Socio-economic factors in academic success. Education provides an individual with the skills necessary to progress in life. But socioeconomic factors such as race, gender, and ethnicity can influence the quality and availability of education as well as the ability of education to improve lives. It is therefore important to have a clear understanding of what affects a person's educational level. With the introduction of the 1988 National Curriculum through the Education Reform Act, the gender gap in educational attainment at GCSE level shows a gender gap favoring girls. Powney (1996) cites a number of studies showing that the method of assessment is a factor explaining differences in performance between boys and girls. They show that boys tend to be favored by multiple choice questions and girls by essays and schoolwork. This is mainly due to differences between boys and girls in language and literacy skills, which is reflected in English and other literacy-based subjects. With reference to Department for Education (DFE) statistics, the gap between the percentage of girls and boys achieving 5 or more GCSEs at A* to C or equivalent, including English and Maths GCSEs, is by 9.5 percentage points, with 63.6% of girls obtaining this indicator compared to 54.2% of boys. In 2007-2008, the gender gap widened by 1.4 percentage points, with girls outperforming boys by 14% in English, 16% in design and technology, 9% in modern foreign languages, 17%. in art and design and 12% in English literature, but 1.4% in English literature. only 1% in mathematics, 2% in basic sciences, 1% in chemistry and 2% in classical studies. However, if we look in more detail at the annual trends, the gap begins...... middle of paper ......ng. Beachside ComprehensiveCassen, C. and Kingdon, G. (2007) Tackling low academic achievement. York: Joseph Rowntree FoundationPowney, J. (1996) Gender and Attainment: a review, Edinburgh: Scottish Council for Research in Education. Warrington, M., Younger M. and Williams, J. 2000 Student attitudes, images and the gender gap, British Educational Research Journal. Bibliography: Browne Ken (1998) An introduction to sociology. Second edition. Polity Press, Cambridge. https://www.gov.uk/government/organizations/department-for-education‎ (accessed February 12, 2014 at 4:45 p.m.).https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ gcse -and-equivalent-attainment-by-pupil-characteristics-in-england (accessed February 12 at 1:30 p.m.). http://www.theguardian.com/education/2010/oct/10/britains-divided-school -system -report (accessed February 21, 20014 at 6 p.m.31)..