Economics

Our economics curriculum develops students into confident, well-educated and passionate economists, equipped to critically understand how economics shapes the world we live in.

We are ambitious for, and have high expectations of, all our pupils and know that every student that chooses to study economics can experience success through careful sequencing of the curriculum and high-quality, research-informed teaching and learning. Students learn about the importance of economics in society and how it underpins decision making from the individual to the state. ​With this in mind, students begin by learning how economic agents make decisions based on the assumption of rationality. We ensure that students develop their logical reasoning skills and learn how to use economic models to demonstrate understanding of real world issues. Pupils apply these models in order to reach reasoned conclusions in their regular written practice.

In economics, students learn how to infer from qualitative and quantitative data to make logical reasoned judgements and conclusions. They demonstrate this logical progression through developed chains of reasoning in their written responses to economic problems. Economics also provides students who enjoying studying STEM subjects with a gateway to the humanities and social sciences. It calls upon the fundamentals of science and statistics but requires students to develop their written communication through essays and written work.

We are committed to modelling to our students what it means to be an economist in a globalised world. Students use an enquiring, critical and thoughtful approach to their studies, which will support them to think like an economist. They develop competence in written assessment and professionalism in their understanding of how economics shapes the world we live in.​ Students develop analytical skills that enable them to question government policies and the decisions of firms and consumers. ​To this end, students are faced with a variety of different viewpoints regarding the way an economy should be organised and understand that economic behaviour can be studied from a range of different perspectives. This supports them to cultivate an appreciation of different world viewpoints. ​

The Key Stage 5 economics curriculum is split into four themes. Two focus on microeconomics and two on macroeconomics. Students have two teachers, each with a specialism in macroeconomics or microeconomics.

Year 12

Theme 1 introduces students to the microeconomic nature of economics, looking at economic problems and the ways economists think and work. Students learn how to apply supply and demand analysis to real-world situations and be able to offer explanations of consumer behaviour, among other things.

Theme 2 introduces the key measures of economic performance and the main instruments of economics policy primarily in a UK context. Students are introduced to the aggregate demand and aggregate supply model so that they can use it to analyse changes in real output and the price level. They then examine the use of demand and supply side policies by the government to influence the economy.

Year 13

Theme 3 builds on the content of Theme 1 and examines how the number and size of market participants, and the level of contestability, affect the pricing and nature of competition among firms. Supply and demand analysis is specifically applied to the labour market to see how wages are determined in competitive and non-competitive markets.

Theme 4 builds on the content of Theme 2 and applies it to a global context. Students learn about the significance of globalisation, international trade, the balance of payments and exchange rates. They also examine public finance, macroeconomic policies and the role of the financial sector in a global context.

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