Boys beat girls in admissions tests

Boys have finally got the better of girls – by outperforming them in university admissions tests, according to a study published today.

The results emerged from a £1.6m trial of the US-style "SAT" university admission test being taken by 9,000 pupils in the UK. The findings will reopen the debate over whether GCSE and A-levels are "girl-friendly". Academic experts say boys shine in the one-off aptitude tests while girls perform better overall.