News release
- Partnership to offer teacher training programme to increase access to economics in state schools.
- Launch coincides with new research showing how participation in economics at school and university is highly uneven with big variations by gender, region, socio-economic background and ethnicity.
A new partnership, launched at The University of Manchester today, will see existing teachers offered training to deliver A Level economics alongside their core subject.
The three-year programme, which will be piloted in North-West England before eventually being rolled-out across the UK, aims to make the subject more accessible to students from a wider range of backgrounds.
The training will be made available at no cost to the teachers or schools.
Economics is currently offered as an A Level subject at just over half of non-selective state schools in England, compared with 90% of selective schools and 82% of independent schools.
This partly reflects a shortage of qualified economics teachers – made worse by very low levels of new teachers choosing to specialise in the subject.
The launch comes as new research commissioned by the Bank of England and carried out by FFT Education Datalab revealed that:
- Economics has become increasingly popular at A Level and undergraduate level over the last decade.
- There are stark regional differences in participation with students in London more than twice as likely to study economics than those in North-West England.
- Students from disadvantaged backgrounds are far less likely to take economics at school or university than their peers.
- Around 70% of those studying economics at school and undergraduate level are male.
Clare Lombardelli, Deputy Governor for Monetary Policy at the Bank of England, spoke at the launch of the research, at The University of Manchester. She talked about her own experience growing up in nearby Stockport where she studied economics A Level at a local sixth form college. She said:
“Economics is an increasingly popular subject. But it is not available to enough young people across a range of backgrounds.“
“An economics qualification can be a gateway for young people to a highly rewarding career – both intellectually and professionally. It also gives people a better understanding of how money works – which is a vital life skill that can benefit all of us.
“We are delighted to be working with The University of Manchester on this teacher training programme so economics can tap into a broader range of talent and more people can benefit from the opportunities that come from studying economics.”
Professor Fiona Devine, Vice President and Dean of the Faculty of Humanities at The University of Manchester, said:
“The teaching, research and development of economics has a long history at The University of Manchester. Our commitment to equity and diversity across our work is paramount, and this initiative, building on the research from FFT Education Datalab, highlights that we still have much to do. We’re extremely proud to work alongside the Bank of England in producing more teachers of economics.”
Professor Angela Davies, University Academic Lead for Lifelong Learning, Flexible Learning Programme at The University of Manchester, said:
“At The University of Manchester, we are passionate about creating flexible, lifelong learning opportunities to help individuals, organisations and sectors adapt to an ever-changing world. This collaboration with the Bank of England offers flexible professional learning to bridge the gap in teaching economics. Our first cohort of teachers starts in September with plans to roll the programme out across the UK in the coming years.”
Gareth Taylor, Head of Professional Development at the Economics, Business and Enterprise Association, which represents economics teachers, said:
“There is clear evidence that a shortage and unequal spread of teachers with the knowledge and skills to teach economics is impacting the life chances of young people. This much-needed new programme will enable more schools and colleges to offer economics and is an exciting and very welcome development.”
The full report is available to download.
Teachers interested in signing up to the programme are asked to complete an Expression of Interest Form.
Notes to editors
- The research was carried out by FFT Education Datalab on behalf of the
Bank of England. It examined the number and rate of students achieving qualifications in economics at each of Key Stage 4 (GCSEs), Key Stage 5 (A Levels) and first-degree level between 2011/12 and 2022/23. Qualification rates were analysed by a range of student and school / centre characteristics. - The research used National Pupil Database (NPD) and Higher Education Statistics Authority (HESA) data. Included in the analysis were around 7.2 million Key Stage 4 records, 3.4 million Key Stage 5, and 2.3 million first degrees (a subset of which were students studying economics).
- Between 2012 and 2023, the number of entries to A Level Economics increased from 23,267 to 37,251; an increase of 60%. It has risen from being the 12th most popular choice of A Level in 2012 to the 8th most popular in 2023. The proportion of degree students who took economics has risen from 2.9% in 2011/12 to 4% in 2022/23.
- Economics and business achieved just 15% of their target numbers for teacher recruitment in 2024/25, compared with an average of 62% across all subjects.
- The teacher training programme will launch in autumn 2025 and run for one academic year. The first year it will only be open to applicants from qualified teachers working in state-funded schools in North-West England. There will be 25 places available. The cohort will be expanded to 50 places in year two, with applications also open to teachers working in state schools in Yorkshire and North-East England. In year three there will be 100 places available with applications open to any teacher working in a UK state school.
- The programme is being jointly funded by the Bank of England and The University of Manchester.