Girls' results in maths and reading more negatively affected by COVID
Research found that girls' education was negatively hit by the pandemic
New figures have found girls' reading and maths skills have been more negatively impacted as a result of the pandemic.
A study carried out by the Education Policy Institute (EPI) looked at the results of six million assessments sat by schoolchildren from Years 3 to 9 in in the 2022/2023 school year.
Looking at the results, it was discovered while girls continue to outperform boys in the classroom, there has been a bigger effect on girls' skills on the likes of reading.
As a result, the educational gap between girls and boys has narrowed somewhat due to the pandemic, with girls now just 3.1 months ahead of boys in terms of attainment.
Regarding maths, both boys and girls saw a drop in the ability to grasp concepts, but according to the figures, girls have closed the gap and are now 0.3 months on average ahead of boys.
In addition to this, the study also found there were huge gaps based on the map of the country, discovering the pandemic disproportionately affected specific regions more than others.
Yorkshire and the Humber proved to the best lowest performing region in the country based on its results. By contrast, London came out on top, with there being a 4.3 month gap between the two regions.
Speaking on the study's results, the head of analysis and director for school performance and systems for EPI, Jon Andrews, said: "What's particularly striking in this latest analysis is that girls' attainment appears to have been hit harder by the pandemic than it has for boys, with gaps in reading closing and boys pulling further ahead in primary maths.
"With significant regional variation in pupil outcomes persisting, and pupils in London pulling further ahead of those in other areas, the Government should evaluate the impact of the Opportunity Area programme and use this to inform policy development on place-based approaches to tackling social mobility, including the future direction of the Education Investment Area programme."
A spokesperson for the Department for Education said that school funding for the upcoming academic year is the "highest ever in real terms", and expecting to see a jump in the number of schools deemed 'Outstanding' last year.
The spokesperson said: said: "While girls continue to outperform boys across most headline measures, the latest data shows the gender gap between boys and girls has narrowed.
"We are taking a range of steps to improve attainment and outcomes for all pupils, with additional support for disadvantaged pupils through programmes, including the pupil premium which will rise to over £2.9 billion in 2024-25, and the National Tutoring Programme."