One of Oxford University's oldest degrees is to be overhauled in bid to boost number of female students getting top grades.Classics dons who marked last year's exam papers said the gender gap is "very troubling", adding that it must be addressed as a matter of "urgency".Meanwhile, in second year exams - known as "Mods" which is short for Moderations - 38 per cent of men got a First compared to 19.3 per cent of women.The move has been greeted by a mixed response among Oxford students, with one saying it is ameasure.The third year Classics student added: "Instead of reformulating an entire syllabus, the department should take a closer look at how the style of teaching benefits male over female students."This unsurprisingly relates to the public-school system of teaching that a number of male classics students benefit from, which acts as a jump-start to succeeding at Oxford."Alex Nash, another third year Classics student, said: "Reforming Mods should focus on closing the gap between candidates who begin the course having A- Levels in Latin and Greek and those who don't."The real difference lies in language ability, with some students starting the course at a clear disadvantage." The subject - also known as Literae Humaniores or Greats - has been studied at Oxford for over 900 years and its alumni include Oscar Wilde, C. S. Lewis and Boris Johnson.Plans to reform the Classics syllabus is the latest in a string of overtures that university departments have made to women in recent years.A University spokesperson said: "The Faculty of Classics is setting up a new working group to look at aspects of the Classics Course."The group will be considering a number of issues, including gender imbalances in exam outcomes. No proposals have as yet been made, discussed by the Faculty, or adopted."