A LEVEL
Economics
Economics examines how individuals, businesses and nations decide what to produce, how to use scarce resources, and what this means for our world, today and tomorrow.
Learn to question assumptions, understand global systems, and see how choices shape societies and our environment.
You arrive as you are, and you’re celebrated for it. You leave ready to take on the world.
— Sixth Form student
Why Choose Economics at St Paul’s?
- Think like an economist. You’ll develop reasoned, analytical thinking to assess real-world issues, from housing markets and inflation, to inequality and sustainability.
- Skills for life and beyond. You’ll learn how to interpret data, evaluate policies and make informed judgements: skills sought by universities and employers alike.
- Small groups, big ideas. With dedicated staff, you’ll have space to explore, debate and deepen your understanding in a supportive environment.
- Open doors to your future. Economics provides a strong foundation for degrees and careers in business, finance, public policy, environment, global development and more.
- A subject with impact. If you care about the world you live in and want to influence change, Economics gives you the tools to ask meaningful questions and find answers.
Where Economics Can Take You
Economics opens up a wide range of future pathways. Past students have progressed into subjects such as:
- Economics, Business, Finance, Data Science, International Development
- Public Policy, Government, Environmental Economics, Consultancy
- Combined degrees with Maths, Geography, Psychology, Politics and more
Here at St Paul’s, we ensure that you leave ready to think critically, engage confidently and embark on whatever future you choose.
I thought about leaving, but I realised no one else would care about me the way St Paul’s does. Here, I’m not starting over, I’m moving forward.
— Student Name
What You’ll Study
You’ll cover both microeconomics (individuals, markets and firms) and macroeconomics (whole economies, growth and global link-ups) with an eye on real-life issues and developing your evaluative skills.
Core Topics
Micro
- The operation of markets and market failure
- Individual firms, markets and demand & supply structures
Macro
- The national economy in a global context
- Global interdependence, international trade, development economics
Full details of the course can be found in the exam board’s official AQA specification.
You arrive as you are, and you’re celebrated for it. You leave ready to take on the world.
— Sixth Form student
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Economics Exam Results
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PASS RATE
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achieved
A* to C
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achieved
A* to B
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achieved
A* to A
Entry Requirements
In addition to our standard entry requirements, a number of our courses have specific entry requirements to ensure you are ready to thrive in the subject. For Economics, you’ll need:
- Grade 5+ in an English & Mathematics
These requirements are in place to help set you up for success and make sure you have the right foundation to enjoy the challenge of Sixth Form study.
I thought about leaving, but I realised no one else would care about me the way St Paul’s does. Here, I’m not starting over, I’m moving forward.
— Student Name
Hear From Our Students
Economics is a great subject because it is a real subject that you hear about in the news. It means that what I’m learning makes sense in the real world.
I like the way that you can predict what might happen using graphs and equations. Although humans are pretty unpredictable, Economics gives us a framework to help us understand things.
Economics is a nice mix of Maths, Science and Business Studies. You have to be able to switch from drawing complex graphs to writing essays about things like Supply and Demand.
Dr S Saaka
SUBJECT LEADER FOR ECONOMICS
Thank you so much for your interest in Economics at A Level. We have a fabulous team of energetic and enthusiastic specialists at St Paul’s ready to support you on your journey. Â
Should you have any questions at all about studying Economics at A Level, or the possible career paths beyond College, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Send me a message
We’d love to hear from you, whether you want to talk about subject choices, entry requirements, or your future career ideas.
Are you ready to explore how choices shape our world, sharpen your reasoning and open up global opportunities?
Start your Economics journey at St Paul’s.
Whatever course you choose, you’ll be joining a community where every student is known and loved. Our mission is not just to help you succeed academically, but to help you grow as a person, supported and celebrated every step of the way.
EconomicsCourse Content
Use economic theory to support the analysis of current economic problems and issues, and to understand the inter-relationships between microeconomics and macroeconomics.
Year 12
Theme 1: Introduction to markets and market failure
- The nature of economics
- How markets work
- Market failure
- Government Intervention
Theme 2: The UK economy, performance and policies
- Measures of economic performance
- Aggregate Demand
- Aggregate Supply
- National income
- Economic growth
- Macroeconomic objectives and policies
Year 13
Theme 3: Business behaviour and the labour market
- Business growth
- Business objectives
- Revenue, costs and profits
- Market structure
- The labour market
- Government intervention in product markets
Theme 4: A global perspective
- International Economics
- Poverty and inequality
- Emerging and developing economies
- The financial sector
- The role of state in the macroeconomy
| PAPER 1Markets and business behaviour | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CONTENT |
Themes 1 and 3 |
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WEIGHT |
35% (100 Marks) |
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LENGTH |
2 Hours |
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Section A comprises a range of multiple-choice and short-answer questions. (25 marks)
Section B comprises one data response question broken down into a number of parts. (50 marks)
Section C comprises a choice of extended open-response questions; students select one from a choice of two. (25 marks)
| PAPER 2The national and global economy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CONTENT |
Themes 2 and 4 |
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WEIGHT |
35% (100 Marks) |
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LENGTH |
2 Hours |
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Section A comprises a range of multiple-choice and short-answer questions. (25 marks)
Section B comprises one data response question broken down into a number of parts. (50 marks)
Section C comprises a choice of extended open-response questions; students select one from a choice of two. (25 marks)
| PAPER 3Microeconomics and macroeconomics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CONTENT |
Themes 1, 2, 3 and 4 |
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WEIGHT |
30% (100 Marks) |
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LENGTH |
2 Hours |
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The paper comprises two sections.
Each section comprises one data response question broken down into a number of parts, including a choice of extended open-response questions;
students select one from a choice of two. (50 marks per section)
