Economics


Economics is the study of local, national and international markets.

By studying Economics students learn to appreciate the interaction of financial decisions being made by companies and countries, and how these interactions have both short and long term consequences for society at large.

Our aim is that students become very adept at analysing the variety of outcomes these decisions have, and then evaluating their level of success by way of reference to current economic situations.

The curriculum

Year 12 

Theme 1:    

Introduction to markets and market failure

  •  nature of economics
  • how markets work
  • market failure
  • government intervention

Theme 2:   

The UK economy- performance and policies

  •  measures of economic performance
  •  aggregate demand
  •  aggregate supply
  •  national income
  • economic growth
  • macroeconomic objectives and policy.


Year 13 

Theme 3:

Business behaviour and the labour market

  •  business growth
  •  business objectives
  • revenues, costs and profits
  • market structures
  • labour market
  • government intervention.

Theme 4:   

A Global perspective

  •  international economics
  • poverty and inequality
  •  emerging and developing economies
  •  the financial sector
  • role of the state in the macroeconomy
Enrichment and Extra-curricular

We expect all students to keep up to date with current affairs programmes regarding world economic issues.

Example: “Business & Economics News” produced by Al Jazeera news.

Additional reading:

‘How do we fix the mess’ by Robert Peston.

Careers

Many of our students have gone on to take degree courses in

  • Economics and Management

  • Mathematics with Economics

  • Accounting and Finance

  • Economics with Politics

to name but a few.

These will lead to many associated careers in Economics, Finance and Statistics.

Exam Board

Exam Board:

Edexcel Economics A https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/economics-a-2015.html

Y12 Course Code: 8ECO

Specification: https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/A%20Level/economics-a/2015/specification-and-sample-assessment-materials/AS_Econ_A_Spec.pdf

Y13 Course Code: 9ECO

Specification: https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/A%20Level/economics-a/2015/specification-and-sample-assessment-materials/A_Level_Econ_A_Spec.pdf

Past papers:

Y12

https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/A%20Level/economics-a/2015/specification-and-sample-assessment-materials/Economics_AS_Collated_SAM.pdf

Y13

https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/A%20Level/economics-a/2015/specification-and-sample-assessment-materials/Economics-A-Collated-SAM.pdf

Textbooks and Revision Resources

Individual texts covering each of the four themes named above. Author Mark Gavin and Published by Hodder.

  • Economics by Alain Anderton published by Pearson, for reference only.

  • Reference material including Business Review and Economist magazines, daily newspapers.

Revision resources

There are free Economics websites showing revision videos:

www.econplusdal.com

PajHolden on www.youtube.com

There are Economics tutor websites which you have to pay for:

www.uplearn.co.uk

There are resource notes for economics on:

www.physicsandmathstutor.com