Business Studies (Key Stage 4)
Students may follow the GCSE in Business Studies or the BTEC Level 2 Award in Business and Enterprise.
GCSE Business Studies
Business encourages students to gain an understanding of how small businesses and larger corporations are managed and how decisions are made based on numerous factors such as competition, target markets and the economy.
Students are exposed to a number of real-life case studies where we explore and use our business minds to examine widely known companies and what lies behind their longevity.
Students will develop the following skills:
● Accounting & Finance Management Skills;
● Practical skills – time management, personal organisation and action planning;
● Presentational skills – presenting and addressing audiences using a variety of media and form;
● Interpersonal skills – communication with successful businesses and business-style team work;
● Cognitive skills – the ability to be reflective and critically review work of their own and that of their peers.
| Unit 1 – Year 10 | Unit 3 – Year 11 |
| Spotting a business opportunity Showing enterprise Putting a business idea into practice Making the start-up effective Understanding the economic context | Marketing Meeting customer needs Effective financial management Effective people management The wider world affecting business |
| How will I be assessed? | Unit 1 – Multiple Choice Paper (45 minutes) Unit 2 – Controlled Assessment Investigation Unit 3 – Written Paper (90 minutes) |
BTEC Level 2 Award in Business and Enterprise
The BTEC course encourages students to gain an understanding of how businesses are managed in a vocational way. The BTEC in Business introduces the world of business. The course covers topics such as business organisation, marketing, enterprise and finance.
The Level 2 Award involves internally assessed units worth 75% of the final grade and an online financial management examination, worth 25%.
Students will complete three internally assessed units and will complete assignments using various forms of ICT software. Each assignment will be based on a real-life business scenario.
| Core Units | Optional Units |
| Unit 1 – Enterprise in a business world (Internally Assessed) External Factors that affect a business. Business planning – create your own business. Unit 2 – Finance (Externally Assessed – Online Examination) Calculating revenue, costs and profit. Financial planning and budgeting and financial performance. | A choice of 2 from the following: Unit 3- Branding What is a brand? Marketing principles and marketing mix; promotional mix; create your own brand presentation. Unit 8 – Recruitment How functional areas work in a business; different job roles; creating a job spec; CVs, application forms; creating a career development plan. Unit 5 – Personal selling and understanding customer needs including preparing and demonstrating selling skills. |
| How will I be assessed? | 100% coursework achieving a L1, L2, Merit or Distinction. |