THE curriculum in some secondary schools is being "whittled away" by a move towards pupils starting their GCSEs early, the head of Ofsted has warned.

Teenagers are dropping key subjects such as history, geography and languages at the age of 13 in order to study GCSE courses over three years rather than the traditional two, Amanda Spielman suggested.

She said: "Starting GCSEs a year early is something worth thinking about carefully.

"At the point pupils start GCSEs they are typically dropping the subjects we all think are part of the broad education we expect. This is the point children are now dropping geography, history and languages.

"I am concerned when I see what is being whittled away, often with the best of intentions. Cutting Key Stage 3 short is very widespread. Children are being asked to make choices very early."