GCSE options, curriculum breadth, and keeping students engaged

February and March are key months for GCSE options planning. For schools and trusts, this is the point at which curriculum breadth, staffing capacity, and affordability collide. 

Many schools want to offer a broad range of GCSE subjects to keep students engaged and support progression, recognising that curriculum breadth is a student entitlement. However, recruitment challenges, small cohort sizes, and tight budgets increasingly make this difficult to achieve through traditional staffing models alone.

When options narrow, engagement can fall

Curriculum choice plays a significant role in student engagement. When options are limited due to staffing or cost pressures, some students disengage, particularly if the subjects available do not align with their interests, strengths or intended next steps.  

In some cases, students may seek alternatives outside the school, or disengage entirely. This has implications not only for outcomes, but for retention and funding.

The challenge for schools and trusts

Recruiting specialist teachers for small GCSE cohorts is increasingly difficult. This is particularly true for subjects where demand fluctuates year to year. 

For multi-academy trusts, the challenge is often magnified. Individual schools may not have sufficient numbers to justify a full-time post, while the trust as a whole needs to offer consistent curriculum entitlement across settings. 

The result is a difficult trade-off between breadth, cost, and sustainability.

Using online provision to widen choice

Shared online GCSE provision offers a way to broaden curriculum choice without significantly increasing cost or risk. 

In practice, this can allow schools and trusts to: 

• offer GCSE subjects they cannot staff internally 

• avoid permanent recruitment for small cohorts 

• share provision across multiple schools 

• retain students who might otherwise disengage or leave 

At Tute, GCSE courses are delivered online in small, supported groups, allowing students to access subjects that may not be viable within their own school timetable. This model supports breadth while maintaining quality and oversight.

Keeping hold of students and funding

Providing a broad curriculum is not just about choice. It is also about keeping students engaged and on roll. 

When students feel their interests and aspirations are recognised, they are more likely to remain engaged through key stage 4. For schools and trusts, this supports continuity, outcomes, and funding stability. 

Used well, online GCSE provision is not a replacement for in-school teaching. It is a strategic tool that allows schools to respond to recruitment challenges and budget constraints without narrowing opportunity for students. 

As options decisions are finalised, the question for many schools is no longer whether they want to offer breadth, but how they can do so sustainably.

written by Becky Clark

Assistant Head of Teaching and Learning – Curriculum