For most of us, our education is rigidly planned, punctuated by exams taken at key dates in our school lives.

But one Sussex school is challenging that traditional approach by putting pupils in for exams two years ahead of schedule.

Dorothy Stringer High School on the Surrenden Campus in Brighton, launched a pilot project two years ago to fast-track some of its brightest pupils through GCSE French.

It was a high-risk strategy but the gamble paid off. All 55 14-year-olds passed, with 38 getting A grades, 15 getting Bs and two with Cs.

The school believes fast-tracking motivates pupils and offers them more choice in their future education and, ultimately, their careers.

Fast-tracking had already been tested with a small option group of religious studies pupils, doing an AS-level two years early. Twenty mixed ability children took the exam and eight got A grades.

Once the French fast-tracking was under way and proving successful, the scheme was extended to ICT at GNVQ level.

The project was the baby of Simon Sharron, assistant head at Stringer.

He taught one class and Charlie Davies, now head of languages at Ringmer School, taught the other.

Mr Sharron said: "We think we have a major success with the fast-track, although it is part of wider picture.

"It is premised on the idea you stretch those children who have an ability to work faster than their peer group and not cap their potential by the age limit."

Children are selected for fast-tracking in Year 7. The brightest 12 and 13-year-olds out of an intake of 320 spend five hours a fortnight of curriculum time in the fast-track classes.

This puts them on a par with GCSE French in Years 10 and 11. The system attracts a high proportion of girls and the children sit their GCSE French exams in May and June.

Mr Sharron said: "We felt language was the one to go for because children at that age are full of enthusiasm.

"The accelerated course also achieved its aim of boosting the number of language students - 35 of the fast-trackers are doing AS-level French next year - which they may eventually use to convert to an A-level at sixth form college."

John Thorne, deputy head at Stringer, said: "We are taking full advantage of the flexible arrangements built into the national curriculum, the freedom to initiate."

Reactions from all sides have been positive. Parents have welcomed the opportunity for brighter children. The education authority, Brighton and Hove City Council, has also given its full support.

Sixth form colleges, who could interpret the scheme as "stepping on their toes", have welcomed the initiative because it takes some of the pressure off them and boosts the number of language students.

The children themselves seem to have accepted some pupils are just more adept at languages than others.

Mr Sharron said: "There may have been a few children that are envious but others seem to say, 'Fair do's - I don't want to be pushed' because there is an issue of pressure."

The school is at pains to point out that those children not in the fast-track system are not left behind.

Even using the traditional timescale, exam results are good. In languages, 94 per cent of pupils achieve A*-C grades in German and more than 70 per cent in French.

With fast-tracking in ICT and religious studies proving equally rewarding, the school has also extended the scheme to PE. Students are on course to complete their GCSE one year ahead of schedule and will then be offered an AS-level.

This goes hand in hand with major building work which is under way to make Stringer a specialist centre for sport.

PE is seen as a way to tempt the less academic students to take up the fast-track opportunity. However, they have to be prepared to put in some hard graft - 40 per cent of the course is theory.

Mr Sharron added: "If children can pass an AS-level at 16 and get a top grade, it is a very powerful message. Nothing speaks louder than success.

"It gives them the most amazing feeling of confidence to start sixth form college with an AS-level under their belt."

But what about complacency - "I can take it easy because I've got a qualification"?

Mr Sharron said: "It is a good point but if you look at the evidence here, early entry motivates."

And if it works well, why have other schools not tried it?

Mr Thorne said: "Probably because it is a high-risk strategy. We were always very confident we would do it but what would happen if a few ended up with grade C when they were perfectly able of grade B or A? I think that is why some schools are reluctant."

But other schools are watching with interest, along with specialist language colleges and Ofsted, who have written congratulating them.

Councillor Pat Hawkes, chair of the city council's children, families and schools committee, saluted the success story.

"I'm thrilled about Dorothy Stringer's success with their early entry students. I hope they will act as a beacon of excellence and that other local schools will follow their lead."