Iona Millership, 17, from City of London school for girls, hopes to become a newspaper editor after reading history at Cambridge.

“Opportunities now mean the world can be our oyster and we can get on to do great things. Girls may be doing better in exams but exams aren’t everything and I am not sure it relates to the outside world.”

Shumi Mumthahana, 15, from Central Foundation girls’ school, wants to go into medicine after university.

“It is still hard for girls. Everybody says it has changed, but I don’t think so. If you are going for a job, it is the boys who get it.

“Maybe it is just sexism. Men don’t think we are capable, but I think we are.”

Serena Alexis, 18, is taking sociology and art and designA-levels at the Skinners’ Company’s school for girls “I think women are in quite a strong position and you can’t complain about just being a girl, ethnicity comes into it, too.

“But if you go for a job interview as a girl you have to really try and push to get that job, and then the man behind you comes in and supports the same football team as the men interviewers, and he gets the job.

“Given a chance we are capable, but to get to the top you have to change yourself and take on male characteristics.”

Haleema Hoque, 16, from the Central Foundation school, is planning to go to university after taking A-levels in IT, biology, psychology and sociology.

“Boys and men have always had an advantage. Now we have the opportunities I want to prove myself to everyone. There is nothing wrong if a girl wants to be a housewife, as long as things are equal, which I think they are now,”

she said.