Researchers measured the progress of 150 reception class children who had attended High/Scope nurseries in three developmental areas: mathematical, social and emotional, and communication, language and literacy. They were then compared with national averages.
In emotional development, High/Scope girls scored three percentage points higher than boys, compared with 13 points nationally. In reading, the gap was three percentage points against eight points nationally.
Moreover, both boys and girls from the High/Scope sample were found to perform at a higher standard overall in the three developmental areas.
Pam Lafferty, senior staff consultant at High/Scope UK, said, 'The High/Scope approach allows children to plan and develop their own interests with support from adults. Practitioners can respond to children's different learning styles, and this may have helped reduce the gender bias.'
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