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Business & Economics

Curriculum Intent

Curriculum Intent

Our aim in Business and Economics is to offer a diverse, high quality curriculum relevant to the dynamic business environment that supports students in developing their economic well-being in line with the school philosophy of learning for life.

We offer a three year Business GCSE that provides our students with time to build deeper knowledge and take advantage of personal enrichment and entrepreneurial opportunities. In the Sixth Form the department offers a variety of courses including the traditional academic A-levels of Business and Economics and the more vocational BTEC Business. The varied subject offering provides stretch and challenge, extra-curricular industry experiences and caters for all learning styles to enthuse students in pursuing academic excellence.

The real world nature of the subject provides regular opportunities to promote spiritual, moral, social and cultural development which are an integral part of our day to day work, whether in discussing the ethics in globalisation, the motivation and leadership theory involved in the treatment of workers or the role of technology in business interaction.

 The department’s skilled professional practitioners create a safe but challenging environment that encourages our students to be resilient, reflective and to improve their own metacognition.

Course Information

GCSE Course

GCSE Course

The Business Department offers AQA GCSE Business which is worth one GCSE. This course encourages pupils to consider the practical application of business concepts. The specification looks at the issues in starting up a business and then in a larger growing firm. It focuses on the key functional areas of Marketing, Finance, Human Resources and Operations. The course provides students with a holistic view of the major issues that face modern businesses

Exam board: AQA

Exam Code: 8132

Exam Board web site: www.aqa.org.uk

Assessment method: GCSE Business Studies is assessed by two external examinations both sat at the end of Year 11

GCSE Business Scheme of Work overview 3 year course

GCSE Scheme of Work

Year 9

Section 1

Business in the real world

Autumn Term

Section 1

Business in the real world

Enrichment Activity

Spring Term

Section 2+4

Influences on Business

Human Resources

Summer Term

Year 10

Autumn Term

Section 3+4

Business Operations

Human Resources

Spring Term

Section 3+4

Business Operations

Human Resources

Enrichment Activity

Summer Term

Section 5+6

Marketing

Finance

Year 11

Autumn Term

Section 5+6

Marketing

Finance

Spring Term

Section 3+4

Marketing

Finance

Review Sections 1-6

Summer Term

Section 5+6

Review Sections 1-6

Sixth Form: A Level

A Level Intro

In the Sixth Form the Business & Economics department offers three courses:

  1. Edexcel A level Business

  2. Edexcel A Level Economics

   1. A-level Business

     Exam board:Edexcel

     Exam Code: 9BS0

     Exam Board web site: https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/business-2015.html

    Entry requirements: Six 9-4 Grades at GCSE, including English Language & Mathematics at grade 5

Business is a popular academic course that is firmly grounded in the reality of the dynamic business environment. Students will learn subject content alongside real business events such as the global recession, the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the leadership of great entrepreneurs such as Lord Alan Sugar and Sir Richard Branson to bring theory to life. The subject explores the challenges and issues of managing a business and examines the different functional areas including Human Resources, Finance, Marketing and Operations. Business also looks at the external influences on a firm such as the economy and the strategies businesses devise to deal with them.

Students of this course study business in a variety of contexts (eg large/small, UK focused/ global, service/manufacturing)

A level Business

Qualification at a glance:

 

Students are introduced to business in Themes 1 and 2 through building knowledge of core business concepts and applying them to business contexts to develop a broad understanding of how businesses work.

 

Breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding, with applications to a wider range of contexts and more complex business information, are developed in Themes 3 and 4, requiring students to take a more strategic view of business opportunities and issues.

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Assessment

A-Level  (Code:7132)

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A-Level Business Scheme of Work Overview

A level Business Scheme of Work
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Year 12

1. What is business?

2. Managers, leadership and decision making

3. Decision making to improve marketing performance

Autumn Term

4. Decision making to improve operational performance

5. Decision making to improve financial performance

Spring Term

6. Decision making to improve human resource performance

Revision

Start Year 2 theory : 7. Analysing the strategic position of a business.

Summer Term

A level Economics

Year 13

Candidates will be expected to use all of theory from Year 1 in their three A-level papers

7. Analysing the stategic position of a business

8. Choosing strategic direction

Autumn Term

8. Choosing strategic direction

9. Strategic methods: how to pursue strategies

Spring Term

9. Strategic methods: how to pursue strategies

10. Managing strategic change

Revision

Summer Term

2. A-level Economics A (2015)

    Exam board: Edexcel

    Exam Code: 9EC0

    Exam Board web site: http://qualifications.pearson.com/en/home.html

    Entry requirements:  The standard college entry requirements, including at least a B grade in Maths and English                   Language. A high average GCSE score is also required and will be discussed on interview.

Economics is a rigorous academic subject which is well respected by both universities and employers. Therefore to be successful it requires dedication and a great deal of time spent on mastering the theory. It requires a good level of numeracy and literacy skills including equations, calculations, working with statistical data and a large amount of interpreting and manipulating graphs and models.

Economics is the study of how people choose to use resources, including land, buildings, labour, equipment, tools and knowledge. Should we devote more resources to healthcare or to defence? Should we use resources to produce more cars or to produce more iPods? Individuals have to make decisions as well. Should I spend my income on a new kitchen or on a holiday? Should I go to university or go straight into employment?

The aim of the subject is for students to understand how economic decisions are made and how economics can help to solve problems like pollution, unemployment and inefficiency. Economics requires students to think analytically and form opinions on the key economic debates of the moment.

Students study micro and macroeconomics. Microeconomics addresses individual markets and issues such as: ‘Why are house prices so high?’, ‘Can pollution effectively be controlled?’ and ‘Should governments interfere with markets?’. The macroeconomic issues look at the whole economy and cover: ‘Why does the government have an inflation rate target and how does it affect us?’, ‘What happens to the economy if people decide to spend more?’ and ‘How are we affected by the Chinese and Indian economies?’

Subject Content

Assessment

A-Level Economics Scheme of Work Overview

Economics Scheme of Work

Year 12

Theme 1:Introduction to markets and market failure

Microeconomics(Theme 1)

-Nature of Economics

-How Markets work

-Market failure

-Government intervention

Autumn Term

-Market failure

-Government Intervention

Theme 2: The UK economy - performance and policies

Macroeconomics (Theme 2)

- Measures of economic performance

-Aggregate supply

-Aggregate demand

-National Income

-Economic Growth

Spring Term

-National Income

-Economic growth

-Macroeconomic objectives and policy

Start A2 Content:

Theme 3: Business behaviour and the labour market

-Business Growth

Summer Term

Year 13

Theme 3: Business behaviour and the labour market

Microeconomics (Theme 3)

-Business growth

-Business objectives

-Revenues, costs and profits

-Market structures

Autumn Term

-Market structures

-Labour market

Theme 4: A global perpective

Macroeconomics (Theme 4)

- International economics

-Poverty and inequality

-Emerging and developing economies

-The financial sector

Spring Term

-Government intervention

-The role of the state in the macroeconomy

Summer Term

BTEC Info

BTEC National in Business Economics Scheme of Work Overview

BTEC scheme of work

Year 12

Exploring Business (Coursework)

Autumn Term

Exploring Business (Coursework)

Developing a Marketing Campaign (Task)

Spring Term

Developing a Marketing Campaign (Task)

Personal and Business Finance (Examination)

Summer Term

Year 13

Personal and Business Finance (Examination)

Autumn Term

Recruitment and Selection Process (Coursework)

Spring Term

Recruitment and Selection Process (Coursework)

Potential retakes for:

Personal and Business Finance (Examination)

Developing a Marketing Campaign (Task)

Summer Term

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