CUTS in the number of pupils sitting secondary school subjects are hitting those from disadvantaged backgrounds the hardest, new research shows.

Over the past few years fewer pupils are sitting National 5 qualifications in some sciences and modern languages.

The issue follows the introduction of Curriculum for Excellence reforms which allow schools to delay formal exams for a year.

However, one consequence is pupils have less time once they get to S4 to sit as many subjects as they would have done in the past.

Dr Marina Shapira, from the faculty of social sciences at Stirling University, said the trend was more likely to impact on pupils from schools in disadvantaged areas.

She said: “Young people who attended schools in the least deprived areas were three times more likely to choose sciences for their National 5 qualifications than those attending schools in the most deprived areas.

“An increase in the proportion of entries in vocational subjects was largest for schools in areas with high level of deprivation.

“Although schools in every deprivation decile saw a considerable reduction in the proportion of entries in modern languages, the rate of the reduction was larger for schools in areas with higher level of deprivation.”

Ms Shapira said the trend was likely to impact on future prospects for disadvantaged pupils and the potential for social mobility.

She said: “As our finding indicate, the phenomenon of the curriculum narrowing and the reduction in subject choices might disproportionally affect students from disadvantaged socio-economic background.

“Existing research evidence shows that in Scottish education system subject choices made by young people in S4 are strongly related to subject choices made later, in S5 and S6, and to career opportunities of young people and their ability to make a transition to higher education.

“Therefore, the narrowing of the curriculum and the reduction of choice might have an adverse effect on social-economic mobility opportunities for young people from disadvantaged socio-economic background.”

The issue will be discussed by the Holyrood’s education committee.