Access to technology for girls in schools in Scotland

Abstract

There is a general notion that within the Scottish education system more girls would opt for technical or technological subjects if they had an example to follow, the belief is that the best example is a female teacher.

The following will show that whilst the numbers of girls taking technology beyond Secondary Year 2 (S2) is low, that this is also true in schools where there are female teachers. At the end of S2 the pupils choose which subjects to study to Standard Grade level, at the time of writing choosing seven subjects from those studied during first and second year.

Reasons for the low numbers choosing to study technology subjects will also be looked at as well as other influences on the pupils at this time of choice.