Why do we learn economics?
At its heart, the subject is about people making choices; choices that pervade every aspect of each of our lives. At Ark Acton, we want our 16–18-year-old Economics students to comprehend and explain how these choices – and on a larger scale, socioeconomic decisions – impact their lives. Economics students will leave post-16 education understanding socioeconomic responsibility and the costs associated with adhering to exclusive or prohibitive attitudes.
We want students to be able to thoroughly explore current events from a theoretical perspective and understand contemporary applications of what they study, thus allowing them to form opinions backed up by their knowledge of economic concepts. More generally, and arguably more crucially, we want students to be able to use their knowledge to make a change, either in their own lives or in the wider community.
Head of Department
Ms R Kamlah
Our approach
The aim of the Economics A Level course at Ark Acton Academy is to equip students with the knowledge, skills and understanding that will be needed for progression to undergraduate study at a UK higher education establishment; particularly (although not exclusively) in the same subject area, for example economics degrees with a focus on theory, or degrees in applied economics such as environmental economics, labour economics, public sector economics or monetary economics. Even for those students who do not opt to study (economics) at a higher education establishment, A Level Economics gives them the necessary skills for a professional life to be proud of: problem-solving, communication, numeracy, commercial awareness, analysis and decision-making, to mention a few.
We teach our students about the giants of the existing world of economic thought, and they can then build on the shoulders of these giants; and this epitomises our role as educators of Economics. We equip students to navigate a world filled with economic concepts that often leave much of the population stepping unknowingly into situations they cannot conceptually understand. Once they have mastered these fundamentals, students will progress by challenging existing economic theory and stepping into the shoes of theorists themselves.
Year 12
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
|
What is the best way of collecting economic data? |
Why do Keynesians and classical economists disagree? |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
|
Is growth always a good thing? |
How did the UK respond to the Global Financial Crisis to reduce the effect on the economy? |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| Can we pursue high growth, low inflation and low unemployment at the same time? |
What has Brexit meant for the UK? Why is China more competitive than the UK? |
Year 13
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| Is it impossible to eradicate poverty? | Should sub-Saharan Africa adopt East Asia's growth strategies? |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Are improving financial markets the key to economic growth in LEDCs? | Is austerity really necessary? |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| External exams | External exams |