A decrease of girls studying computing in the UK could lead to the continued “male-dominance of the digital space’ and harm the UK’s aim to be a tech superpower, a new report has found.

The number of girls studying computing at GCSE level has more than halved since 2015, according to the report by King’s College London.

It notes that Girls are more likely than boys to say they do not enjoy computer science, as it does not align with their career plans or appears more difficult than other subjects.

In 2014, the curriculum was changed to focus on computer theory and programming skills the authors of the report said that this had made the topics narrower and called on the government to take action and address the problem.

The report added that girls can also be put off from studying computer science due to “pervasive stereotypes” about the jobs available that use computing skills.

When pupils were asked to name famous computing people, they were more likely to name tech entrepreneurs such as Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg. While the top 10 list included Grace Hopper and Ada Lovelace, the report pointed out that they are both long deceased.

Principal investigator Dr Peter Kemp, who is senior lecturer in computing education at King’s said that it is “imperative” that action is taken to encourage more girls to study computing so they can develop the digital skills they need.

“The current GCSE is focused on computer science and developing programming skills, and this seems to deter some young people, in particular girls, from taking up the subject,” he said. “We need to ensure computing is a subject that is appealing to all pupils and meets the needs of young people and society.”

Last year BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, found that while the number of girls studying computer science at GSCE level is low they often outperform their male counterparts. Almost thirty per cent of girls achieved an A or above compared to 22.9 per cent of boys.

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