October 2025 Economics update
Welcome to this October 2025 update.
This month we have two new FT case studies, which although mapped to the A level Economics A specification, could also be adapted for IAL Economics and the Economics B specification.
Towards the end of the month there are a couple of exam insight events for our international qualifications.
You may also be interested in a new report on financial education.
I hope that you enjoy the half-term break when it comes.
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| 20/21 October | Exam insights events for International GCSE Economics |
| 27/28 October | Exam insights events for IAS/IAL Economics |
| 10 November | Exam insights event for A level Economics A |
| 12 December | Last date to use the Access To Scripts service via Script Viewer. |
| A level Economics A |
|---|
| 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 Economics B |
|---|
| 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.
Free half hour talk on growth from Ian Marcouse.
- 10 minutes putting the optimists' case;
- 10 minutes on the pessimists;
- 5 minutes of supporting/relevant data and
- 5 minutes on how and when success/failure can be measured.
It won't be a debate, but you might use it to spark debate in your classroom.
Ian plans to frame it in terms of macro-economics, but please see it as accessible to Yr 12 and 13 economists.
Live sessions will take place at 10.00, 11.00 and 13.30, and, a recording will be available from 14.00 on the day.
How to take part
Email marcouse@btopenworld.com and Ian will send you the relevant access requirements.
Please only use this as a class exercise. Zoom allows 100 delegates; if students are accessing individually, that uses up a lot of places.
We have two new case studies which were uploaded in September.
| Number | Title | Specification references |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Diamonds | 1.2.3 Price, income and cross elasticities of demand 1.2.6 Price determination 1.4.1 Government intervention in markets 3.4.4 Oligopoly 3.4.7 Contestability |
| 14 | Foreign aid | 4.3.2 Factors influencing growth and development 4.3.3 Strategies influencing growth and development |
| 10 November | A Level Economics A: Exam Insights Summer 2025 |
| 3 February | A level Economics A: Tackling the 8-mark 'examine' question |
| 3 March | A Level Economics A: Tackling Paper 3 |
The A level Economics A You Tube Channel includes recordings of events from previous years.
ResultsPlus analysis for each 2025 question paper.
Please visit the delivery support pages to learn about both free and paid-for support available for our qualifications.
Summer 2026 Timetable - Economics A
Summer 2026 Timetable - Economics B
| IAL Economics |
|---|
| 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 Economics |
|---|
| 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.
November 2025 Timetable
Summer 2026 Timetable
October 2025 timetable
Results day will be Thursday 22 January 2026.
January 2026 Timetable
Summer 2026 Timetable
The APPG (All-Party Parliamentary Group) on Financial Education launched its report in September.
This review explores how financial education is integrated, supported and delivered as well as what a UK vision for financial education could look like, what is working and what needs to be improved.
The report calls for a Financial Education Youth Guarantee including financial education at every stage of learning, Financial Education Champions in every school and the establishment of 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.
The interim report was published in March with the final report due in the autumn.
Many teachers have been emailing me asking about the future of our GCSE and A level qualifications. We have had no indication as yet that reforms are in the pipeline but the final report of the Review may provide more information.
These monthly updates will keep you informed of any announcements.
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.
The Pearson Edexcel Facebook page is designed to help and support you with the teaching and delivery of our UK qualifications. We share 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.
Subject advisor
Colin Leith
Economics
