Why are our students getting so many top Economics offers?

Many of our year 13 students had been receiving offers to study economics and business-related subjects at top Universities in the UK, here is why.

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“I had a definite impression that the numbers of economics-related offers were increasing, but I was particularly proud of the concentration of student offers to study pure economics at Russell Group universities”, said Mr. Richard Clancy, the Head of Economics at Dulwich International High School Suzhou. He attributes this success directly to the diverse team of teachers in the economics department. 

“Within the team, we have a wide range of interests and expertise. These are people that can have the right conversations with the right students, to guide them in the right way. Everyone in the department has unique specialisms. For example, at A-Level, I love microeconomics, but Mr. Syed Nadir El-Edroos prefers the macro side of things. When it comes to development, he’s the person to speak to! Students benefit from this diverse experience in the department every day. As a team, every one of our teachers always tries to use real-world examples in our teaching, focusing on brands and businesses that our students are aware of to pique their interest”.

However, Mr. Clancy thinks that the success that our economics students have found is attributable to how comfortable they feel, both in lessons and with the course in general. It’s important to note that getting an offer from Russell Group University is not a trivial thing. Russell Group universities are amongst the very best universities in the UK and rank very highly in the world.

 

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Advice for Prospective Economics Student

Mr. Clancy has plenty of advice for students thinking of studying economics or business-related subjects at university: “Start reading (in English!). Read articles about current affairs, follow the news. It doesn’t have to be complete books straightaway. There is a danger that our students try and do too much too quickly, particularly when they first join us in year 10. The first and foremost thing that a student genuinely interested in economics needs to do is to nail down their IGCSE and fully acquire the vast amount of terminology that is required. They need to practice their English writing, practice their English speaking and get involved with things like the Dulwich English Ambassadors, MUN, and the House Soapbox competitions. We consistently find that the students that do the best at IGCSE and then at A-Level are the ones that have been speaking and reading English from day one.”

Mr. Clancy also explained that asking questions is very important:

“Ask questions - in lessons, outside of lessons, of teachers, of your friends, of your parents. If they run a business, ask about their business model. What does their business success depend on? How has it been impacted by recent events? Curiosity provides a great foundation for the development of knowledge in the future. So, be curious.

How is Dulwich Different?

Mr. Clancy explained that one of the key differences about how economics is taught at our school is the truly international curriculum at IGCSE and A-Level: “The curricula we teach use examples from around the world, from developing to developed economies, from one type of economic system to another, through different ideologies, different perspectives and different models. It gives our students a real breadth of understanding of how economies are different around the world. At Dulwich, we aim to build global citizens, and Economics is a great start.”

What are your plans going forward?

Mr. Clancy explained that the Economics department is growing; he was delighted with the number of Y10s choosing to study Economics this year. He told us that Economics is on track to overtake Physics as the number one options subject at our school. 

“With that in mind, my priority is to ensure that every student taking Economics receives the same consistent experience, both curricular and co-curricular. We will continue to support and develop clubs like MUN (Model United Nations), the Dulwich Business League (a student-led CCA) and the Book Club, with the aim of encouraging more and more students to fall in love with Economics.

In addition to his role as Head of Economics, Mr. Clancy has many other strings to his bow. These include helping to prepare our students for Economics applications to Oxbridge, acting as an overseer on the Economics pathway in the Dulwich Scholars Program, taking an active role in the EiM collaboration group, and running an Economics Book Club CCA.

Mr. Clancy's Economics Book Club CCA

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During the interview, we were keen to talk to Mr. Clancy about his Economics Book Club CCA. 

This provides a great example of how the vast range of CCA’s on offer at DHSZ genuinely help students to discover their passion. We recently interviewed Vivian H., a year 13 student who has received an offer to study MORSE at the University of Warwick in the UK. Vivian attributed her choice of major directly to Mr. Clancy’s Economics Book Club CCA, which inspired her love of Economics. You can read all about this in the full article here

Mr. Clancy told us that he set up the CCA when he noticed the untapped potential in our students. They needed a place to discuss their ideas, a space to discover and explore big concepts.

“I wanted a space where our top year 13 students could come together to talk and read about economics, to give them something to think about, talk about and write about. It is a platform to help them uncover their interests and passions. The book club is a safe place where students can throw their ideas around and listen and learn from the ideas of others.”

The importance of reading cannot be overstated. It is crucial to the development of both English language and critical thinking skills; skills that our students must develop to not only get a place at a top university but to thrive when they get there.

“In the book club, we are very deliberately reading out loud, since it helps our students to develop confidence when speaking in English. I also regularly encourage our year 10s to do this as it is even more crucial for them!”

Passionate teachers spread their passion to their students. Mr. Clancy’s enthusiasm for his subject is so infectious that it’s not difficult to see how many of our students find this inspirational. We look forward to seeing how our students develop as Mr. Clancy and his team harness the power of their curiosity.

 

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