Research into effectiveness of teaching GCSEs over three years

A new research project from the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) and run by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) will find out whether teaching GCSEs over three years is more effective than teaching them over two.

Traditionally the five years of secondary school have been split into a three-year Key Stage 3 and a two-year Key Stage 4. The first three years of secondary school typically involve a broader curriculum and prepare pupils for Key Stage 4 study, but don’t focus on content in the GCSE syllabus. The fourth and fifth years then cover a narrower curriculum of subjects (around 8-10) a pupil has chosen to take for GCSE.
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Many schools now teach GCSEs over three years, starting in year 9 (ages 13 and 14). While this allows more time for pupils to cover GCSE content, there is a concern that it narrows the curriculum too early and means pupils may be less prepared for study at GCSE-level.

Schools take different approaches to organising a three-year Key Stage 4. Some schools simply take more time to cover GCSE content; others spend two years teaching GCSE content and a third year on revision and exam preparation.

The EEF's new project aims to understand what impact the decisions schools make about how to organise GCSE 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, while hundreds of schools will be involved in the study.