It would be easy to assume (as Hoff-Sommers appears to have) that this is an agenda unwittingly imposed by teachers themselves, an industry dominated by women (74 per cent of teachers are female). However, when I spoke to members of the teaching profession they told me they were both aware of and frustrated by the issue. Marianne Smith teaches at an independent school in the East Midlands. She says:

“We are fortunate in the private sector that we have smaller classes and good resources, but I have worked in the state and private sector and I have seen the impact of poor learning environments on teenagers – particularly boys.”

She goes on to emphasise that the phenomenon of men being ‘active learners’ is especially pronounced during adolescence:

“Boy are active learners particularly up to year 11 [16 years of age]. They need to be stimulated by an environment which allows them to switch activities regularly so that concentration is maintained. Being able to express themselves through action is a positive outlet for their pent-up energy.”

It would appear that, as I suspected, the crisis in lack of teachers, funding and space within the education sector is directly linked to the performance discrepancy between boys and girls. Dr Mary Bousted, who is the General Secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers told me that “overcrowded classrooms have a profound effect on teaching and learning…. there is less space for learning involving physical activity." She goes on to point out that girls would also benefit from a change in classroom culture. “All children need to engage in practical activities which make learning real and give it a purpose.”