ABSTRACT
This chapter determines patterns of educational achievement and the intersectionality of gender, class and ethnic attainment gaps. 'Intersectionality' refers to the reciprocal relations and conflicts that exist between individuals and groups arising in particular from the interweaving of race, gender and class through people's daily social and political lives. These three broad dimensions of inequality not only intersect but vary according to time and place, are located within cultural values and attitudes and are also influenced by the range of institutions and social systems of any one society. Gender differences in attainment become apparent from the time pupils enter the education system. Various schemes and projects were set up to try and address the gender inequalities, but the introduction of the National Curriculum through the Education Reform Act of 1988 appeared to address gender equality in that it established a common curriculum for boys and girls to 16 years.
