Latest update for A level and GCSE Business teachers | Pearson qualifications

October 2024 Business update

Wed Sep 25 13:45:00 UTC 2024

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.

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Key dates


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.


Our four qualifications

GCSE Lion

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IG Bus

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AL Bus

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ial bus

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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


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 Bus 2025 TT

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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.

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For help with:

  • free support and networking
  • free and paid-for resources

For help with:

  • the key command verbs
  • grade boundaries and statistics
     

Training


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

IAL Bus Jan 2024 TT

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May 2025 timetable

IG Bus May 2025 TT

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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


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

AL Bus May 2025 TT

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For help with:

  • free support and networking
  • free resources
  • paid-for resources
     

For help with:

  • the key command verbs
  • grade boundaries and statistics
     

Training


October 2024 exam series

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January 2025 exam series - timetable

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May/June 2025 timetable

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October 2025 timetable

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January 2026 provisional timetable

IAL Bus January 2026 prov TT

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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.

Other information

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

Appeals guidance

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.

Privacy and cookies
By viewing this third-party content from www.youtube.com you agree to their terms and conditions, privacy notice and acknowledge they may use cookies and pixels for information and analytics gathering.

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.

MFA graphic

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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.

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