from the opportunities and life chances they deserve. 
To strengthen school improvement, the new regional improvement for 
standards and excellence (RISE) teams will provide both mandatory targeted 
intervention for schools identified by Ofsted as needing to improve and a 
 
 
 
 
Educational attainment of boys 
6 Commons Library Debate Pack, 9 July 2025 
universal service, acting as a catalyst for a self-improving system, for all 
schools. 
The department also engages regularly with teachers and headteachers and 
their representative bodies on a range of issues, including attainment, 
behaviour and attendance. This includes engagement through the 
department’s teacher and headteacher reference groups. 
Alongside this, the department regularly engages with school leaders and 
teachers to develop its attendance policy. During the spring term the 
department delivered a programme of nine regional attendance conferences 
across England, giving secondary school leaders and teachers the chance to 
hear how other schools are tackling attendance challenges and spread best 
practice across the system. The conference in the East of England was held on 
17 March. 
Schools: Standards 
22 January 2025 | UIN 23830 
Asked by: Neil O’Brien 
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average progress 8 
score (a) overall, (b) for girls and (c) for boys was in each year for which data 
is available by ethnic group. 
Answering member: Catherine McKinnell | Department for Education 
The average Progress 8 and Attainment 8 overall and for boys and girls by 
ethnic group are published at the following links: 
• 2018/19 to 2023/24: https://explore-education-
statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/cb96bc10-b240-4f42-
5969-08dd3479441b. 
• 2017/18: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/key-stage-4-and-
multi-academy-trust-performance-2018-revised (See the 
“Characteristics national tables”, sheet “Characteristics Summary”). 
• 2016/17: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/revised-gcse-
and-equivalent-results-in-england-2016-to-2017 (See the 
“Characteristics national tables”, sheet “Characteristics Summary”). 
The average Progress 8, Attainment 8, and percentage of pupils achieving 
grade 5 or above in English and mathematics GCSEs by ethnic group and 
region are published at the following links: 
• 2018/19 to 2023/24: https://explore-education-
statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/9a0ba337-3764-
486e-596e-08dd3479441b. 
 
 
 
 
Educational attainment of boys 
7 Commons Library Debate Pack, 9 July 2025 
• 2017/18: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/key-stage-4-and-
multi-academy-trust-performance-2018-revised (See the 
“Characteristics local authority tables”, sheet “Table LA8”). 
• 2016/17: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/revised-gcse-
and-equivalent-results-in-england-2016-to-2017 (See the 
“Characteristics local authority tables”, sheet SFR01/2018, sheet 
“Table LA8”). 
Universities: Boys 
13 January 2025 | UIN 21651 
Asked by: Mims Davies 
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking with 
Cabinet colleagues to increase the number of white working-class boys 
attending university. 
Answering member: Janet Daby | Department for Education 
This government will act to address the persistent gaps for different groups 
and break down the barriers to opportunity. Opportunity should be available 
to all but too many people across our country do not get the chance to 
succeed. 
Whilst many higher education (HE) providers have demonstrated positive 
examples of supporting all working-class students, including targeted 
outreach, on course bursaries and mentoring, we are keen to see the sector 
to go further. By summer, we will set out our plan for HE reform and we 
expect providers to play an even stronger role in improving access and 
outcomes for all disadvantaged students. 
2.2 Debates 
Educational Outcomes for Boys 
Oral Answers to Questions | Women and Equalities 
18 June 2025 | House of Commons Chamber | 769 c358 
International Men’s Day 
21 November 2024 | House of Commons Chamber | 757 cc448-471 
Educational Attainment of Boys 
5 March 2024 | Westminster Hall | 746 cc244WH-265WH 
 
 
 
 
Educational attainment of boys 
8 Commons Library Debate Pack, 9 July 2025 
2.3 Select committees 
Boys’ attainment and engagement in education 
Education Committee Inquiry | April – May 2024 
 
 
 
 
Educational attainment of boys 
9 Commons Library Debate Pack, 9 July 2025 
3 Press and stakeholder materials 
The following is a selection of news and media articles relevant to this 
debate.  
Please note: the Library is not responsible for either the views or the 
accuracy of external content. 
Ulster University hosts launch of NI Boys’ Impact Hub amid urgent calls to 
close gender education gap 
Ulster University 
23 May 2025 
Boys will be boys: The educational underachievement of boys and young men 
Higher Education Policy Institute 
20 March 2025 
Schools told to be more ‘boy-positive’ to fix male underachievement 
The Independent 
20 March 2025 
Boys in England significantly outperforming girls in maths and science 
University College London 
10 March 2025 
Government ‘needs strategy’ for boys’ education 
UNESCO 
17 September 2024 
Annual Report 2024: Gender 
Education Policy Institute  
16 July 2024 
We must end the 30-year silence about boys’ underperformance 
Nick Fletcher MP  
Schools Week 
27 November 2023  
Sex gaps in education in England (PDF) 
Cambridge University Press & Assessment 
1 November 2023 
Boys’ and Young Men’s Education Toolkit 
Men and Boys Coalition 
 
 
 
 
 
Educational attainment of boys 
10 Commons Library Debate Pack, 9 July 2025 
4 Further reading 
Inquiry No 4: Boys' Educational Underachievement 
APPG on issues affecting men and boys 
November 2023 
Equality of access and outcomes in higher education in England 
House of Commons Library 
25 July 2024 
 
 
 
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Educational attainment of boys

Haßler, Björn

Huntington, Bethany

Klune, Christopher

Lester, Jennie

Bhutoria, Aditi

Mansour, Hassan

Understanding Quality Characteristics of EdTech : Interventions and Implementation for Disadvantaged Pupils : Systematic review with meta-analysis : 10 July 2025

Proposals on the School Support Staff Negotiating Body : Government consultation

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Print this page
There are students in Gaza who have full scholarships to study
in the UK who are unable to travel to begin their studies this
autumn because of the situation there.
Support with visas
As set out by the Home Secretary in her oral statement to
Parliament on 1 September 2025, the Home Office has put in
place systems to issue expedited visas, with biometric checks
conducted prior to arrival for all the Chevening scholars from
Gaza.
The Home Office is in the process of doing the same for
Policy paper
Scholarships for students
from Gaza
Published 15 September 2025
  
Menu
Home Education, training and skills Further and higher education, skills and vocational training
Support for students travelling to the UK from Gaza
Department 
for Education
Contents
Support with visas
Prioritisation
Student eligibility
Security checks
Next steps
students in Gaza who have been awarded fully funded
scholarships and places at UK universities so they can start their
studies in autumn this year (no later than 31 December 2025).
Prioritisation
We are prioritising those with fully funded, verifiable,
scholarships starting in the autumn term, on the basis that the
Home Office is assured that they meet the requirements of the
Student visa rules. This decision has been made for full
scholarship students due to their potential role in rebuilding Gaza
in the future. 
The government has outlined plans to support the departure
from Gaza of a group of Chevening scholars, so they can take
up university places in the UK in the autumn for the 2025 to 2026
academic year.
We are extending this support to students in Gaza with full
scholarships, meaning students who have their course fees and
living costs fully funded by an official financial sponsor, as
specified in the Immigration Rules.
Student eligibility
To be eligible to come to the UK under this approach, students
must submit a Student visa application, which will need to be
sponsored by their university, and pay associated fees.
Students must:
be aged 18 or over
meet the requirements of the Immigration Rules
have an offer for a course starting no later than 31 December
2025
be supported by a fully-funded and verified scholarship that
covers both:
course fees
living costs
Security checks
Robust security checks will be undertaken on all individuals who
enter the UK through this process. Biometrics will be collected
as part of the visa application process and prior to the final
decision on granting entry to the UK as a student.
Next steps
The government is doing everything it can to support this
process. It is important to note that a student’s journey out of
Gaza and onwards to the UK cannot be guaranteed, and
timelines remain uncertain.
This process is highly dependent on factors outside the UK
government’s control.
The government will work with the devolved governments and
universities to identify eligible students, and to ensure students
receive the support they need for the duration of their studies.
We will update this page with more information as it becomes
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Scholarships for students from Gaza : Published 15 September 2025

Policy paper
Childminder agencies
Published 16 September 2025
Applies to England
  
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Home Parenting, childcare and children's services Childcare and early years Providing childcare
Childminder agencies
Department 
for Education
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Terminology
Childminder agencies (CMAs) are organisations that can register
and quality assure:
childminders (with and without domestic premises)
providers of ‘childcare on domestic premises’ (CODPs)
In this document, the term ‘childminder’ refers to both
childminders with and without domestic premises, but not to
providers of CODPs, who follow different requirements.
The role of childminder
agencies
Childminder agencies (CMAs) are expected to:
assure and improve the quality of childminders and providers
registered with them
take appropriate measures to respond to circumstances
affecting providers
deliver ongoing professional support
deal with concerns about providers, including:
suspensions
registration cancellations
participating in appeals to tribunals against suspensions
CMAs may also provide other services such as:
helping parents find a childminder or COPD through
brokering, advice and support about the things to consider
when choosing a childminder​
increasing the number of childminders in the market by
Contents
Terminology
The role of childminder
agencies
Rationale for
introducing childminder
agencies
CMA powers and
duties
Updates to policy
helping potential childminders understand the various
requirements to establish their business and get them up and
running​
providing business and marketing support
Ofsted regulates and inspects CMAs. All CMAs must be
registered with Ofsted.
Childminders and providers can register with either a CMA or
Ofsted.
Rationale for introducing
childminder agencies
Legislation allowing the creation of CMAs was introduced in
2014. A related consultation outlines the aim of CMAs to:
provide an alternative route into the profession that offers
more support to childminders, including training and
development and business and marketing support
increase the number of childminders in the market by helping
potential childminders understand the requirements to
establish their business and to get them up and running
help parents find a childminder by offering a brokering
service, advice and support about the things to consider when
choosing a childminder
Relevant legislation
The Children and Families Act 2014 amended part 3 of
the Childcare Act 2006 so CMAs can register with Ofsted. Once
CMAs are registered, they can register childminders and
providers of childcare on domestic premises.
Any person or organisation that wishes to register as a
childminder agency in England must submit an application to
register with Ofsted as a CMA and have their application granted
before they can operate.
Once registered with Ofsted, CMAs are regulated and inspected
by Ofsted. The legal requirements placed on CMAs (including
the underpinning legislation) are available in DfE’s guide for
childminder agencies.
CMA powers and duties
CMAs’ legal functions are primarily set out in the Childcare Act
2006. These functions include:
registration and regulation of childminders and providers of
childcare on domestic premises
quality assurance and monitoring
support and training
handling complaints and concerns
safeguarding responsibilities
retaining information for Ofsted inspections
Regulations state that during each year of registration, an
agency must conduct a minimum of one quality assurance visit
(which must be unannounced) to each of their registered
providers to assess the standard of care and early education
being delivered.
Childminder agency fees and charges
CMAs are independent of government and are entirely self-
funded. They are able to set their own fees for the services they
provide, which will vary depending on the overall package of
support they offer. CMAs should be contacted directly for more
information about the services they offer and their fee structure.
Check our list of open childminder agencies.
Ofsted inspections
Ofsted inspects CMAs in line with the inspection principles set
out in its childminder agencies: inspection guidance and within
the timescales outlined in the childminder agency inspection
requirements for Ofsted.
CMAs are only eligible for inspection once they have registered
providers on roll. Ofsted carries out the first inspection of a
newly registered CMA within 12 months of the date that it
registers its first provider. This is because Ofsted assesses an
agency’s compliance with the regulatory requirements (including
requirements that impact on the safety, well-being, learning and
development of children cared for by CMA-registered providers)
rather than the quality of childcare provision registered with
the CMA. CMAs are responsible for assessing and improving
the quality of its registered providers.
There are only 2 overall effectiveness inspection outcomes
for CMAs:
effective
ineffective
Find an Ofsted CMA inspection report.
Government funding for childminders
registered with a CMA
Childminders and providers registered with a CMA are eligible
for various government funding initiatives. For example, local
authorities can fund early education places for children aged
from 9 months old at any early years provider registered with
a CMA.
The legal requirements related to the funding of early years
provision in England are outlined in the statutory guidance for
local authorities on the provision of early education and
childcare.
Parents eligible for the Tax Free Childcare (TFC) scheme can
use TFC to help pay for any childcare provision registered with
a CMA. Providers registered with a CMA can also be paid to
support young parents under the Care to Learn scheme.
Updates to policy
Since 1 October 2021, early years CMAs have been required to
carry out a minimum of 1 unannounced quality assurance visit to
each of their newly-registered early years providers in the first
year of the provider’s registration. This amended the previous
requirement to carry out a minimum of 2 visits in the first year. All
other CMA quality assurance visit requirements remain
unchanged. 
Since 1 November 2024, childminders with domestic premises
and providers of childcare on domestic premises have had
more flexibility to operate on non-domestic premises.
Alternatively, childminders can choose to operate entirely from
non-domestic premises.
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Childminder agencies : published 16 September 2025

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