Determinants of Public Examination Entry and Attainment in Mathematics: Evidence on Gender and Gender-type of School from the 1980s and 1990s in Northern Ireland

The paper uses data from three studies of Northern Ireland pupils covering the period 1980 1991 to consider the determinants of examination entry and attainment in Mathematics. The main themes with which the analysis is concerned are gender inequalities, and differentials in the performance of single-sex and co-educational schools. The central focus of the analyses is the degree to which these differentials are significant once the individual, family and school background have been taken into account. Public examination entry and attainment in Mathematics taken at or near the end of compulsory schooling are the outcome measures. The first stage of the analysis is based on a two-level logistic regression of examination entry controlling for family and individual background and, given the selective nature of the Northern Ireland education system, grammar school attendance. In the second stage of the analysis, similar controls are used to examine Mathematics attainment. Overall, school differences relating to gender composition are small once family, individual and other aspects of school background are controlled. Religion effects are also smalland girls seem to close the performance gap with boys. However, family socio-economic background, prior ability and grammar school attendance consistently influence both Mathematics entry and attainment.