Economics

Head of Department: Mr Davis

 

Department Background
 We aim as a department to give students the best opportunity to achieve the highest grades at Business Studies and Economics, whilst also increasing their understanding of how the economic and business world works and their ability to investigate and discuss current issues the UK faces.
Business Studies and Economics both continue to be a popular option for students at GCSE and A-level respectively and students have consistently achieved outstanding grades at both subjects. Many students also take advantage of the wide range of enrichment activities the department offers to enhance both their learning and enjoyment of the subjects we offer.

Year 7 - 9
 Economics and Business Studies are not formally taught in years 7-9 but students will come across concepts, such as budgeting, in their PSHEE and Citizenship lessons. Students are given a presentation on the GCSE Business Studies course in Year 9 to help with their options choices.
Year 10 - 11
 Students have the option to study Business Studies at GCSE. The year 10 course covers the starting up and running of small businesses and students will be given the opportunity to show their creative and enterprise skills throughout the first year.  Students are externally assessed through a multiple-choice test at the end of Year 10.

In Year 11, students gain a broader appreciation of how to build up a business covering areas such as marketing, customer service, financial and people management. It also considers the impact of the wider world on the success or failure of a business. They take a controlled research assignment during Year 11 focusing on one particular aspect of business and have a final external examination.
 Sixth Form
 The school offers Economics at AS and A2 level for the Sixth Form. During the year 12 course students examine how free market economies work and how they may fail. They also take a first look at the macroeconomics and assess the economic performance of the UK in terms of growth, unemployment, inflation & competitiveness.
 
In the A2 course students consider the difference between perfect and imperfect competition and the implications for the UK economy. Finally, students will take a deeper look at the UK economy in a globalised context covering topics such as free trade and economic development.

All the four units are externally assessed with no coursework element.
 Activities and Recent Highlights
 The Business Studies and Economics offers a wide range of extra-curricular activities:

•   Young Enterprise gives all Year 12 students the opportunity to set-up and run their own business and then successfully compete with other schools in local, regional and national competitions.  

•   Target 2.0 gives Year 12 Economists the chance to compete against other schools by investigating and presenting their views on the UK economy in order to inform the Bank of England the best direction for interest rates.
•   Economics Society has been run to give the gifted and talented Economists a forum to debate and discuss current economic ideas and tackle topics beyond the A-level course in preparation for University.   

The Economics and Business Studies department continues to run an ‘Understanding Industry Conference’ based in central London each Summer. Speakers range from the Bank of England to major accountancy firms to university lecturers. This has been thoroughly enjoyed by the Year 12s who have attended the two-day event each year. Business studies speakers are also invited in to talk to GCSE Business Studies students to help put the course into a real business context.  

Teams have continued to compete in both Target 2.0 and Young Enterprise competitions with particular success in local and regional heats by our Young Enterprise teams, who continue to pick up a wide range of awards for their efforts each year.