Home
News
Only one female scientist is named in GCSE science courses, and experts say it could be putting girls off STEM

Only one female scientist is named in GCSE science courses, and experts say it could be putting girls off STEM

New research reveals a striking gender gap in GCSE science courses, raising questions about the role models our daughters see at school.

Alistair Berg/Getty Images

Ruairidh Pritchard

Published: October 22, 2026 at 11:43 AM

Save

If your daughter is studying science at secondary school, there's a good chance she'll learn about Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein and Charles Darwin. But how many female scientists will she hear about?

According to new research from the University of Cambridge, just one woman is named among the 86 scientists referenced in UK GCSE and Scottish National 5 science exam specifications. Her name is Rosalind Franklin, the British chemist whose groundbreaking work helped scientists discover the structure of DNA.

Rosalind Franklin

Rosalind Franklin Donaldson Collection/Universal History Archive/Getty Images

The findings, published on 21 October in the British Educational Research Journal, have raised questions about the role models girls encounter in the classroom, particularly at an age when they're beginning to make important decisions about their futures.

What to see more MadeForMums in your search results? Tell Google!

From parenting news to expert advice and trusted product recommendations, make sure you don't miss the MadeForMums content that matters to your family. Add MadeForMums as a Preferred Source on Google.

Just one woman among 86 scientists named in GCSE science

Researchers examined science exam specifications from six major UK exam boards, including AQA, Pearson Edexcel, Cambridge OCR and Qualifications Scotland.

They looked at biology, chemistry, physics and other science subjects to identify which scientists were mentioned, either directly or through scientific discoveries and concepts named after them.

The findings were striking:

At GCSE and National 5 level, just 1 of 86 scientists referenced was a woman.
At A-level and equivalent, only 3 of 181 scientists were women.
Several important scientific discoveries made by women are taught without explicitly acknowledging their contributions.

The researchers also found that around three-quarters of scientists referenced were European, highlighting a wider lack of diversity in the specifications.

Importantly, the study examined exam specifications rather than individual classroom lessons. Teachers can introduce additional scientists, but their inclusion isn't necessarily required by the exam boards.

Why does this matter for our daughters?

For parents raising girls who love experimenting, asking questions and discovering how things work, the findings raise an important issue: can you imagine yourself becoming something if you rarely see people like you doing it?

Research suggests that seeing relatable role models can help girls feel they belong in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).

And the gap becomes particularly noticeable when teenagers choose their A-level subjects.

According to figures cited in the study, girls accounted for just 24.1% of A-level physics entries in 2025, compared with 64.3% of biology entries.

The researchers aren't suggesting that the lack of female scientists in exam specifications is solely responsible. Subject choices are influenced by many factors, including confidence, stereotypes and wider social expectations.

But they believe greater visibility could make a difference.

Stephanie Buttigieg, one of the study's authors, explained why representation matters.

Relatable role models can help keep more girls in STEM by strengthening their sense of belonging in science and fostering positive attitudes towards scientific careers.

Stephanie Buttigieg, study co-author

Who are the female scientists missing from GCSE lessons?

The researchers argue that including more women wouldn't require a major overhaul of science courses. Many could be introduced alongside topics pupils already study.

Among their recommendations are:

Marie Curie: The pioneering scientist who discovered radium and polonium and became the first person to win two Nobel Prizes, in physics and chemistry.
Lise Meitner: A nuclear physicist whose work was crucial to explaining nuclear fission.
Marie Tharp: An ocean-floor mapping pioneer whose discoveries helped transform our understanding of plate tectonics.
Stephanie Kwolek: The chemist who invented Kevlar, the incredibly strong material used in protective equipment.
Jocelyn Bell Burnell: The astrophysicist who discovered pulsars while working as a postgraduate student.

The study also recommends that Rosalind Franklin should be included in every relevant specification when pupils learn about DNA, rather than appearing in only a small number of courses.

Will GCSE science courses change?

There are signs that exam boards are taking the findings seriously.

A spokesperson for the Joint Council for Qualifications, which represents five major exam boards, told the BBC:

"Exam boards recognise that there is a clear need for greater representation in science qualifications, and this is an area they will be focusing on as these qualifications are reformed."

The Department for Education also said "girls should see the contribution women have made in STEM" and committed to improving the curriculum over the coming years.

However, no specific changes or implementation dates have been confirmed.

What can parents do to encourage girls interested in science?

While changes to exam specifications may take time, parents don't need to wait for the curriculum to introduce their children to inspiring women in science.

Sharing stories about female scientists, visiting science museums, exploring experiments together or simply encouraging questions can help make science feel accessible and exciting.

And it's worth remembering that girls are already achieving strongly in science subjects. The challenge isn't necessarily getting them interested or proving they're capable, but helping ensure they can picture a future in those fields.

As this research highlights, the stories children encounter at school matter. Making sure girls learn that women have helped shape some of the world's biggest scientific discoveries could be one small but meaningful step towards showing them what's possible.

Read more:

Authors

Ruairidh PritchardDigital Growth Lead

Ruairidh is the Digital Lead on MadeForMums. He works with a team of fantastically talented content creators and subject-matter experts on MadeForMums.