Business
Business
Head of Department: Miss Bacon
Key Stage 4
The course develops knowledge and understanding of business objectives, decisions and activities, along with affecting influences. It broadens students’ awareness of the roles and behaviours of people both within and outside business. Students apply their knowledge and understanding to a variety of business contexts and are encouraged to explore the social and political outcome of economic events.
The course assumes no prior knowledge of Business Studies. However, students need the ability to express themselves clearly with a good standard of English as they are required to write essay style answers.
Examination
Both exams are 1 hour 45 minutes and are worth 90 marks each. Both papers have a combination of multiple-choice questions (worth 14 marks) and two case studies with questions (worth 76 marks)
The course teaches students the purpose of business activity, the role of business enterprise and entrepreneurship, and the dynamic nature of business. They will study the importance of external influences on business and how businesses change in response to these influences.
Paper 1: Investigating a small business (50%)
Students will learn how to identify and analyse key business concepts, including enterprise, business ownership, marketing, operations, finance and the wider external environment, while applying their knowledge to real-world business scenarios.
Paper 2: Building a Business (50%)
Students will learn how businesses grow and develop through making effective marketing, operational, financial and human resource decisions, while considering globalisation and the wider ethical, environmental and competitive business environment.
Business has direct relevance to accounting, banking, insurance, management, marketing and many other related occupations.
Students wishing to extend their study of business subjects at the end of the GCSE course have the opportunity to take GCE Advanced Business Studies.
Business Studies has direct relevance to accounting, banking, insurance, management, marketing and many other related occupations.
