Business
Head of department: Mr Maher – n.maher@stbenedicts.essex.sch.uk
Students are given the opportunity to build a foundation of business knowledge, focussing on key business concepts, issues and skills involved in starting and running a small business. It provides a framework for students to explore core concepts through the lens of an entrepreneur setting up a business. In their final year of the course, students will delve deeper by examining how a business develops beyond the start-up phase. The course focuses on the key business concepts, issues and decisions used to grow a business, with an emphasis on aspects of marketing, operations, finance and human resources. It also considers the impact of the wider world on the decisions a business makes as it grows.
The course aims:
· To understand business concepts, business terminology, business objectives, the integrated nature of business activity and the impact of business on individuals and wider society.
· To equip students with the skills to apply knowledge and understanding to contemporary business issues and to different types and sizes of businesses in local, national and global contexts.
· To provide students with the opportunity to develop as enterprising individuals with the ability to think commercially and creatively to demonstrate business acumen, and draw on evidence to make informed business decisions and solve business problems.
· To allow students to investigate and analyse real business opportunities and issues to construct well-argued, well-evidenced, balanced and structured arguments, demonstrating their depth and breadth of understanding of business.
Exam Board: Edexcel
Course code or specification number: 1BS0
Level of qualification: Pearson Edexcel Level 2 GCSE (9-1)
What will students learn about?
Students will learn about small and larger companies, looking at relevant, real-life examples from a range of industries. They will learn key business concepts that will help them to understand key objectives and the impact business activity has on individuals and society.
What skills will students develop and demonstrate?
Students will develop their ability to demonstrate knowledge of key business concepts.
Students will develop an ability to apply key business knowledge to a range of business contexts, studying real life business examples.
Students will develop their ability to analyse and evaluate business decision making.
What grades can students’ access?
Students will be able to access all grades ranging from 1-9
How will students’ learning be assessed?
Students will be assessed at the end of Year 11 in two examinations, each carrying 50% weighting.
Theme 1: Investigating small businesses (*Paper code: 1BS0/01) 90 marks
Written examination: 1 hour and 45 minutes
50% of the qualification
Content overview
Topic 1.1 Enterprise and entrepreneurship
Topic 1.2 Spotting a business opportunity
Topic 1.3 Putting a business idea into practice
Topic 1.4 Making the business effective
Topic 1.5 Understanding external influences on business
Assessment overview
The paper is divided into three sections:
Section A: 35 marks
Section B: 30 marks
Section C: 25 marks.
The paper will consist of calculations, multiple-choice, short-answer and extended-writing questions.
Questions in Sections B and C will be based on business contexts given in the paper.
Calculators may be used in the examination.
Theme 2: Building a business (*Paper code: 1BS0/02) 90 marks
Written examination: 1 hour and 45 minutes
50% of the qualification
Content overview
Topic 2.1 Growing the business
Topic 2.2 Making marketing decisions
Topic 2.3 Making operational decisions
Topic 2.4 Making financial decisions
Topic 2.5 Making human resource decisions
Assessment overview
The paper is divided into three sections:
Section A: 35 marks
Section B: 30 marks
Section C: 25 marks.
The paper will consist of calculations, multiple-choice, short-answer and extended-writing questions.
Questions in Sections B and C will be based on business contexts given in the paper.
Calculators may be used in the examination.
What kind of learning styles does this course particularly suit?
This course will most suit students who are interested and passionate about the business environment. The course encourages creativity and critical thinking, as well as a practical approach to making decisions. Discussion regarding business actions will be common and students should expect to question the decisions of a business. Students who are able to pair these practical skills with a solid theoretical knowledge will be successful.
Home learning at KS4
Home learning at KS4 will allow students to supplement their learning and support their GCSE studies. Students will often expect to complete note taking tasks to secure their subject knowledge, or complete GCSE style questions.
We also encourage an ongoing expectation of revision throughout KS4. In year 10 students are expected to use their online textbook and classnotes to make revision resources based on the topics they are learning. In year 11, there are more structured revision tasks through our guided revision timetable and additional revision sessions. In KS4 your child can never say they “don’t have any Home learning”!!
What can parents/carers do to support at home?
Encourage your child to show and discuss the work they have completed in class.
Check that your child can log into the Microsoft Teams and can locate a digital copy of the textbook and revision resources. They will also be using learning platforms such as SENECA.
Encourage your child to discuss and read about what is going on in the world of business. Perhaps try the business pages of national and local news outlets.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk/business
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business
https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/lifestyle/businessnews/
Watch and discuss business related TV shows such as, Dragons Den and films such as The Founder.
