The UK’s education system is failing girls and young women who have the talents to become brilliant scientists, mathematicians and engineers.
Fewer than a fifth of engineering, technology and computing undergraduates are women. With maths, it is just over a third. As a result, our economy is losing out greatly.
The problem starts at school. Girls make up about half of science A-level entries, but only 23 per cent in physics, 37 per cent in maths and 15 per cent in computing.
The UK does not have enough teachers with degrees in maths and physics. There is also a cultural problem. Girls who take these subjects do well but say they don’t like being in the minority in lessons and feel put down by boys.
