GCSE Business – AQA

The GCSE Business course has been designed to give students the opportunity to explore real life business issues and gain an understanding of how businesses operate in an increasingly complex external environment. Students are initially given a grounding in the different functional areas of business including Human Resources, Business Operations, Marketing, and Finance. As well as gaining an understanding of the work that takes place in these functional areas, many of the themes touched on the TV programme Dragons’ Den are explored. Various ingredients to business success are covered such as the importance of knowing the market in which an organisation operates in, the development of effective employee-employer working relationships and the use of modern supply chain management to meet customer demand. Another major facet of the course centres on how organisations are affected by external factors such as globalisation, competition and changes to government policies. Major recent events such as inflationary pressures and the implications of UK’s decision to leave The European Union are two recent examples of influences outside a business organisation’s immediate control that will be explored. How businesses adapt to their changing external environment is a key element of the course. Assessment is via two examination papers as shown below:

Further information on subject content can be accessed via the link below

http://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/business/specifications/AQA-8132-SP-2017.PDF

Students have 5 lessons per fortnight of GCSE Business study and complete 4 units in year 10 and 2 in year 11 as follows:

Year 10

• Unit 4: Human Resources where businesses need to attract, train and retain the best employees so it can continue to operate successfully. Topics covered include the recruitment, selection, training and motivation of employees
• Unit 3: Business Operations covering topics such as methods of production, total quality management and stock control systems
• Unit 1: Business in the Real World – topics include enterprise, types of business ownership, the aims and objectives of organisations, stakeholders and business planning
• Unit 2: Influences on Business – topics include technology, ethics and the environment, economic influences, globalisation and government legislation

Year 11

• Unit 6: Finance – topics include sources of finance, cash flow forecasting and management, break even analysis and the financial performance of a business
• Unit 5: Marketing – topics include market segmentation, methods of market research, the marketing mix and e and m commerce

GCSE Business Curriculum plan:

EDEXCEL BTEC Tech Award in Enterprise 

Students follow the Level 2 Tech Award in Enterprise course which is designed to allow them to gain an appreciation of the enterprise skills and qualities required to set up and subsequently run a real enterprise. The following units of work are covered:

• Unit 1: Exploring Enterprises (Internal Assessment – 30% of total marks awarded)
• Unit 2: Planning and Presenting a Micro Enterprise Idea (Internal Assessment – 30% of total marks awarded)  
• Unit 3: Marketing and Finance for Enterprise (External Assessment– 40% of total marks awarded)

2 out of the 3 units involve students learning about a particular aspect of enterprise activity and then completing an assignment that is externally set and then internally assessed by teachers. In addition, there is one externally set test lasting two hours that is marked by examiners. The emphasis, however, is very much centred on active learning where students develop the practical skills required to run an enterprise and the course would be an ideal grounding for any student who would like to run their own business. Depending on their progress throughout the course, a student can gain a grade ranging from a pass to a distinction.

Further information on subject content can be accessed via the link below:

https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/btec-tech-awards/enterprise-2022.html

BTEC Tech Award in Enterprise Curriculum Plan:

KS5 students have a choice of specialising in A Level Business and/or Economics to suit their area of interest.

A Level Business Studies – AQA

The Business Studies course is an exciting subject that examines the increasingly dynamic and complex environment in which organisations operate. A major focus centres on the implementation of different strategies that enable businesses to be successful in the marketplace whilst also giving an opportunity to gain a critical perspective of business behaviour through the study of topics such as corporate social responsibility and business ethics and values. Students will gain both important practical business skills used in the world of work as well theoretical knowledge, using a range of business models, theories and techniques to support analysis of current business issues. The course is very much holistic in nature, where the inter-related nature of business and strategic decision making is covered. Topics such as digital technology, globalisation and the development of new markets are covered throughout the course emphasising the increasing importance of these developments on the business world. Both small and large scale UK focused and global multinationals are studied allowing an appreciation of key issues in a number of different contexts.

Additional information on course content/specification can be accessed via the link below:

https://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/business/specifications/AQA-7131-7132-SP-2023.PDF

A Level Business Curriculum Plan:

A Level Business Assessment

A Level Economics – OCR

Economics is very much a subject for students who wish to explore real life issues. The course enables students to develop an appreciation of economic concepts & theories through a critical consideration of current issues & problems that affect everyday life. Recent examples of topics covered include:

• Will the implementation of the recent “sugar tax” be effective? What are the pros and cons of its implementation?
• Should we pay to use motorways through tolls or renationalise the railway network in order to improve UK transport provision?
• Should there be intervention to make housing more affordable to local residents in major cities such as London and UK tourist hotspots?
• Is UK inflation a short run or long run economic phenomena and what are the implications for the economy of this recent economic development?

Additional information on course content/specification can be accessed via the link below:

https://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/536455-specification-accredited-a-level-gce-economics-h460.pdf

A Level Economics Curriculum Plan:

The department has a range of extra-curricular activities on offer. Every year, KS5 Business and Economics students visit London where they have the opportunity to access organisations linked to their subject specialism.

Recent visits have included Sainsbury’s and Google headquarters as well as The Olympic Regeneration site and commercial organisations in The City of London and Canary Wharf financial districts. To support KS4 courses, students visit local business organisations. In the past students have visited The Grand Hotel & Spa in York as well as Coca Cola Enterprises in Wakefield and Clipper Logistics. We encourage new local business links and have recently worked with Blueyonder market research agency in Leeds, to further update and enliven our delivery of marketing in all our Business courses.

A large number of students across all years are given the opportunity to take part in the The London Institute of Banking and Finance Student Investor competition where small teams of students try to maximise the value of their share portfolios across a six-month time frame. Other enrichment opportunities include Economics students participating in The Royal Economics Society essay competition.