A-level Economics at Kings

Overview

Economics is not simply all about numbers. It is the study of the world around us from a social, financial and cultural perspective, gaining an understanding of economic theories and interrelationships between macro and micro economic issues. You will develop your analytical, numeric, communication, problem solving skills and cultural awareness.

Key Facts

Start Dates:

9 September 2024
6 January 2025

Colleges:

Bournemouth
Brighton
London
Oxford

Entry level:

Academic: Completed 10 years of schooling (GCSE or equivalent)
English: IELTS 5.5 or equivalent

Minimum age:

Length:

2 Academic Years (3 terms)
We also offer a One-Year A-level in Economics and an entry from Year 12.

Lessons:

Average 7 hours per week for each A-level subject (plus homework and private study)

Learning outcomes

Gain UK national university entrance qualification
Raise English to university level
Develop study skills required at degree level
Develop specialist subject expertise

Course content and structure

The following syllabus outline is based on AQA exam board content. Please note that exam boards may vary from college to college.

Year 1

Economics as a social science

Positive and normative statements, plus value judgements
Demand for a product
Factors that determine the supply of a product
Relationships between markets and how this applies in the real world
Production and productivity
Economies and diseconomies of scale

The meanings and calculation of different types of costs and revenue

Market structure and differing objectives
The price mechanism
How and why market failure occurs
How and why governments intervene in markets
Objectives and indicators used to measure economic performance
How index numbers are calculated and used
The circular flow of income, injections and withdrawals
AD/AS analysis

Aggregate demand and supply

Fluctuations in economic activity and economic growth
Unemployment: meaning and causes
Inflation: meaning and causes
Conflicts between macroeconomic policy objectives
Monetary policy, its effects, and the role of the Bank of England
Fiscal policy and its effects
The meaning and effects of a variety of supply-side policies

Year 2

The possible relationships between inputs and output

Different costs and revenues, and how they can be affected by technological change
The conduct and performance of firms
Influences on the demand and supply of labour
Wage rates and levels of employment
Why income and wealth are unequally distributed

Genetics, populations, evolution and ecosystems

Inheritance
Populations
Evolution and speciation
Populations in Ecosystems

The advantages and disadvantages of the price mechanism

How and why governments intervene in markets
The uses and limitations of national income data
The multiplier and an alternative view of the AS curve
The causes and effects of economic growth and unemployment
The Quantity Theory of Money
Monetary policy
Different types of tax and government spending
The variety of supply-side measures and how they impact on the economy

The meaning and causes of globalisation

How and why countries trade
The role of the WTO
The Single European Market
The composition of the balance of payments and the significance of imbalance
The characteristics of less-developed countries

Typical A-level subject combinations with Biology

Economics, Geography and Maths
Economics, Geography and Politics

Sample enrichment activities

Business Enterprise
Bank of England visit

Coca Cola factory tour
BMW factory visit

Sample academic calendar (2021-2022)

Year 1

Sept

6th: term starts
Student induction

Oct

18th – 22nd: half term
Progress tests

Nov

University fairs and talks

Dec

10th: term ends
End of term exams

Jan

3rd: term starts

Feb

10th-11th: half term
Progress tests
University fairs

Mar

End of term exams
18th: term ends

Apr

4th: term starts

May

Progress tests

June

Exams
10th: term ends

Year 2

Sept

5th: term starts

Oct

17th – 21st: half term
15th October: UCAS deadline (Medicine)
Progress tests

Nov

University fairs and talks

Dec

9th: term ends
End of term exams

Jan

2nd: term starts
15th January: UCAS deadline (other subjects)

Feb

9th – 10th: half term
Progress tests

Mar

17th: term ends
Mock exams

Apr

3rd: term starts
Progress tests

May

Final exams

June

9th June: term ends

Degree progression

A-level Economics opens up many options for students at university, and there are many courses available with permutations of Business/Management/Administration/ Economics/Accounting and Finance.

Economics also stands up as a strong social science for students who wish to pursue this route and is ideally coupled with the human geography element and the statistics element of mathematics.

Sample alumni progression

Giorgi Abalaki

Economics/Geography/Maths
University of York (Economics)

Artur Begyan

Economics/Maths/Further Maths
University of Warwick (Economics)

Jinhao Jiang

Economics/Maths/Physics
Durham University (Accounting and Finance)

Ya Gan

Economics/Geography/Maths
LSE (Government with Economics)

Aigerim Kossymova

Economics/Maths/Further Maths
University of Warwick (Economic Studies and Global Sustainable Development)

Yueqi Li

Economics/Maths/Further Maths/Geography
UCL (Maths with Economics)

Kan Xu

Economics/Geography/Maths
UCL (Mathematics with Modern Languages)

Gaochuan Zhang

Economics/Geography/Maths
Durham University (Marketing)

Thank you for your enquiry.
We'll be in touch soon.
The Kings Admissions Team

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A-level Economics factsheet

Overview

Key Facts

Learning outcomes

Course content and structure

Year 1

Year 2

Typical A-level subject combinations with Biology

Sample enrichment activities

Sample academic calendar (2021-2022)

Year 1

Year 2

Recommended reading

Degree progression

Sample alumni progression

University Progression

Elite Preparation

Other programmes

Core Pre-university Programmes

Elite University Pathways

Specialist University Pathways

Summer Academy

Other programmes

Progression to the UK's Top Universities

Hear from our students

Progression agreements

Subject/Career Guides

Step inside Kings.Read our blog

The Kings Difference

Learning at Kings

Life at Kings

Support at Kings

A-level Economics factsheet

Overview

Key Facts

Learning outcomes

Course content and structure

Year 1

Year 2

Typical A-level subject combinations with Biology

Sample enrichment activities

Sample academic calendar (2021-2022)

Year 1

Year 2

Recommended reading

Degree progression

Sample alumni progression

Contact Us

More ways to get in touch

Enquiry form

Step inside Kings.
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