Girls in maths

Over the years as a teacher, I’ve witnessed first hand so many girls struggling with confidence in their mathematical abilities, despite being more than capable. This is often due to long-standing stereotypes that suggest the subject is better suited to boys. This false narrative, combined with lower encouragement and fewer visible role models, can lead girls to underestimate their own abilities—despite performing just as well as their male counterparts.

While society is gradually shifting away from the outdated belief that “girls can’t do maths,” there is still significant progress to be made. Here are a few examples of the progress being made:

Starting in 2025, The UK Maths Trust introduced anew competition, the Mathematical Competition for Girls (MCG) to allow even more girls to engage in mathematical problem solving. Mathematical Competition for Girls - UKMT

Women in science and Engineering celebrates more than a 40-year history, dating back to 1984 in its mission to enable and promote the participation, contribution and success of women. Delivering Women Centered Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Solutions.

The Advanced Mathematics Support Programme have a number of suggestions for schools and parents in helping encourage girls to participate in maths. Encouraging girls' participation - AMSP

Getting girls to engage in STEM and aspire to work in a STEM field is an ongoing challenge, and one I am excited to be a part of working towards a solution for.