... However, there are many different viewpoints on the emergence of boys underachievement with reasons put forward ranging from biological differences to different teacher attitudes and labelling within the classroom. For example, in Arnold's study 'Raising levels of Achievement', he identified four main reasons as to why girls outperform boys. These are inborn differences; differences in the development of the brain hemisphere between boys and girls, stereotypes and self-perceptions and the way boys over perceive their own ability. The issue of differential gender achievement has great social significance. Our society claims to be liberal and democratic with commitment to social equality. We supposedly live in a meritocratic society, meaning that status, income and attainment is based upon merit - the individual talent of a person. If any variable such as ethnicity, social class, or in this case gender is seen to have an effect on educational opportunities and attainment, it disregards the ...

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