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Economics and Business Studies

Economics and Business Studies are very popular in the Upper School with over half the Sixth Form studying one or other of the subjects. An understanding of the ways in which organisations and economies work is highly valuable and the Department encourages pupils to investigate, make decisions and generally take responsibility for their studies.

This is seen as an important part of their preparation for life after school as pupils will be participating in, and be affected by, the national and global economy. Lessons are carried out in a relaxed but focused atmosphere and regularly incorporate current issues.

Head of Economics & Business Studies
Mr William Scott BSc (Hons)
Teachers
Mr Anthony Spencer BA Mr Alan O’Sullivan BSc Mrs Katherine Jeffery BSc Mrs Lisa Moyle BA Mr Nicholas Luker BA (Hons)

Resources

The Department has three classrooms on the top floor of the Coulson Centre on College Road as well as two in the new Sixth Form Centre.

The Department has an electronic library and on-line resources centre for both subjects and that will provide notes, interactive quizzes, worksheets and links to other useful sites.

Teaching

Teaching Ethos

The Department's main aim is to provide a stimulating and secure environment for learning. Relationships between staff and pupils are ones of mutual respect. Students are encouraged to develop their own ideas and opinions.

Economics

We often hear it said that there is 'no such thing as a free lunch', but do we really know why? Economics is the study of how we allocate scarce resources between all the competing wants of consumers in the world. We look at the role firms, individuals and governments play in this process. We consider how prices and markets are used as the main method of resource allocation, but also where the market fails to deliver. We aim to discover the costs and benefits of different policies aimed at dealing with these problems.

Thus, the sort of questions we may be studying in Economics include:

Why have house prices fallen and risen so sharply in the last decade?
Should the level of taxation be increased or reduced?
Why is there still unemployment even when the economy is booming?
What are the causes of recession?

Business Studies

We are surrounded by business and business information. Every day the news tells us of new products being launched, businesses starting or failing, increased levels of profit or loss, stock markets rising and falling and a range of other business change. In Business Studies we learn how decisions are made and strategies are formed.

Thus, the sort of questions we may be studying in Business Studies include:

How have businesses been affected by the 'credit crunch'?
Why do some marketing campaigns succeed where similar ones fail?
How does government policy affect businesses?
What can firms do to motivate people to work harder?
What is the most efficient way to produce a product?

GCSE Business and Economics

The Economics and Business Department has recently introduced a new GCSE which includes both subjects. It is hoped that students will be inspired by this new course which should provide a foundation for further study of both subjects at AS and A2.

Student Investor

Sixth Form students are encouraged to participate in the Student Investor challenge, in which they form teams, select a portfolio of shares, and follow their progress in the Stock Market over several months. Previous teams have been very successful!

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