Economics

General aims:

Through the study of AS and A Level Economics you will gain a full appreciation as to how the real economy operates.  This knowledge can remain with you throughout your adult life so that you can apply it in interpreting the daily news of the economic, political and business world.

A qualification in Economics will provide suitable foundation for study of the subject or related subjects (such as law, politics and philosophy) in further and higher education.  You will also have gained practical experience of the business world that will support employment applications for a range of careers including accountancy, banking, law and administration.

The Department is delighted to launch the Economics Society, an initiative of Year 13 Economist Olivia Ridley. The Economics Society will meet on a fortnightly basis and will provide current Economics students and girls interested in current affairs from Year 10 upwards, with a forum for discussing relevant articles and interesting economic books and to listen to visiting Economists.

The Economics Society's first speaker, Richard Thorn, a celebrated Economics Lecturer in the USA, returned to Channing to share his ideas on 'Women's position in society and how with greater equality it could solve the fundamental issues challenging the world economics'. This was a wonderful opportunity for girls to experience a different side of Economics outside of the classroom.

AS Economics

Areas covered:

• Demand, supply and prices.
• How businesses behave.
• Market failure and the role of government.
• Macroeconomics: Unemployment, inflation.
• GDP and the balance of payments.
• Government policy.

Issues to consider:

• Why is it more expensive to eat out in London compared to Los Angeles?
• Are businesses motivated by profit?
• Should smokers be treated by the NHS? Who should care for the
  elderly?
• What causes unemployment? Is inflation a problem?
• What does the UK export?
• Darling or Osborne? Who do you trust to run the economy?

A2 Economics

Areas covered:

• Economics of work & leisure
• Explaining pay differentials
• Leisure markets: TV, package holidays, airlines and spectator sports
• Developing economies
• UK economy and European issues

Issues to consider:

• Should nurses be paid more than footballers?
• Should we have to pay a TV license? Impact of digital TV?
• What are the benefits of the ?no-frill? airlines?
• Global aid? Causes of absolute poverty. Solving world debt
• Single currency for the UK? Impact of the Social Chapter?
• Impact of an enlarged Europe?

The Sixth Form Economics trip to New York