Courses:
Economics is taught at AS and A level following the AQA specification. We assume that a year 12 student has no previous knowledge of this subject but that she has a keen interest in her place in the world as a consumer, producer and citizen. Economics is valued as an academic discipline by both employers and also by top universities, particularly as a critical approach rather than rote learning of abstract theoretical concepts is encouraged.
The subject is divided into microeconomics and macroeconomics. The former looks at how markets work and also how they often fail. It focuses on issues such as how the price mechanism works, the housing market, the environment including negative externalities such as pollution, the labour market, demographics, the pensions crisis, etc. Macro economics looks at the big issues facing governments (and all of us), including inflation, unemployment, economic growth, trade and balance of payments, as well as problems relating to the UK, the EU and the wider international community.
Examination:
| AQA Economics Advanced Subsidiary 5141 | |||
| Unit 1 | 1h15 | 50% of AS total | Assesses Module 1 (microeconomics): 25 compulsory objective test questions (15 mins) and two data response questions, of which candidates answer one. |
| Unit 2 | 1h15 | 50% of AS total | Assesses Module 2 (macroeconomics) as above |
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AQA Economics Advanced 6141 |
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| Unit 3 | 2 hrs | 25% of A Level total | One compulsory data response question and three essay questions with candidates required to answer one. It assesses Module 3 (microeconomics). All questions are synoptic. |
| Unit 4 | 2 hrs | 25% of A Level total | As in Unit 3, but assessing Module 4 (macroeconomics). All questions are synoptic |
Students sit the AS modules in June of year 12 and can take re-sits the following January and/or June. Units 3 and 4 will be sat in the June of year 13. There is no coursework.
