Economics and Business Studies Curriculum

As a department, we believe in:

• Holistic Understanding: Economics and business learning should extend beyond surface-level understanding to a deep and holistic comprehension at every educational stage.
• Success through Mastery and Fluency: Success is achieved through the mastery of key concepts and fluency in applying them. We prioritise providing suitable feedback and consolidation, emphasising depth over superficial coverage.
• Conceptual Understanding as Core Aim: The core aim of our curriculum is to foster a conceptual understanding of economic principles and business dynamics, ensuring students grasp the underlying theories and their practical applications.
• Foundation for Future Learning: Fundamental knowledge, skills, and understandings serve as the foundation, enabling students to access more advanced concepts and continue their learning journey in higher education and beyond.

We aim for students to:

• Embrace Challenge: Encourage students to see challenges as opportunities for learning and growth within the dynamic realms of economics and business.
• Redefine Success: Shift the perception of success from merely “getting things right” to a continuous process of becoming successful by embracing challenges, learning from mistakes, and persisting in the face of difficulties.
• Articulate Economic and Business Concepts: Enable students to articulate their understanding of economic and business concepts, explaining the relevance, implications, and practical applications of the theories they encounter.
• Value Economics and Business Studies: Instill in students a deep appreciation for the fields of economics and business studies as disciplines that contribute to understanding and navigating the complexities of the economic and business world.
• Find Joy in Creativity: Foster an environment where students take joy in exploring economic and business ideas, encouraging creativity and innovative thinking.
• Feel Supported: Ensure that every student feels supported, regardless of their starting point, emphasising that the study of economics and business is accessible and beneficial for everyone. The department is committed to providing a supportive and inclusive learning environment that caters to diverse needs and backgrounds.

Subject Design Principles:

The curriculum for Economics and Business Studies is designed around key overarching concepts that shape students’ understanding of the subject. These big ideas serve as foundational pillars, guiding the exploration of complex economic and business phenomena. The curriculum is structured to foster deep insights and critical thinking, allowing students to apply these ideas across diverse contexts.

Design Principles for A Level Economics:

• Conceptual Depth and Progression: Prioritise deep understanding, progressing from concrete to abstract representations, and interweave topics for interconnected learning.
• Mastery Focus and Interconnected Learning: Emphasise mastery, interleaving topics to reinforce connections and gradually incorporating problem-solving opportunities.
• Mixed Attainment Groupings and Differentiated Support: Use mixed attainment groups, providing support without simplifying content and offering stretch activities for depth.
• Collaborative Learning and Oracy Development: Encourage collaboration with embedded oracy skills, communicating concept development and linkage to big ideas.
• Continuous Embedded Assessment: Integrate ongoing assessment to react and build on students’ knowledge, using misconceptions as learning opportunities.
• Mathematical Literacy and Precision: Focus on developing mathematical literacy and accurate use of language in context and abstract forms.

Design Principles for GCSE and A Level Business Studies:

• Applied Conceptual Learning: Foster applied conceptual learning with real-world business examples for enhanced understanding.
• Integrated Mastery and Interdisciplinary Connections: Prioritise mastery, integrating business concepts with interdisciplinary connections for holistic understanding.
• Adaptive Groupings and Individualised Support: Use adaptive groupings, offering individualised support that focuses on comprehension.
• Collaborative Inquiry and Communication Skills: Promote collaborative inquiry, developing effective communication skills for articulating business concepts.
• Continuous Assessment Integration: Embed continuous assessment to gauge progress and adapt teaching strategies, addressing misconceptions.
• Business Literacy and Communication Precision: Stress business literacy, ensuring clear communication of concepts in practical and theoretical contexts.