GCSE Economics

[exgov]

We're in the throes of GCSE choices - I was wondering whether anyone had experience of Economics - workload, whether it's fun!

DS1 and DS2 have both done A Level Economics. That was pretty light on workload (DS1 did 1/2 hour revision for his A2 exams). Personally wouldn't encourage my DCs to do it at GCSE level if it meant dropping a more traditional subject for GCSE.

I have someone doing this (year 10). The school tried to persuade people who were perhaps not so hot at Maths not take it. They have tests every 2/3 weeks and if they score under 80% they resit in their lunch hour. a llot of revision involved. I would not say it is fun but my son is really into it at the moment.

Don't know about the GCSE only know kids doing/done the A level. Agree with lilymaid don't drop a more traditional subject eg. history/geog for it. FWIW I don't know of any 'top notch' schools offering this and I'm not sure how it is viewed by unis.
Without any detailed knowledge of the subject IMO if studied properly it is too complicated at GCSE level, so I'm not sure quite how they dumb it down.

I did Economics GCSE (having persuaded the school to offer this instead of the intended option of Business Studies, which I - and my fellow pupils - considered was not sufficiently academic).

It wasn't the best experience as our teacher left halfway through due to stress so we largely taught ourselves after that - luckily I knew someone who had done A level so all my revision was done using his revision notes. Still it worked as I got an A

it's not an uninteresting subject, the workload is probably reasonable (even when we had a teacher I don't remember getting lots of essays etc) and for me it never attracted any negative comment either at uni stage or since then.

I think it does come down to what the other options are though - mine at the time were something like IT, Chemistry, Biology (I hated science & it was bad enough having to do compulsory Physics!), and Childcare ...so for me it was really Hobson's Choice. If I had liked, or been good at science however, I would have chosen slightly differently.

DH teaches Economics, and I think I've heard him say that the GCSE isn't all that, but that A'level is good.

We know lots of successful people who have Economics A'level

Thanks a lot for all the comments. I assume you can do A level without having done the GCSE? So perhaps it's not a very sensible choice at GCSE.

You don't need GCSE Economics to do A Level and you don't even need A Level Economics to do an Economics degree - Maths A Level though is required by some universities.