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Are white working class girls falling behind?

A 麻豆社 investigation has found that across England, GCSE results for girls have fallen, with a sharp decline among white working class girls in English and Maths.

White disadvantaged girls are being overlooked, school leaders are warning. Whilst white working-class boys remain one of the worst performing group in their GCSEs, white girls from low income homes aren鈥檛 much further behind them.

File on 4 Investigates has worked with the 麻豆社 Data team to compare 2025's GCSE results in England with those of 2019. The team found that white working class girls in England have seen some of the biggest declines in attainment since 2019 - with just 38 percent of these students passing their English and Maths exams. All girls are down by 1.6 percentage points at GCSE but low-income white British girls are down by 6.4 percentage points. Cutting the link between 'background and success' and halving the 'disadvantage gap' is something the Department for Education has pledged to tackle.

In this programme we examine what is behind the decline for this group of girls and meet school leaders who are working to reverse it.

Reporter: Hayley Mortimer
Producer: Ashley Kennedy
Technical Producer: Cameron Ward
Production Coordinator: Tim Fernley
Editor: Tara McDermott

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37 minutes

Last on

Wed 15 Apr 2026 11:00
麻豆社 Radio 4

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  • When it comes to school attendance and attainment are some girls falling behind?

Broadcasts

  • Tue 14 Apr 2026 20:00
    麻豆社 Radio 4
  • Wed 15 Apr 2026 11:00
    麻豆社 Radio 4

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