The Business Studies Department
Department Staff
- Mr Moss
- Head of Business Studies, with responsibility for GCSE Business and Communication Systems, GCE Business Studies and GCE Applied Business.
- Mr Oranu
- Teacher of Business Studies
- Mr Downey
- Teacher of Business Studies and Head of Year
- Mrs Goggin
- Teacher of Business Studies and Examinations Officer
- Mrs Wise
- Teacher of Business Studies and Librarian
Departmental Aims
The Business Studies department seeks to provide a safe, caring, positive and stimulating environment that promotes social, physical and moral development. We aim to embed the following principles:
Every child matters
Improve value added
Enrichment within business related subjects
Resources
ICT and multimedia resources are used extensively through out the business studies department. As a result, the department takes advantage of the range of dedicated ICT suites with the school located across the school.
Enrichment
Lionheart Challenge
At keystage 3 the department leads on a key enterprise activity involving all year 9 students, whereby all students actively spend the day preparing a business plan idea for presenting to a panel of business experts
NFTE
Keystage 4 students take part in the NFTE [New Fundamentals in Teaching Entrepreneurship] programme in which they form and trade a mini enterprise business.
Business Links
Business experts are regularly invited in to the classroom to lead on workshops or to deliver a subject relevant presentation.
Curriculum
Key Stage 4
In Years 10/11 students can opt to follow GCSE Business Studies [AQA] or GCSE Business and Communication Systems [AQA].
GCSE Business Studies
The course is divided up into three units. Unit 1 [setting up in business], looks at the issues involved in setting up a business (One hour examination, 40%). Unit 2 [growing as a business], looks at the issues involved with business growth (One hour examination, 35%). Unit 3 [investigating business] involves pupils investigating a real business based on an AQA Assessment Task and then under controlled conditions, students write up their research and planning (25%).
Business and Communication Systems
GCSE Business and Communication Systems combine the studying of ICT with business environment, workplace organisation, human resources, communication and computer applications. Students sit a one-hour theory examination (40%) and two practical examinations (60%).
Key Stage 5
In Years 12/13 students are offered the following subjects:
GCE Business Studies [OCR]
GCE Applied Business [Edexcel]
GCE Accounting [AQA]
BTEC First Diploma in Business (Edexcel)
GCE Business Studies
The course encourages students to develop a critical understanding of organisations and the context in which they operate. Students do have the opportunity to pursue a particular area of interest within the overall subject framework.
In Year 12 the students study 2 units – Introduction to Business and Business Functions – both units are assessed by a written examination that relates to a data response and pre-seen case study.
In Year 13 students study Marketing and Strategic Management- both units are assessed by a written examination that relates to a pre-seen case study.
GCE Applied Business(Double Award)
The course has an AS/A2 structure and provides the opportunity for students to explore the world of business in a highly practical way. Students complete 12 units across the 2 years (4 examinations; 8 assignments). The units focus on a wide range of topic areas from Investigating Marketing and Customer Service to International Dimensions of a Business.
BTEC First Diploma in Business (Year 12 only)
This course is equivalent to 4 GCSE’s grade A-C. Pupils study 6 units over the year; exploring business purposes, developing customer relations, investigating financial control, exploring business enterprise, people in organisations and business communications. Pupils are expected to complete 6 units of coursework based around actual businesses within the local area.
GCE Accounting
The course covers all aspects of accounting within a business framework. Pupils study 4 units over the two years. In Year 12, pupils study two units; unit 1, introduction to financial accounting (25% - one and half hours), unit 2, financial and management accounting (25% - one and a half hours). In Year 13, pupils study two units, unit 3, further aspects of financial accounting (25% - two hours) and unit 4, further aspects of management accounting (25% - two hours).
Parent Booklets
