Economics and Business: A-level
Qualification: A-level
Exam Board: Pearson Edexcel
Entry Requirements: Grade 5 or above in both GCSE English Language and GCSE Maths.
Watch our video about economics & business a-level
A subject that prepares you for life
Studying business prepares everyone for future life. Ultimately, all students will be involved with the world of business - as a consumer, an entrepreneur or an employee.
The course, officially titled 'Economics B', is taught by three subject specialists who have over 50 years’ teaching experience between them, plus experience in the commercial world. We pride ourselves on getting students to reach beyond their initial aspirations.
We work exceptionally hard as a team to ensure the best outcomes and have strong relationships with students, many of whom stay in touch long after their education at Silverdale Sixth Form has finished.
The overall aim of this course is to build knowledge of Business and Economic concepts and apply them to different business situations and economic environments. The course will help students demonstrate an awareness of current economic events and policies and make informed judgements about the role of economics and business in society.
The course
The course takes economic theory and asks students to apply this to the business world
Theme 1: Markets, Consumers and Firms
- Scarcity, choice and potential conflicts
- Enterprise, business and the economy
- Market failure and government intervention
Theme 2: The Wider Economic Environment
- Business growth and competitive advantage
- Life in a global economy
- Introduction to macroeconomic policy
Theme 3: The Global Economy
- Economic factors in business expansion
- Impact of globalisation on global companies
- Inequality and redistribution
Theme 4: Making Markets Work
- Competition and market power
- Macroeconomic policies and impact on firms and individuals
- Risk and the financial sector
Themes 1 and 2 are taught in Year 12 with themes 3 and 4 being taught in Year 13
We attract around 50% of students who have never studied GCSE Business or Economics; as a result lessons are differentiated, catering for those who have some prior knowledge and for those who have none.
We teach active lessons designed to engage students whilst building crucial skills such as evaluation and analysis for their examination. We encourage reading around the subject and an active interest in our dynamic subject to ensure that the perspective you bring to answers is fully rounded. We also have an X (formerly known as Twitter) page: @SilverdaleEcon.
Examinations
The A-level will assess ALL content from both years of the course and will be examined by three 2-hour papers in June of the second year of study. Paper 1 will cover Themes 1 and 4, and Paper 2 will cover Themes 2 and 3. Paper 3 will cover all themes and will be based on a pre-released case study.
Beyond the classroom
Past activities have included:
- Visiting JCB investigating lean production.
- Visiting speakers from The Bank of England, WASE, British Business Bank, The Ordinary and ARF Football.
Progression
Many students have used their skills to work in a variety of careers linked to Business and Economics and beyond– from finance to marketing, sales to law, banking to setting up their own business.
Alumni include the CEO of Deciem, an Investment Banker at Morgan Stanley, owners of Năm Sông café in Broomhill, the MD of Resolve IT Solutions, the Marketing Manager at HD Sports Sheffield, as well as teachers, accountants, and postgraduate academics.
