Review of Strategies to Address Gender Inequalities in Scottish ...

curriculum structures and lifelong learners, although gender was not specificallymentioned. The statements were supported by references to expert views and researchreports (e.g. Black et al, 2002). The toolkit expanded on the policy statements andcontained a significant section on gender, particularly boys’ underachievement.Teachers were directed to a number of websites where they could find furtherinformation and advice, should they choose.In general, there was little documentation received from authorities regarding an overallpolicy for schools which included gender as either part of an inclusion agenda or as astand-alone issue. It is possible that authorities misunderstood the request, sendinggeneral equal opportunities policies instead of school-specific ones, but as they were sentby the same people who completed the questionnaire and who provided examples ofgender-related strategies, this is a difficult argument to sustain.A very small number had produced detailed guidance for teachers in schools, most ofwhich was concerned with raising achievement.3.3 Staff development and researchOne section of the questionnaire asked for information on any staff developmentactivities that might have been undertaken in relation to gender (in)equality, relevant toany strategies that might have been adopted by schools.The most frequent themes for staff development were ‘attainment differences’ and‘learning and teaching styles’ (17 authorities each). ‘Access to specific curricular areassuch as literacy’, ‘class organisation’ and ‘pupil support’ were identified by 12, 11 and10 authorities respectively. Five or fewer authorities reported that staff developmentevents had been undertaken on ‘exclusion’, ‘access to the curriculum through e.g. optionchoices’ and ‘access to equipment e.g. computers’.More authorities reported that strategies to address gender inequalities had been adoptedacross these themes than had held staff development sessions on them. (Eightyresponses were received to the staff development question and 111 to the question onstrategies, indicating that, in some instances, strategies had been introduced without thesupport of staff development.) The most frequently cited strategies were in relation to‘attainment differences’ and ‘learning and teaching strategies’, with 16 and 17 mentionsrespectively. Thirteen authorities reported strategies to deal with ‘access to specificcurricular areas e.g. literacy’ and ‘pupil support’, while 11 identified ‘classorganisation’ as a theme being addressed. Ten reported strategies for ‘access to thecurriculum e.g. through option choices’ and 7 authorities were addressing ‘access toequipment such as computers’. Seven authorities also indicated that ‘exclusion’ wasbeing addressed in schools within their area.Authorities were asked whether the strategies that had been adopted were based on anyresearch findings or publications, and 19 authorities responded. Several reported thatanalyses of attainment data, including the Scottish Qualification Agency (SQA) statistics,had influenced the decision to address specific issues. Analysis of reading data inparticular had led to a number of literacy initiatives with the focus on boys: ‘influencedby 5-14 attainment data … has identified a focus on reading and has led to initiativessuch as ‘Blokes and books’ and ‘Bags of books’.Some mentioned specific publications or support packs, e.g. Insight 4 (SEED, 2003b) andthe South Lanarkshire support pack, ‘Taking Account of Gender’. Two authoritiesidentified research undertaken by staff – in one case, an Assistant Head Teacher, and inthe other an Educational Psychologist – as influential.The project team were interested in the extent to which authorities had brought in‘experts’ or researchers to assist with policy, practice or staff development. Most______________________________________________________________________________________Review of Strategies to 19 University of StrathclydeAddress Gender Inequalitiesand University of Glasgow