December 2024 Business update
Welcome to this December 2024 update!
The A level Business 2025 pre-release material is now available. We also have network events for both GCSE and A level in December and January with the booking details below.
The upload dates for the October and November exam materials are now available as well as results days and entry deadlines in 2025.
When the end of term finally comes, I hope that you enjoy the winter break.
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| 2 December | A level Business network event |
| 10 December | GCSE Business network event |
| 13 December | Last date to use the Access To Scripts service via Script Viewer. |
| 16 January | Results day for October series (IAL) |
| 23 January | Results day for November series (International GCSE) |
| 21 February | Entry deadline for May/June exams for UK centres |
| 6 March | Results day for January series (IAL) |
| 21 March | Entry deadline for May/June exams for International qualifications |
| 14 August | A level results day |
| 21 August | GCSE results day |
| 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.
| A level 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.
The June 2025 pre-release material for A level Business is now available to download.
| GCSE Business | |
|---|---|
| 10 December | Mock Marking Live |
| 22 January | Supporting Lower Achievers |
| 26 February | Stretch and Challenge in 9- and 12-Mark Questions |
| 19 March | The Skill of Application |
| 30 April | Planning for a Two-Year Course and Developing Skills |
| A level Business | |
|---|---|
| 02 December | The Skill of Application |
| 27 January | Quantitative Skills |
| 24 February | Tackling Levels-based Questions |
| 10 March | Avoiding Common Mistakes/Pitfalls |
| 31 March | Planning a 2-year A Level Business course |
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 |
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).
The new case studies this year start with 43 and 44. These can be found alongside the case studies from the last two years.
A level case studies from recent news stories
| Case study | Theme 1 | Theme 2 | Theme 3 | Theme 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | Chinese manufacturing | 2.1.4 | 3.1.3 | ||
| 42 | IKEA | 1.1.2 | 2.5.3 | ||
| 43 | Aldi (1) | 1.5.3 | 2.2.2 | ||
| 44 | Aldi (2) | 1.1.1 | 2.3.1 |
The mapping in these case studies is for A level Business but IAL Business teachers might be interested to know that the four 'themes' in the A level Business specification correspond very closely to the four units in the IAL Business specification. The command verbs used in the questions are from A level Business so these will need adapting for IAL Business.
As well as the FT case studies available on the qualification page there are also case studies and activities from recent FT articles available in the dropbox folder.
GCSE Business
The GCSE Business Facebook group has over 3,000 members. It is a private group (for teachers only) and when you apply to join your name will be checked to confirm that you have an Edexcel Online account.
Teachers use this group to ask questions, share resources and exchange ideas.
A level Business
The A level Business Facebook group has over 2,000 members. It is a private group (for teachers only) and when you apply to join your name will be checked to confirm that you have an Edexcel Online account.
Teachers use this group to ask questions, share resources and exchange ideas.
An A level Business teacher has created aTikTok account for his students which he has shared here.
GCSE Business
A level Business
| International 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.
| 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.
The Professional Development for International qualifications page summarises the training that is available to you.
International GCSE Business
This small Facebook group has just over 40 members. Why not join and network with colleagues teaching this qualification?
IAL Business
This new Facebook group has just been launched. Why not join and network with colleagues teaching this qualification?
The Outstanding Pearson Learner Awards (OPLAs) recognise and celebrate the highest achieving learners at International GCSE and International A level.
The exam materials from the October 2024 IAL and the November 2024 International GCSE exams will be available on the following dates:
| 3 December | International GCSE question papers |
| 17 December | IAL mark schemes |
| 17 December | International GCSE mark schemes |
| 2025 | |
| 21 January | IAL examiners' reports |
| 28 January | International GCSE examiners' reports |
International GCSE Business
May 2025 timetable
November 2025 provisional timetable
Any feedback on this provisional timetable should be sent to timetables@pearson.com.
IAL Business
January 2025 exam series - timetable
May/June 2025 timetable
October 2025 timetable
January 2026 timetable
Secondary schools around the world can get free online access to the Financial Times, with articles, games and multi-media content on many topics to enrich studies and improve exam performance in business, economics, politics, geography, psychology and other topics.
The FT can help strengthen global and media literacy, and offer insights into preparation for further study and the world of work. It also has competitions, an online work experience programme and teacher selected articles with suggested questions, alongside resources developed by Pearson/Edexcel.
Details at www.ft.com/schools . A staff member can check if their school is already registered and to create student or staff accounts at www.ft.com/schoolsarefree
The Pearson Edexcel Facebook page is 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.
Multi factor authentication was rolled out to nearly a quarter of a million Pearson Portal users last year. Although it has now become a standard way of accessing our systems, it can sometimes present challenges if a smart device is lost or replaced.
You can read more information, see a quick start guide and access FAQs and troubleshooting for our authenticator app in our Pearson Portal Authenticator support article.
Based on feedback received this graphic was created to answer some common questions.
You can read more information, see a quick start guide and access FAQs and troubleshooting for our authenticator app in our Pearson Portal Authenticator support article.
There is a new support page for you to bookmark – General qualifications assessment support. Here we’ll share news information and updates from Ofqual, the Department for Education (DfE), the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) and Pearson, relating to the exams and assessments for our GCSE, AS and A level qualifications.
We’ll be updating it regularly so you know you’ve got all the latest announcements, news, support materials and updates to enable you to teach our qualifications, help your students with their assessments and post-results support, to enable them to progress.
If you teach any of our Economics or BTEC qualifications, you may wish to check out the monthly updates.
Subject advisor
Colin Leith
Business
