Gender roles persist in classroom

Girls may be winning the war in the classroom, but they continue to shun traditionally male subjects after the age of 16. Overall, girls outperform boys at GCSE and A-level but a report from the Equal Opportunities Commission says that, at A-level and in vocational training, they still opt for "female" subjects.

At GCSE, girls are outperforming boys in science, maths and technology but at A-level, maths, physics and technology continue to be dominated by boys. Geography, Economics and computer studies are also increasingly shunned by girls.

At degree level, men predominate in technology, physics and engineering and a greater proportion of women study English, modern foreign languages and social studies.

In vocational training girls concentrate on the caring occupations while men choose courses in crafts, manufacturing and construction.

Education and Vocational Training in England and Wales, Equal Opportunities Commission, Publications Unit, Overseas House, Quay Street, Manchester M3 3HN. Send SAE. Judith Judd