March 2025 Business update
Welcome to this March 2025 update.
This update invites you to look at our examiner vacancy pages and the chance to work with us for the May/June 2025 exam series.
We would also invite you to provide feedback on the 2026 provisional exam timetables before the 21 March deadline.
Please do also have a look at the training sections of the update. The February GCSE event has been moved to March and there are new dates for our international qualifications.
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| 6 March | Results day for January series (IAL) |
| 21 March | Entry deadline for May/June exams for International qualifications |
| 21 March | Deadline to feed back on 2026 provisional timetables |
| 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.
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?
| GCSE Business | |
|---|---|
| 5 March | 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 |
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 GCSE Business You Tube Channel includes recordings of events from previous years.
| A level Business | |
|---|---|
| 10 March | Avoiding Common Mistakes/Pitfalls |
| 31 March | Planning a 2-year A Level Business course |
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.
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 | ||
| 45 | Hilton | 1.1.2 1.1.3 1.2.4 |
3.2.3 3.6.1 |
||
| 46 | Ray-Ban Meta glasses | 1.1.2 1.3.1 1.3.3 1.3.4 |
|||
| 47 | Junk food | 1.3.2 | 2.5.2 | ||
| 48 | Vodafone-Three merger | 2.5.2 | 3.2.2 |
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
Summer 2026 Provisional Timetable
Please send any feedback to timetables@pearson.com before 21 March
A level Business
The June 2025 pre-release material for Paper 3 is now available to download.
Summer 2026 Provisional Timetable
Please send any feedback to timetables@pearson.com before 21 March
| 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.
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 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
The Outstanding Pearson Learner Awards (OPLAs) recognise and celebrate the highest achieving learners at International GCSE and International A level.
| International GCSE Business | |
|---|---|
| 4 September | Getting Ready to Teach International GCSE Business |
| 11 September | Understanding Assessment & Improving Delivery in International GCSE Business |
| IAL Business | |
|---|---|
| 18 September | Getting Ready to Teach International A Level Business |
| 25 September | Understanding Assessment & Improving Delivery in International A Level Business |
The Professional Development Academy 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?
International GCSE Business
May 2025 timetable
November 2025
Summer 2026 Provisional Timetable
Please send any feedback to timetables@pearson.com before 21 March
IAL Business
January 2025 exam series - timetable
May/June 2025 timetable
October 2025 timetable
January 2026 timetable
Summer 2026 Provisional Timetable
Please send any feedback to timetables@pearson.com before 21 March
Transform Business Teaching with Multimedia Resources from the Educational Recording Agency (ERA)
The ERA Licence provides seamless access to television and radio recordings, offering a single point of clearance for the rights needed to create and use authentic media resources in your classroom. With ERA’s free video streaming platform, licensed institutions can explore a rich library of curriculum-mapped TV and radio clips tailored to GCSE, AS, and A-level teaching.
Engage your learners with curated clips, full-length documentaries, and programmes that bring economic contexts to life. The platform also includes exclusive access to the BBC Shakespeare and Literary Archives, offering unique cross-curricular opportunities to enrich your lessons with impactful media - perfect for both homework and classroom activities.
To access this free resource registration is required - but is quick and simple. State schools in England are licensed under a central agreement with the DfE and the vast majority of independent schools also hold a current ERA Licence.
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
