October 2024 Business update
Welcome to this October 2024 update.
The key dates table below shows that training and network events are in full swing this month and next. Please see the full list under each of our four qualifications.
We are also launching a new Edexcel Facebook page which will be another source of news. I have been receiving a lot of emails about future qualification reforms and this new Facebook page may well be worth following in case anything were announced.
I hope that you will be able to enjoy the half-term break when it comes.
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| 9 October | GCSE Business: Reflections from Paper 2 |
| 14 October | A Level Business: Reflections from Paper 2 |
| 6 November | GCSE Business: Teaching Calculations and Avoiding Common Pitfalls |
| 7 November | International GCSE Business Exam Insights May/June 2024 |
| 11 November | A Level Business: Reflections from Paper 3 |
| 14 November | International A Level Business Exam Insights May/June 2024 |
| 13 December | Last date to use the Access To Scripts service via Script Viewer. |
New Edexcel Facebook page
We’re excited to announce the launch of our new Pearson Edexcel Facebook page, designed to help and support you with the teaching and delivery of our UK qualifications. We’ll be sharing 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.
For help with:
- free support and networking
- free resources
- paid-for resources from Pearson
- paid-for resources from Hodder
- other paid-for resources
For help with:
- recorded feedback training
- building your own question papers (examWizard)
- the key command verbs
- grade boundaries and statistics
GCSE Business network events - autumn term 2024
| 9 October | Reflections from Paper 2 |
| 6 November |
Teaching Calculations and Avoiding Common Pitfalls |
| 11 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 |
Case studies from the FT
The new case studies this year start with 43 and 44. These can be found alongside the case studies from the last two years.
| 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 |
May/June 2025 timetable
GCSE Key terms
It is not expected that students learn these definitions for low tariff questions, but they may prove to be helpful for higher tariff questions.
For help with:
- free support and networking
- free and paid-for resources
For help with:
- the key command verbs
- grade boundaries and statistics
Training
| 1 October | Module 1: teaching the International GCSE qualification |
| 8 October | Module 2: assessing the International GCSE qualification |
| 7 November | International GCSE Business Exam Insights May/June 2024 |
Onscreen exams rollout
International GCSE Business will have the first onscreen assessment available from 2024.
Make sure you’re signed up for the latest onscreen assessment news to find out how to register your school.
The Pearson onscreen sandbox (test environment) gives students all the practice they need to explore the platform’s functionality and build their confidence before they sit their exams onscreen.
It’s easy to register for an account: just click on Register for an account and enter your email address as your user ID.
The materials are digitised in the same platform as the mock and high-stakes onscreen exams and are a good opportunity for teachers and students to get to know the platform and functionality available.
Whilst the user experience mirrors what can be expected from the mocks and high-stakes assessments, please note that any solutions submitted through the sandbox environment by candidates will not be saved.
Modular International GCSE
International GCSE Business is in the last group of subjects to make a modular route available to learners from September 2025.
This means that we will have both a modular and a linear route to achieve this qualification for centres outside the UK.
If you are happy with the linear approach, there is no need to move to the modular route; our linear International GCSEs will continue to be offered and taken widely by learners around the world.
However, if you believe the modular route will be of benefit to your learners, this will be available from September 2025 with the first exams in May/June 2026.
November 2024 timetable
May 2025 timetable
For help with:
- free FT case studies
- free resources
- paid-for resources from Pearson
- paid-for resources from Hodder
- other paid-for resources
For help with:
- introduction to assessment
- building your own question papers (examWizard)
- the key command verbs
- grade boundaries and statistics
A level Business network events - autumn term 2024
| 14 October | Reflections from Paper 2 |
| 11 November | Reflections from Paper 3 |
| 02 December | The Skill of Application |
Case studies from recent news stories
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 both the dropbox folder and the Files section of the Facebook page.
| 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 |
May/June 2025 timetable
For help with:
- free support and networking
- free resources
- paid-for resources
For help with:
- the key command verbs
- grade boundaries and statistics
Training
| 15 October | Module 1: teaching the IAL Business qualification |
| 22 October | Module 2: assessing the IAL Business qualification |
| 14 November | International A Level Business Exam Insights May/June 2024 |
October 2024 exam series
January 2025 exam series - timetable
May/June 2025 timetable
October 2025 timetable
January 2026 provisional timetable
Onscreen exams rollout
IAL Business will have the first onscreen assessment available from 2026.
Make sure you’re signed up for the latest onscreen assessment news to find out how to register your school.
If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of a review of marking, you may wish to appeal against the decision. We will allow the head of centre (or designated member of the centre’s senior management team or examinations manager) 30 calendar days from the receipt of the outcome of the review of marking, during which an appeal may be lodged
Applications for appeals may only be accepted from a head of centre (on behalf of a candidate or a group of candidates) or private candidates.
This guide to ResultsPlus was created for Religious Studies teachers and it works across subjets.
The Outstanding Pearson Learner Awards (OPLAs) recognise and celebrate the highest achieving learners at International GCSE and International A level.
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.
App-based multi-factor authentication for all users of Edexcel Online was introduced in December, to protect your data and maintain the integrity of our assessments.
This replaced the existing web based multi-factor authentication, and became mandatory on 5 December. All users require access to a smart phone device to receive a verification code to access Edexcel Online.
Based on feedback received this graphic was created to answer some common questions.
Additional guidance on using app based MFA to access the Pearson Portal can be found in the Pearson Portal Authenticator support article.
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.
If you teach any of our Economics or BTEC qualifications, you may wish to check out the monthly updates.
Subject advisor
Colin Leith
Business
