Does Offering More Science at School Increase the Supply of Scientists? The Impact of Offering Triple Science at GCSE on Subsequent Educational Choices and Outcomes

I estimate the effects of an education policy (Triple Science) in England aimed at increasing the take-up and attainment of young people in science subjects. I identify the effect of the policy by comparing two adjacent cohorts of pupils in schools that offer Triple Science to one cohort, but not to the other. I find some large and significant effects on later subject choice and attainment, and these appear to be particularly strong for boys and pupils from more deprived backgrounds.