Girls routinely get better grades than boys with'identical competence' because they are neater and easier to teach, a new study has revealed. Researchers from the University of Trento in Italy compared the results of almost 40,000 students aged 15 and 16 for a series of standardised tests. They found that girls are regularly marked more highly than boys, despite being of equal competence. The researchers suggest that teachers may be unconsciously rewarding students exhibiting traditionally female behaviours, such as quietness and neatness, which make teaching easier. Ilaria Lievore, a PhD candidate in Sociology, said: 'There is a strong correlation between having higher grades and desirable educational outcomes, such as gaining admission to good colleges or having a lower probability of dropping out of school.