There has been much commentary on the contemporary policy preoccupation in many countries in Europe and the ‘West’ with education credentials, and a narrow conception of ‘educational achievement’, which many researchers have analysed as indicative of neoliberal concerns (e.g. Ball, 2003). However, these policy concerns have strong impact on schools, who are demanded to raise the achievement of pupils, with particular attention to certain pupil groups. The panic around boys’ (under)achievement (Epstein et al, 1998) is increasingly reflected in many countries worldwide (OECD, 2007). Recognition of the misconception of generalising to all boys as though they are a homogenous group of underachievers is gradually emerging in policy circles, with greater attention to the interplay of ‘race’ and social class in patterns of achievement (e.g. DCSF, 2008). A raft of research has developed findings that pupils’ gendered, ‘raced’ and classed subjectivities impact on their classroom behaviour and, consequently, on their achievement (see discussion in Archer & Francis, 2007). However, recent explorations of subjectivity in relation to educational achievement have tended to focus on underachieving pupils , meaning that productions which facilitate high achievement have been under-researched. Our research sought to address this gap, and within this, to include pupils who sustain the balance of achieving academically while remaining popular with classmates. The analysis of gendered subjectivity is central to the approach adopted. Gender is understood as purely performative rather than emerging ‘naturally’ from a pre-discursive sexed body: as such we have been attuned in our analysis to instances of ‘female masculinity’ (Halberstam, 1998) and ‘male femininity’, and to practices of ‘doing’ girl and boy, drawing for example on Butler’s (1993) accounts of ‘girling’.

Data is drawn from a qualitative study funded by the ESRC (RES062230462) titled ‘The gendered subjectivities of high achieving pupils’, which focused on Year 8 (12-13 year old) pupils. Research was carried out at nine co-educational state secondary schools in Southern England, representing urban, suburban and rural areas, and a diverse social mix. A sample of 71 pupils (35 boys, 36 girls) were identified as high achieving using a range of indicators. A questionnaire exercise was also used with classes to identify ‘popular’ pupils. The pupils were observed in their classes and in the playground for a full day, and also took part in individual interviews. Data has been subjected to content analysis and analysis of discourse (Burman and Parker, 1993).

A variety of different aspects of the project findings are fully elaborated in the papers that comprise this symposium, along with a discussion of implications for policy and practice.