12-school study shows how boys and girls differ

New information on the attitudes of male students in single-sex boys' schools shows that the peer group exercises control over aspects of masculine identity. Students are teased or bullied for not conforming to male stereotypes and are more likely than those in single-sex girls' schools or co-ed schools to express sexist attitudes towards women.

They were also found to be less tolerant of minority groups. They expressed the strongest bias against those who are gay or belong to minority ethnic groups.

UCD's Equality Studies Centre expects to publish these findings along with others as part of an Equality and Social Climate of Schools project, an in-depth study of the social climate of a number of second-level schools.

The study's focus was on the equality/inequality experienced by students in the schools as well as student attitudes to equality. A total of 12 second-level schools were involved - four girls only; four boys only and four mixed. The schools represented the various school types. Three were fee-paying, while three had disadvantaged status.

A range of research techniques were used in the study, including student questionnaires and essays. Overall, 1,557 students filled out questionnaires and, of these, 1,202 wrote essays.

Differences were found between the climates of boys' schools and girls' schools. Higher stress levels were reported by both students and teachers in girls' schools. Higher levels of institutional surveillance of the body, appearance, demeanour of students were also characteristic of girls' schools.

Policing of the body was more likely to be exercised by the peer group in boys' schools and took the form of teasing, bullying and excluding. This focused particularly on masculine identity - physical size, appearance (such as having spots, being fat, being skinny), strength, lack of sporting ability, perceived academic ability.

Labelling students as gay was found in boys' schools in particular as a means of bullying, excluding, and demeaning individuals.

There were differences in self-esteem between boys' schools and girls' schools. Those most likely to regard themselves as "very clever" or "clever" were students in single-sex boys' schools. Students in single-sex boys' schools were also most likely to regard themselves as "good looking", "competitive" and "good at sport." Almost two-thirds of all essays concerned with sport came from boys' schools.

Students in single-sex boys' schools expressed less feeling of academic pressure than students in girls' schools. Less control of appearance and behaviour by schools was experienced in boys' schools.