Autumn 2026 Economics subject update
Welcome to our autumn 2026 newsletter
We hope the term has started well for everyone. This term we’ve got lots of helpful resources, updates, reminders and details of events. We hope you find them useful.
If any members of your team would like to receive subject-specific updates, they can easily sign up for AQA subject updates, so they’re always informed and part of our community.
Rebecca Crumpton
Subject Lead for Accounting, Business and Economics
Stay up to date with assessment reform
This autumn, the Department for Education (DfE) is expected to launch its subject content consultation, confirming which subjects will be included in phase 1, sharing draft proposals and inviting feedback from teachers, schools and exam boards.
There’s nothing you need to do right now. When the consultation launches, we’ll help you understand what it means for you, what’s changing in phase 1 subjects and how you can have your say.
Help shape the future of digital assessment
We’d like to hear about your experiences of digital teaching, learning and assessment through a short survey.
By sharing your experiences, you’ll help us shape the guidance, resources and support teachers need as digital assessment continues to evolve.
The survey contains 24 questions, takes around 12 minutes to complete and closes on 1 November 2026. As a thank you, participants who complete the survey can enter a prize draw for the chance to win one of four £50 gift vouchers.
Curriculum Connect sessions
Exploring Summer 2026
This online event will review the summer 2026 exam series, highlighting key performance trends, common challenges and what these may mean for teaching and curriculum planning. It’ll introduce themes that will be explored in more detail in later follow-up sessions. These follow-up sessions will include student responses with examiner commentary.
Book your place:
New teaching guides for GCSE Economics
We’ve added new GCSE Economics teaching guides, written by our Chief Examiner, to support teachers with topics that learners tend to find tricky year after year. The guides cover:
- competitive and concentrated markets
- demand and supply
- economies of scale
- consequences of inflation
- elasticity
- factors that influence the different rates of interest
- international trade and the global economy
- the role of money and financial markets.
Each guide is designed to help you strengthen students’ understanding, address common misconceptions and build confidence in applying economic concepts in exam responses.
Get more with MyAQA
myAQA gives you access to everything you need to plan, teach and assess, including our secure extranet – Centre Services. Here you’ll find essential resources, such as the latest past papers, as well as Teacher Online Standardisation (T-OLS) and much more.
Don’t have a myAQA account yet? Complete a short form to get started. Once your Exams Officer has verified your registration, then you’re ready to go.
Free CPD courses and events – Autumn 2026
For autumn 2026, we’ve developed a range of free professional development training courses to help you improve your knowledge and classroom confidence.
AS and A-level Economics (7135/7136)
- Mark scheme guidance and application Paper 1 – live online training
- Mark scheme guidance and application Paper 2 - live online training
- Mark scheme guidance and application Paper 3 - live online training
GCSE Economics (8136)
Transform your teaching through examining
Whether you're looking to enhance your CPD, gain a fresh perspective on assessment or bring new ideas and insights back to the classroom, examining can have a lasting impact on your teaching and career. By seeing real student responses from across the country and understanding how marks are gained and lost, you'll develop valuable insights that can help you prepare learners more effectively, while building your professional credibility and experience.
Apply to become an examiner today or join one of our free online taster events to discover what the role involves and hear from experienced examiners.
Exampro
Save prep time with Exampro Economics.
Our Exampro package for A-level Economics contains over 2 500 searchable AQA A-level Economics questions, mark schemes and examiner comments. Save time creating shareable documents for all types of assessments including class activities, homework tasks and topic tests.
An onscreen-enabled add-on with over 1,100 automarked MCQs is also available.
Student Advisory Group recruitment for 2026/27
Help your learners influence the future of exams
We’re looking for learners to join our Student Advisory Group for 2026/27. The group gives young people a direct opportunity to share their experiences and views on qualifications, assessments and the wider exam system. Their insights will help shape the future of the curriculum, qualifications and assessments for young people, as well as our work to offer new vocational qualifications.
If you know any learners who may be interested, please encourage them to apply – we’re looking for students who have taken AQA qualifications, though this is not essential, and they can be sitting general or vocational qualifications.
Applications open: Monday 7 September 2026
Applications close: 5.00pm on Monday 21 September 2026
Thank you for helping us raise awareness of this opportunity among your learners. For more information about the Student Advisory Group and details on how to apply, please visit our website.
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) within assessments
Read the latest JCQ guidance on the use of AI in assessments in the AI in assessments: protecting the integrity of qualifications document. The guidance explains how AI can be used appropriately in assessments and outlines the requirements for reporting suspected misuse.
Free at 3? sessions
We’re continuing with our popular Free at 3? appointments throughout the first half of the autumn term. These 20-minute sessions gave us the chance to speak with many of you last academic year, mainly about results, resources and training and we’re keen to keep those conversations going.
If there’s something you’d like to discuss, we’d love to hear from you. Book a Free@3 appointment between 3pm and 5pm every Wednesday.
Stay connected
Whatever your question, our Subject Support team is here to help.
Email: economics@aqa.org.uk
Call: 01483 477 863, Monday to Friday, 8am–5pm.