AS and A-level Business: specification redevelopment

We’re excited to announce our proposals for further changes to our AS and A-level Business specification for first teaching from September 2025. This follows on from the updates we shared earlier this year.

What’s changing?

The current specification has been around for some time – written in 2013, for first teaching in 2015. A lot has changed in the business world since then and we believe that Business qualifications should get students ready for the world that will exist when they enter the workplace. While the vast majority of the core content will still be familiar in line with the Department for Education (DfE) required content, we’re proposing new topics which are impacting modern businesses today, for example, the impact of business on the environment, business ethics, technology and modern workplace practices.

We’re also aiming to improve accessibility for all students, with fewer different question types, simplified command words and the same structure across all three papers. The new streamlined question types will drive skills such as problem solving, decision-making and critical analysis. We think all questions should be asked within business context so papers are relevant and engaging for your students and, importantly, reflect the real-world.

We’ve reorganised the specification to better support your teaching and learning, providing more manageable subject content with a clearer and more intuitive structure helping you plan your teaching more easily. This new proposed structure also allows us to move from three synoptic papers to assessing specific topics on specific papers, making it easier for you to prepare your students for their exams.

The proposed changes are for first teaching in September 2025, with first AS exams in summer 2026 and A-level exams in summer 2027.

Have your say

We want to involve as many of you as possible in shaping our proposals to Ofqual. In January 2024, we’ll be hosting feedback sessions across the UK, giving you a chance to have your say on our proposed draft specification and sample assessments for A-level Business. There will also be the opportunity to share your views on our support and resources.

You can register for these sessions now. You can find all the details and locations and how to book on our professional development pages. If you can’t attend a feedback session, don’t worry, you can register to receive latest updates.

What happens next?

We’re planning to submit our new draft AS and A-level Business specification and assessment materials to Ofqual in February 2024, and when accredited, the new specification and materials will be made available to help you prepare for first teaching in September 2025.

We’ll be back in touch during the spring term 2024 with more information on the proposals and timeline to implement these updates to our AS and A-level Business.

In the meantime, if you have any further questions please get in touch with us at business-studies@aqa.org.uk or call us 01483 477 863.