For almost all students, economics is a totally new subject. This offers you a fantastic opportunity to start with a blank canvas, on a level playing field with your peers. Irrespective of what subjects you have studied at GCSE, with a little hard work and dedication there is nothing to stop anyone becoming a competent economist.
Throughout your studies you will have access to a lunchtime drop-in surgery once a week, but our teachers have an open door policy – so support is on-hand whenever you have a question! You will have a one-on-one meeting with our Head of Department three times a year, providing an opportunity to discuss your progress in a more formal setting and to agree targets for the next term. If you would like more structured, regular one-on-one support, we are more than happy to support this.
All members of the department have previously marked A Levels for exam boards, and you will benefit from their insight through specific sessions that look at exam technique and practice – equipping you with the skills you need to succeed.
AS Level content
The operation of markets and market failure
- The economic problem and economic methodology
- Price determination in a competitive market
- Production, costs and revenue
- Competitive and concentrated markets
- The market mechanism, market failure and government intervention in markets
The national economy in a global market
- The measurement of macroeconomic performance
- How the macroeconomy works: the circular flow of income, AD/AS analysis and related concepts
- Economic performance
- Macroeconomic policy
A Level content
Individuals, firms, markets and market failure
- The economic problem and economic methodology
- Individual economic decision making
- Price determination in a competitive market
- Production, costs and revenue
- Perfect competition, imperfectly competitive markets and monopoly
- The labour market
- The distribution of income and wealth: poverty and inequality
- The market mechanism, market failure and government intervention in markets
The national and international economy
- The measurement of macroeconomic performance
- How the macroeconomy works: the circular flow of income, AD/AS analysis and related concepts
- Economic performance
- Financial markets and monetary policy
- Fiscal policy and supply-side policies
- The international economy
AS Level
- Paper 1: The operation of markets and market failure (50% of AS Level)
- Paper 2: The national economy in a global market (50% of AS Level)
These units are assessed by 20 multiple choice questions and a written data response question.
A Level
- Paper 1: Markets and market failure (33% of A Level)
- Paper 2: National and international economy (33% of A Level)
These papers will be assessed by data response questions and essay questions.
- Paper 3: Economic principles and issues (33% of A Level) - This paper covers the whole A Level syllabus containing both microeconomic and macroeconomic topics. It will be assessed by multiple choice questions and an economic report