Environmental factors affect myth of maths gender divide, says report

Maths teachers do not need to focus on girls any more than boys, according to new research published this week.

A team of academics have written a report in the journal Science suggesting that girls' attainment in maths is affected by environmental and not gender-related factors.

Lead researcher Paola Sapienza of the Kellogg School of Management, said: "The [gender] gap doesn't exist in countries in which men and women have access to similar resources and opportunities."

Surveying almost 300,000 children from 40 countries, the researchers found that girls appear to equal or better boys in maths in more gender equal countries, such as Iceland, Sweden and Norway.

And furthermore, they stated that girls in these societies are better at reading than their male counterparts.

When taking exams, girls may feel that they have something to prove, suggested television presenters Konnie Huq and Denise Robertson earlier this month.