A new research project will examine how the decisions that schools make, impact on GCSE attainment.

The study will seek to find out whether teaching GCSEs over three years is more effective than teaching them over two.

According to research, 56% of schools now teach some of their GCSEs over three years, starting in year 9, rather than covering GCSE content during the traditional, 2-year key stage 4 phase of years 10 and 11.

While this allows more time for pupils to cover GCSE content, there is concern, says the study, that it narrows the curriculum too early. It could mean, for instance, that some pupils will only experience two years of secondary level study before dropping history, geography or a language, or arts subjects such as music and drama.

This project, funded by the Education Endowment Foundation and carried out by the National Foundation for Educational Research, aims to understand what impact the decisions schools make about how to organise GCSEs have on grades, as well the breadth of curriculum offered by schools.

Every eligible secondary school in England will be invited to take part in a survey to find out how they organise their key stage 4 curriculum.

Outcomes of the research project will be published in spring 2021.