School Subject Preferences of Pupils in Single Sex and Co‐educational Secondary Schools

Abstract

Summary Rankings of school subject preferences were obtained from 321 male and 327 female pupils aged 11‐12 years, and 245 male and 240 female pupils aged 15‐16 years, from both single sex and co‐educational secondary schools. Overall rank orders showed an effect of school type for younger pupils only, in which evidence for less gender stereotyping of school subjects in single sex schools was found. The rankings of the older pupils, while not affected by school type, did show a clear effect of gender, with higher rankings being given to mathematics, science and physical education by boys and to art by girls.