Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Do students need any prior experience in economics to be able to take this course?
A. No. However, students should have an interest in the world around them and be concerned about how individuals and society can make the best use of limited resources.
Students taking this course should be able to communicate ideas in writing, make basic mathematical calculations and handle data presented in charts, tables and graphs.
Q. Are there different tiers of assessment in Economics?
A. No. All students sit the same examinations. Differentiation is by outcome. A variety of assessment tasks and questions are provided to make the papers accessible to candidates of all abilities.
Q. Why is the case study for Paper 1 released to candidates five months before the examination?
A. This is to enable teachers and students to explore real world economic issues in depth. It allows the examination to make use of a wider variety of source material than could be used in an unseen paper.
Q. Are students assessed on the quality of their written communication?
A. Yes. In GCSE Economics students must show their quality of written communication. In particular, they must:
- make sure that text is legible and that spelling, punctuation and grammar are correct so that meaning is clear;
- select and use a form and style of writing appropriate to their purpose and to complex subject matter; and
- organise information clearly and coherently, using specialist vocabulary where appropriate.
Examiners assess the quality of candidates’ written communication in their responses to questions or tasks that require extended writing. They assess the quality of written communication within all the specification’s assessment objectives and both examination papers.
Q. What grades can students achieve through studying this qualification?
A. We award GCSE qualifications on an eight grade scale from A*–G, with A* being the highest. If candidates get below a grade G, we report their results as unclassified (U).
Q. What further learning opportunities and career choices are there for economics students?
A. Economics gives students access to a wide range of further learning opportunities and career choices. Economics is an excellent choice of subject to work alongside other social sciences and the humanities, foreign languages, mathematics and sciences, and with vocational subjects such as engineering, manufacturing and business.
A qualification in economics can open up career choices in business, finance, government services and professions such as teaching and the law.
