Boys can do better, Ofsted says

Maybe boys do just lag behind, evidence suggests

Teachers who have a sense of humour can make a difference in raising boys' achievement, school inspectors in England say.

Supplementing the traditional "three Rs" is a fourth - respect - which is earned by teachers who are enthusiastic and knowledgeable about their subjects, according to reports from the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted).

It says boys do well when good discipline, close monitoring and a sense of community give them an "excuse to succeed" that overcomes a "laddish culture".

They respond well to teachers who set clear limits and high expectations, and give constructive feedback - which often works best when the encouragement is private rather than being in front of the whole class.

Not alone

Ofsted points out that the "gender gap" that has been exercising educationists in Britain in recent years, with girls outperforming boys throughout their schooling, is an international phenomenon.

When it comes to convincing boys that they can do well in school, having a head boy who can juggle is clearly an asset ... Case study: Practice makes perfect

The big international Pisa study, from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), suggests the problem is worse in most other countries.

In England, Ofsted inspectors visited schools where the gap between boys' and girls' GCSE attainment was less than usual, or where boys were improving faster than girls.

They say that in the best schools there is a "non-macho culture of learning" in which pupils feel valued by an ethos that celebrates achievement. Also:

• teachers provide prompt and detailed feedback in marking pupils' work
• pupils are set short-term tasks that can be tackled in clear stages
• teaching is enthusiastic with good use of humour.

The chief inspector, David Bell, said: "Today's reports highlight the vital importance of good teaching and classroom management.

"Where teaching is imaginative, sensitive and focused boys, as well as girls, can achieve their full potential."

In their commentary in the report on boys' writing, the inspectors observe that there is a question as to whether the gap between boys and girls in writing or literacy achievement "will ever be closed completely".

"Certainly international comparisons, the long-standing nature of this difference, and the fact that it emerges so early in the age range and remains so persistent through the compulsory school years, all suggest that part of the difference may be built into human development."

They say few secondary schools can claim to have solved the problem of boys' underachievement - and, incidentally, single-sex schooling does not in itself make a difference.

One thing that helps is if teachers decide where pupils' sit, "recognising that some boys, particularly, find it difficult to concentrate when sitting with their friends".

The School Standards Minister, David Miliband, said: "We have to crack the lad culture that stops too many young boys doing well at school.

"This culture tells boys that it is fine to play around and not work hard, but this harms their chances of doing well, getting their exams and fulfilling their potential.

"The reports show how to turn the tide."