Business Studies
Rationale
Business plays a huge role in culture and general society. There were over 5.5 million businesses in the UK at the start of 2022, 99.9% of them being considered SMEs (small to medium enterprises) employing 0-249 people. 1 in 3 UK entrepreneurs are female rising year on year. Business, whilst theoretical in places, is set naturally to a vocational background. Our students therefore use vocational scenarios to transfer theory to reality in their learning, all of which is underpinned by our academic qualifications so students leave with credible qualifications and the skills to be successful within business. Ultimately, we want our students to be ready to contribute to the UK economy in a positive way. Business skills are needed to make informed decisions. It influences everything in our daily lives, along with impacting all UK and global markets. We want to inspire success and broaden the skills and understanding of every student. Our core vision is to make sure students are ready to work in the modern world with the skills they need to transfer between roles and run companies. The curriculum has a heavy emphasis on current real world scenarios, local context and encourages autonomy of topics in line with the curriculum. Students are given clear links to how theory relates to business and where that can take them in the future with our careers focus. Business allows students to use a range of cross-curricular topics and skills.
Overview
Term 1 |
Term 2 |
Term 3 |
Term 4 |
Term 5 |
Term 6 |
|
Year 9 |
Enterprise Skills and Premium Puddings project | Enterprise Skills and Premium Puddings project | Events management * potentially including a new project with Sister Circle | 3.1 Business in the real world - Nature, purpose, ownership | 3.1 Business in the real world - Aims, objectives and stakeholders | 3.1 Business in the real world - Location, business planning and expansion |
Year 10 |
3.2 Influences of business - Tech, environmental and globalisation | 3.2 Influences of business - Economy, legislation, competitive markets | 3.4 Human Resources - Structures and recruitment | 3.4 Human Resources - Motivation and training | 3.3 Business operations - Production processes, procurement | MOCK Paper 1 B1- 3.3 Business operations - Quality and customer service |
Year 11 |
3.5 Marketing - segmentation and market research | MOCK Paper 1 V2 - 3.5 Marketing - Marketing Mix | 3.6 Finance - Sources of finance, cash flow and Financial terms and calculations | 3.6 Finance - Analysis of financial performance - PAPER 2 Practice | Paper 1 and Paper 2 GCSE exam | |
Year 12 |
What is business? | Managers, leadership and decision making | Marketing management | Operational management | Financial management | Human resource management |
Year 13 |
Unit 2 marketing campaign and Unit 3 personal and business finance | Unit 2 marketing campaign and Unit 3 personal and business finance | Exam and controlled assessment at the start of term. Start to Unit 8 Recruitment and Selection | Unit 8 Recruitment and Selection | Exam and controlled assessment resits. Completing of Unit 8 Recruitment and Selection & moderation |
Key Stage 4
During year 9, we explore a range of enterprise skills and will start to introduce key business terminology. We cover topics that are not required on the curriculum, but fit in with our School’s Local Context. From Term 4, through year 10 and 11, students start with the GCSE content. The aim is for students to know and understand business concepts, business terminology, business objectives, the integrated nature of business activity and the impact of business on individuals and wider society. They will be able to apply knowledge and understanding to contemporary business issues and to different types and sizes of businesses in local, national and global contexts. Through a range of business scenarios, they will develop as critical and reflective thinkers with enquiring minds with a critical approach to make informed judgements. Drawing knowledge and skills from a range of cross-curricular subjects.
Post 16
Our sixth form provisions for business, look at creating future leaders and preparing students for the world of work in business. A popular post-18 option for our students, we continue with our holistic approach of local and every changing markets. Year 12 - From Term 1 students will be looking at what is business in local, national and gloabal contexts. The course requires students to analyse a number of case studies with replicating or including real-life business scenarios. They will investigate management theories and strategies used in successful businesses. Year 13 - This is the final year of the BTEC national certificate. Students have already completed Unit 1 coursework in Year 12 which then counts as 20% of their qualifcation. Students will be preparing for their exam and controlled assessment (unit 3 and 2) which they will take at the start of term 3. They will then take on role plays for their final Unit 8 coursework, preparing them for the process of recruitment and selection.
Extra Curricular Opportunities
Alongside our careers department, we run the national Young Enterprise company programme. This allows all students from year 9+ to form their own company, market it and potentially make their own profit. They will sell at local markets and attend local competitions through the YE scheme.
The business department has run a number of trips from Disneyland Paris to Thorpe Park, to visits to London. We are hoping to have a number of local trips for students to experience business in action. For 2024, we are looking to join forces with a charitable organisation, to work on a consultation based programme to produce a marketing campaign. We engage with higher education settings in order to give sixth form students informed aspirations.
Online Resources
Exam Boards
GCSE - AQA
BTEC (current Year 13 only) - Pearson
A-Level (current Year 12 only) - AQA