This paper focuses on pupils´ conceptions of gender and discusses reproduction and change in some aspects of gender in school over the last decades. The analysis is based on data from three inquiry surveys in Swedish secondary schools from 1974, 1992 and 2005 respectively. Comparisons are on identical questions from the different studies and the paper primarily focuses on how the pupils a) describe similarities and differences in the behaviour of girls as a group and boys as a group in the classroom situation, b) value different aspects of family and work in their future life, c) experience the gender hierarchy, e.g. do they think it is more favourable to be a boy/man or a girl/woman, or is there no difference. Connell´s (1996, 2000) theoretical framework, which argues that school is both an institutional agent of the formation processes and the setting where they take place, is used. The overall impression of the results is one of both stability and change. The stability is seen in the pupils´ stereotyped conceptions of girls as passive and silent in class room and boys as active and noisy. Though, both boys and girls tend to describe girls as more active and more visible in the classroom in 2005 than they were previously. They also tend to regard career aspects as more important now. Paradoxically, the fact that the girls in many ways seem to have strengthened their position in school during the last decades, has not resulted in an improvement of their overall status. The results rather point in the opposite direction, since the opinion that it is better to be a boy is stronger in 2005 than it was in the early 70s. The study is part of a Swedish national research programme “Changing Sex/Gender Orders in Schools and Education. Policy, Perspectives and Practice”, financed by Swedish Research Council.

The study is based on quantitative data from three inquiry surveys from 1974 (N=470), 1992 (N=538) and 2005 (N=3535) respectively. Pupils in the age of 14-16 years old were questioned about different aspects of gender in school. The statistical data programme SPSS was used in the analysis. Comparisons were made between boys´and girls´answers but also between the pupils´general conceptions of gender at different periods of time.

The results point at both stability and change. Both boys and girls tend to describe girls as more active and more visible in the classroom in 2005 than they were previously. They also tend to regard career aspects as more important now. Paradoxically, the fact that the girls in many ways seem to have strengthened their position in school during the last decades, has not resulted in an improvement of their overall status. The results rather point in the opposite direction, since the opinion that it is better to be a boy is stronger in 2005 than it was in the early 70s.