April 2026 Business update
Wed Apr 08 13:45:00 UTC 2026
Read more
Welcome to this April update!
If you teach GCSE, we invite you to provide us with some feedback on our textbook. There is still time to order revision resources should you have students who might need them. We have a new summer term event intended for new teachers or for teachers new to our GCSE qualification. We also have revision resources for A level as well as two more after-school events before the summer.
I hope that you are enjoying, or have enjoyed, the Easter break.
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| 29 April | A level Business network event |
| 23 June | GCSE Business network event |
| 1 July | A level Business network event |
| 13 August | Results Day for A levels and IAL |
| 20 August | Results Day for International GCSE |
We know the ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to affect students, families and centres in very real ways.
These page brings together the latest guidance and support available for students whose learning and assessments have been disrupted, with any new updates added here as the situation continues to evolve.
Supporting you through ongoing change
We recognise that the release of the Curriculum and Assessment Review (CAR), along with the Post‑16 Education and Skills White Paper and the introduction of V Levels, has created a period of change and uncertainty for schools and colleges. At times like these, our focus is on supporting you in a way that feels clear, manageable, and respectful of workload.
In this context, learners beginning the course in September 2026 will continue to follow the current established specification. We believe that maintaining stability is the most helpful option for schools and colleges while the wider landscape continues to evolve.
However, we remain attentive to developments in business and will consider minor amendments to ensure that the specification continues to be relevant, stays up to date and supports confident teaching and meaningful learning..
Confidence in a qualification that continues to deliver
With Pearson’s long‑standing commitment to quality and consistency, you can feel confident that you are offering a relevant, reliable qualification that continues to meet the needs of learners, schools and colleges.
We value your feedback
We will continue to review the qualification and consider feedback from educators and students to identify opportunities for improvement, as part of our ongoing commitment to continuous enhancement. If you would like to share any feedback or discuss your needs, please contact me via teachingbusiness@pearson.com.
We know assessment can sometimes raise more questions than answers. Our Demystifying Assessment work is shaped by what you want to understand – from how grade boundaries are set, to what happens to an exam paper once it leaves the exam hall.
We’d really like to hear your questions so we can focus our support on the areas that matter most to you.
We know many of our centres and students use the UCAS application service, when applying to Higher Education in the UK. We wanted to let you know that UCAS are currently consulting on the operation of the UCAS undergraduate admissions cycle, including:
- the number of initial choices a student can make
- the firm and insurance choice
- application deadlines, including the early (October) deadline and January Equal Consideration Date.
This is an opportunity for you to have your say. You can find out further details about the consultation and respond on the UCAS website. The deadline to respond is 18:00 (UK time) on 22 April 2026.
UCAS admissions consultation: dates, deadlines, and choices | UCAS
| GCSE Business |
|---|
| Delivery support |
| Assessment support |
Delivery support focuses on free support materials, networking and both free and paid-for resources. There are links to Pearson, Hodder and other publishers.
| International GCSE Business |
|---|
| Delivery support |
| Assessment support |
Assessment support focuses on assessment news and tools, support in understanding the command verbs, and information about grade boundaries and statistics.
What do you value most in a student book? Now is your chance to say! Pearson are doing some research into the resources you use for Edexcel GCSE Business, so that we can give you and your students the best support.
It would be a great help if you take 5-6 minutes to answer the questions in this survey. A link to the survey is below. Many thanks in advance!
These revision resources for Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) Business are designed for independent study or classroom use.
We are recruiting examiners for our Business qualifications and would invite you to join one of our examining teams.
The marking period is between May - July. The training required to mark as an examiner will take place between May and June.
Are you an ECT?
For GCSE Business, following a season of targeted support, we’re now offering a session for teachers who are new to delivering the Pearson Edexcel GCSE specification. This session will give you the opportunity to familiarise yourself with the structure of the specification and the examination papers. Please feel free to share the details with any colleagues who may find this session useful.
GCSE Business
After each event, a zipped file is uploaded to the qualification page. The zipped file includes the materials used in the event and a link to the recording.
| GCSE Business | |
|---|---|
| 23 June 16.00-17.00 |
New to Edexcel GCSE Business |
The GCSE Business You Tube Channel includes recordings of events from previous years.
A recording of the recent March meeting on 2- and 3- Mark questions:
GCSE Case studies from the FT
| Case study | Theme 1 | Theme 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 43 | Greggs | 1.1.1 The dynamic nature of business 1.2.1 Customer needs 1.2.4 The competitive environment 1.3.1 Business aims and objectives 1.4.3 The marketing mix |
2.1.1 Business growth 2.2.1 Product 2.2.3 Promotion 2.2.5 Using the marketing mix to make business decisions 2.4.2 Understanding business performance |
| 44 | Milk | 1.1.1 The dynamic nature of business 1.2.1 Customer needs 1.2.3 Market segmentation 1.2.4 The competitive environment |
2.2.1 Product 2.2.5 Using the marketing mix to make business decisions |
| 45 | Next | 1.1.1 The dynamic nature of business 1.1.3 The role of business enterprise 1.2.3 Market segmentation 1.4.3 The marketing mix |
2.2.1 Product 2.2.5 Using the marketing mix to make business decisions 2.3.3 Managing quality |
| 46 | Asda | 1.1.3 The role of business enterprise 1.2.4 The competitive environment 1.3.1 Business aims and objectives 1.5.1 Business stakeholders |
2.5.1 Organisational structures 2.5.2 Effective recruitment 2.5.3 Effective training and development |
| 47 | Disney | 1.1.2 Risk and reward |
2.4.2 Understanding business performance |
| 48 | Minecraft | 1.2.3 Market segmentation 1.4.2 Business location 1.5.2 Technology and business |
2.1.1 Business growth 2.1.2 Changes in business aims and objectives 2.1.3 Business and globalisation |
| 49 | Jo Malone | 1.2.3 Market segmentation 1.2.4 The competitive environment 1.4.2 Business location 1.4.3 The marketing mix |
2.1.1 Business growth 2.2.4 Place |
| 50 | Aviva takes over Direct Line | 1.1.2 Risk and reward | 2.1.1 Business growth 2.5.1 Organisational structures 2.5.4 Motivation |
| 51 | Talk Talk | 1.3.3 Cash and cash-flow | 2.3.2 Working with suppliers 2.4.2 Understanding business performance |
| 52 | Kingsmill | 1.2.1 Customer needs 1.2.3 Market segmentation |
2.1.1 Business growth 2.1.2 Changes in business aims and objectives 2.2.1 Product |
The FT case studies are appropriate for both GCSE and International GCSE. The mapping in the table (and in the case studies themselves) is to the GCSE specification.
International GCSE Business teachers may find it useful to observe that GCSE Theme 1 looks at small businesses (the focus of Paper 1 on the International GCSE), and that GCSE Theme 2 looks at larger businesses (the focus of Paper 2 on the International GCSE).
This month, we have two new case studies.
Since 2024
Our onscreen assessments are the same as the paper-based assessments. The questions are the same and the exams are taken at the same time - the only difference is the format.
Students take their assessments at a centre, under exam conditions, working on devices.
Get to know the platform
Sample Assessment Materials (SAMs) for subjects that we currently deliver onscreen are available for you, your teachers, your students and their parents/guardians/carers to look at within our Sandbox environment.
It gives the opportunity to experience the platform and the functionalities available*.
To set up an account:
- go to the Sandbox environment
- click on ‘Don’t have an account’
- enter your email address as your UserID
- wait for an automatic email to confirm your email address
- proceed to log in.
*Any responses submitted within the Sandbox are not saved.
The onscreen toolkit
1. Booking App
https://booking.mod.pearson.com
This is where you can:
- assign familiarisation material
- manage invigilator accounts
- access submitted student scripts.
For an account to access and assign materials, please complete the form below:
2. Invigilator App
https://invigilate.mod.pearson.com
This is where you can:
- view invigilation sessions
- monitor student connectivity
- track progress through familiarisation material, mock assessments and live exams
You can view our video about navigating and using the Invigilator App by using the link below:
3. Assessment Player
https://assessment.mod.pearson.com
This is where students can:
- access all assigned assessments
- view current, upcoming and completed assessments
There is a guided tour video that demonstrates how students interact with the onscreen platform and you can also view support videos for specific tools available.
Our ‘Ask us Anything’ webinar is still available to view and includes hearing from some of our schools who were among the first to deliver our International GCSE English onscreen assessments. At a time stamp of approx. 26mins you can see how the Invigilator App and the Assessment Player interact during a live assessment.
Technology Set Up
The assessment player is compatible with multiple browsers and operating systems on both centre-owned and candidate-owned Windows and MAC devices. Only centre-owned Chromebooks are supported currently.
Devices must be capable of receiving and installing the latest software updates to ensure they remain supported and secure. You can find full technical guidance on our website.
New familiarisation materials now available
We're pleased to share that additional onscreen assessments have been added to the familiarisation library of our onscreen platform. These resources are freely available and ready for centres to use with learners.
Familiarisation materials are digitised versions of past papers designed to support both teachers and students in gaining confidence with the format, layout and features of our onscreen platform ahead of their high stakes assessments.
They can be assigned directly through the platform’s Booking App. If you need any help assigning assessments to your students or getting started with the onscreen platform, our Onscreen Assessment Team is here to support you – just email internationalonscreen@pearson.com.
The familiarisation material currently available is given below:
| Paper titles | Available Assessments |
|---|---|
Paper 1: Investigating small businesses Paper 2: Investigating large businesses |
November 2025 (Standard only) Summer 2025 (Standard & Regional) Summer 2024 (Standard & Regional) Summer 2023 (Regional only) Summer 2022 (Standard & Regional) |
TexttoSpeech (TTS) Functionality
We are pleased to confirm that within the onscreen platform, the text-to-speech tool will be available as an access arrangement for eligible students in selected assessments during the May/June 2026 series.
If you would like more information on this feature, please contact us at internationalonscreen@pearson.com.
There are two Facebook groups, one for each qualification. They are private groups and applicants are checked to confirm that they have an Edexcel Online account.
The GCSE group has over 3,000 members. The International GCSE group is much smaller.
There is also a Pearson Edexcel Facebook page designed to help and support you with the teaching and delivery of our UK qualifications. You can find the latest news, updates and information about our support services across subjects. From our own news to updates from Ofqual and JCQ, follow us on @PearsonEdexcel on Facebook to stay up to date.
GCSE Business Summer 2026 timetable
International GCSE Business Summer 2026 timetable
International GCSE Business November 2026 timetable
Summer 2027 Provisional Timetable - GCSE Business
Summer 2027 Provisional Timetable - International GCSE Business
After a successful trial in summer 2025, Year 11 students in England will be able to view their GCSE results on their phones for the first time from results day 2026.
The new app will allow students to view their results and store a digital record of those results for future use, such as when applying for jobs or further education, without the need to find a paper certificate that can easily get lost.
Schools are being encouraged to sign up so pupils can download and set up the app before the summer results day.
| A level Business |
|---|
| Delivery support |
| Assessment support |
Delivery support focuses on free support materials, networking and both free and paid-for resources. There are links to Pearson, Hodder and other publishers.
| IAL Business |
|---|
| Delivery support |
| Assessment support |
Assessment support focuses on assessment news and tools, support in understanding the command verbs, and information about grade boundaries and statistics.
Designed for hassle-free, independent study and priced to meet both your and your students' budgets, this combined Revision Guide and Workbook is the smart choice for those revising for Edexcel AS/A level Business and includes: test test test
- A FREE online edition
- One-topic-per-page format
- 'Now Try This' practice questions on topic pages
- Exam skills pages including Worked examples with exemplar answers
- Exam-style practice pages with practice questions in the style of the exams
- Guided support and hints providing additional scaffolding, to help avoid common pitfalls.
We are recruiting examiners for our Business qualifications and would invite you to join one of our examining teams.
The marking period is between May - July. The training required to mark as an examiner will take place between May and June.
Apply to be an examiner for A level Business
Apply to be an examiner for IAL Business
Are you internationally based?
We are currently looking to expand our Examining workforce ahead of our assessment activities. We are seeking applicants to mark our International GCSE and International A Level qualifications in Business.
Apply to be an internationally based examiner
This summer term, we’re offering two live CPD events for A Level Business designed to support teachers at different stages of their journey with Pearson Edexcel. One session will focus on developing a clear understanding of the ‘Evaluate’ command word, helping teachers support students in responding effectively to extended questions, while the other provides a helpful introduction for those new to delivering the Pearson Edexcel A Level Business qualification.
| A Level Business | |
|---|---|
| 29 April 16.00-17.00 | Understanding the 'Evaluate' Command Word |
| 1 July 16.00-17.00 | New to Edexcel A level Business |
A level Business
After each event, a zipped file is uploaded to the qualification page. The zipped file includes the materials used in the event and a link to the recording.
The A level Business You Tube Channel includes recordings of events from previous years.
A new case study (number 57) has been added to the 2025-2026 collection.
| Number | Title | Specification references | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 52 | Apple | 1.2.3 Markets 1.2.4 Price elasticity of demand 1.1.2 Market research 1.3.3 Pricing strategies |
|
| 53 | On the beach | 2.2.1 Sales forecasting 2.2.2 Sales, revenue and costs 2.5.3 The competitive environment 3.1.2 SWOT analysis |
|
| 54 | Strava | 1.2.1 Demand 2.1.2 External finance 2.5.3 The competitive environment 3.2.3 Organic growth |
|
| 55 | IKEA | 4.1.4 Protectionism 4.2.3 Assessment of a country as a production location 4.3.3 Cultural/social factors |
|
| 56 | Apple | 1.1.2 Market research 3.6.1 Cause and effects of change 3.6.3 Scenario planning |
|
| 57 | Nestle | 1.4.1 Approaches to staffing 1.4.3 Organisational design 3.1.3 SWOT analysis 3.4.2 Corporate culture |
There are two Facebook groups, one for each qualification. They are private groups and applicants are checked to confirm that they have an Edexcel Online account.
The A level group has over 2,000 members. The IAL group is much smaller.
There is also a Pearson Edexcel Facebook page designed to help and support you with the teaching and delivery of our UK qualifications. You can find the latest news, updates and information about our support services across subjects. From our own news to updates from Ofqual and JCQ, follow us on @PearsonEdexcel on Facebook to stay up to date.
An A level Business teacher has created aTikTok account for his students which he has shared here.
A level Business: Summer 2026 Timetable
IAL Business Summer 2026 Timetable
IAL Business October 2026 Timetable
IAL Business January 2027 provisional timetable
Please note that this is a provisional timetable. Any feedback on provisional timetables should be sent to timetables@pearson.com.
Summer 2027 Provisional Timetable - GCE Business
Summer 2027 Provisional Timetable - IAL Business
Any feedback on these provisional timetables should be sent to timetables@pearson.com.
Pearson has partnered with the UCL Centre for Research in Autism and Education (CRAE), to look at how neurotypical and neurodivergent (e.g. those who are autistic/have ADHD) students answer GCSE exam questions.
Read the project overview for further information
We hope this will allow us to make our exams more accessible for all students.
We would be very grateful if centres would consider taking part in the next phase of this very important project.
Now that the final report of the Curriculum and Assessment Review and the timelines have been published, we are now considering the implications for GCSE and A level Business. We will keep you informed of any further developments.
See the timeline (on page 52)
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Financial Education has published a new report.
The report highlights persistent gaps in provision across the UK that need further attention and calls for a Financial Education Youth Guarantee; including financial education at every stage of learning; Financial Education Champions in every school; and a national financial education resource hub.
The report also highlights examples of positive practice and recent developments that could be scaled up, as well as specific recommendations to improve financial education.
You can access the full report, and executive summary, on the APPG’s webpage:
This is a recorded session which focuses on best practice when using ResultsPlus, alongside ExamWizard to analyse your students’ examination results, and improve your in-house approach to teaching the topics your students find challenging.
The Professional Development Academy summarises the training that is available to you.
Subject advisor
Colin Leith
Business
Email :
Phone :
+44 (0) 344 463 2535
(Teaching Services team | Mon-Fri, 9am - 5pm GMT)
