Course Content

Economics gives our students a thorough and rigorous understanding of the theory that underpins the workings of a modern day economy. Students study both microeconomic issues and also recent trends and developments in the UK economy, and important international dimensions of economics relevant to today’s globally interdependent world.

Study of Economics at Cheadle Hulme School provides students with an opportunity to engage in a wide range of issues relating to Economics. The course encourages students to improve understanding of key economic theories, develop reasoning and quantitative skills, and allows for significant independent research and thinking. Students will also develop the ability to assess the effectiveness of policy decisions that have influenced the UK economy over the past 10 years. Over and above this, students will be encouraged to communicate their ideas through presentations and Harkness style lessons.

The Department sets no formal entry requirements, other than those for entry into the Sixth Form. This is not an indication as to the difficulty of the course; rather the educational philosophy of the department. No prior knowledge of the subject is required.

Course Structure

100% Examination.

Paper 1: Multiple choice, short answers and data response

Written paper, 2 hours 30 minutes, 80 marks

Paper 1 consists of three sections -

• Section A: 30 compulsory multiple-choice questions on the whole syllabus content
• Section B: 4 compulsory short-answer questions
• Section C: 1 compulsory data-response question.

(If the short-answer questions are predominantly micro then the data-response question will be predominantly macro, and vice versa).

Paper 2: Essays

Written paper, 2 hours 15 minutes, 75 marks

Paper 2 consists of three essays -

• one to be chosen from three predominantly micro questions
• one from three predominantly macro questions
• one free choice from the remaining titles

Paper 3: Investigation

Written paper, 1 hour 15 minutes, 40 marks

Paper 3 is a single piece of extended writing resulting from independent thinking and learning within a supported environment. The paper will contain one essay title on each of four current issues in economics, namely:

• Transport and the environment
• China and the global economy
• The Millennium Development Goals and the Post-2015 Development Agenda
• Behavioural economics and government policy.

This list will change over time to reflect current economic issues.

Reading and Resources

As a department we have a weekly subscription to The Economist and Bloomberg magazine which students are encouraged to be aware of. The department has a well-stocked library of titles relating to Economics available for student use. In addition the following titles are recommended;

• 23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism (Ha‐Joon Chang)
• Adapt: Why Success Always Starts with Failure (Tim Harford)
• Art of Strategy (Dixit and Nalebuff) - especially good for Game Theory
• Consolations of Economics: How We Will All Benefit from the New World Order (Gerard Lyons)
• Drunkard’s Walk (Leonard Mlodinow)
• Economics:The User's Guide (Ha‐Joon Chang)
• GDP: A Brief but Affectionate History (Diane Coyle)
• Keynes – the Return of the Master (Robert Skidelsky)