The Economics Department re-opened in 2007 and has grown rapidly ever since. The Department aims to promote both an understanding of economic principles and an interest in their relevance to all spheres of life and the global economy. The turbulent economic conditions of the past three years means that the study of Economics is more relevant than ever and it is the intention of the Department to help the students understand the causes and consequences of current events and policies and to ensure that they have the necessary analytical and evaluative skills to question the decisions taken by politicians and business leaders.
 
Economics is available to students in the Lower and Upper Sixth Forms, who follow the OCR A-level syllabus.

William Clayton MA: Head of Economics

Mr Clayton joined Merchiston in 2007, having studied at Edinburgh University. His interests are football, cricket, golf and debating.

Kate Pettifer MA

Miss Pettifer joined the Department in 2011. She studied at the University of Edinburgh and is currently studying part time for a PhD at the University of Warwick. She taught previously at Queen Elizabeth's School in Dorset. Her interests are sailing, snowboarding and art history.

The Economics Department moves into new purpose-built rooms in Evans in 2011. As well as creating an Economics centre within the school, the location allows the Department to share resources and ideas with the Geography Department.

VI Form only: Students follow the OCR A-Level syllabus and develop an understanding of both micro and macroeconomic principles in the first year before applying and developing that knowledge to the economics of work and leisure and the global economy in the second year of study.  The syllabus provides a coherent combination of microeconomic and macroeconomic content, drawing on local, national and international contexts and requires the students to contemplate their value and limitations in explaining real-world phenomena.

Students must learn how to interpret and manipulate data; analyse and evaluate a source; use diagrams to illustrate and explain their arguments and write extended discursive essays.

The Economics department provides numerous opportunities for particularly talented or motivated students to challenge themselves outwith the confines of the curriculum.

The department runs the Merchiston Business Team Challenge for the whole of the 5th form for three days in the Autumn term. Teams of 6 students have to make a Dragon's Den style pitch to a team of judges in which they have to explain why their business plan is worthy of investment.

The Bank of England's Target 2.0 competition challenges a team of 4 students to take on the role of the Monetary Policy Committee and create a 15 minute presentation in which they have to set an appropriate base interest rate to achieve the Government's inflation target and justify their decision to a panel of BoE agents. In 2008 Merchiston came in the top 12 nationally. Over 200 schools entered the competition.

The Royal Economic Society's essay competition seeks to find the best young Economist in the UK. In 2009 Anh Nguyen was placed on the 12 person shortlist to win and Alex Yau came in the top 50 out of over 500 entrants.

The Institute of Economic Affairs deemed an essay by a Merchiston pupil on the role of unions to be the third best submitted in 2008 from the whole of the UK.