Economics | Sixth Form | King's Ely | Private School near Cambridge

Kings Ely sixth form

Academic

A Level Economics

Our students often progress to study Economics, Finance, PPE (Politics, Philosophy and Economics), or Business & Management at university.

 

All students, whether from King’s Ely Senior or new to the school, start the subject from scratch, with no presumption of prior knowledge.

Economics is a dynamic social science, forming part of the study of Individuals and Society, and is essentially about the concept of scarcity and the problem of resource allocation.

Economics is a well-established and popular subject in the Sixth Form, with approximately thirty-five students currently in each year of the course. All students, whether from King’s Ely Senior or new to the school, start the subject from scratch, with no presumption of prior knowledge.

Take Economics at A Level if you are interested in the world around you and you want to investigate how our Economic system works. Economics contains elements of the arts and sciences, so combines well with a wide range of other subjects. It can lead to professional qualifications in business and finance as well as to degree courses in Economics.

Prerequisite

Minimum grade 6 in GCSE English and GCSE Mathematics.
Topic Overview

 

The Economics specification gives a strong grounding in both microeconomics and macroeconomics, through a multi-component externally assessed qualification.

The key purpose of this qualification is to provide an introduction to the study of Economics, with the content focusing on providing the basic knowledge and understanding of the essential aspects of economic theory and concepts.

The aim is for the learners to learn how to ‘think as economists’, and be able to develop the necessary analytical, questioning and quantitative skills in order to progress in the subject, within relevant associated subjects or for use in their professional lives.

Learners will develop various skillsets - from data analysis, problem solving and high tariff writing to independent learning, critical thinking and decision making - which can make them stand out as they progress to higher education and/or the workplace.

Economics is always topical, and since economists often disagree, it can also be controversial. To deepen your understanding, you are encouraged to follow current issues in the news, whether in print, online, or on television.
Assessment

 

A Level Economics - Edexcel Specification A (9EC0)

Learners must complete all three externally assessed components.

Paper 1: Markets and Business Behaviour (01)

2 hours - 35% of the total A Level - 100 marks

This paper covers microeconomics. Students study: 

  • How markets work and why they sometimes fail
  • Business objectives and behaviour
  • Market structures (perfect competition, monopoly, oligopoly)
  • Government intervention in markets

Paper 2: The National and Global Economy (02)

2 hours - 35% of the total A Level - 100 marks

This paper focuses on microeconomics. Students study: 

  • Measurement of economic performance (growth, inflation, employment, trade)
  • How the national economy functions
  • Economic policy objectives and instruments (fiscal, monetary, supply-side, trade)
  • The global economy, including international trade, globalisation, and financial markets

Paper 3: Microeconomics and Macroeconomics (03)

2 hours - 30% of the total A Level - 100 marks

This synoptic paper draws together material from across the course.

Students apply both microeconomic and macroeconomic concepts to real-world issues, using unseen contexts, data, and case studies.

Assessment Overview

  • All exams are written papers.
  • Questions include multiple-choice, short answer, data response, and extended essays.
  • Quantitative skills are assessed across all papers (at least 20% of marks).

 

Economics A Level Exam Specification

 

Meet the head of Economics

Jehan Mendis

EMAIL JEHAN MENDIS

 
 

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