Business Studies
With many students having aspirations to enter the world of business, Business Studies at either GCSE or A-Level lays a strong foundation for future university courses and careers.
GCSE
Business Studies is the theoretical and practical study of how businesses operate in global marketplaces. Students follow in the footsteps of Mick Jagger, Kevin Costner, Shaquille O’Neal and Queen Rania of Jordan, all of whom read business-related degrees!
Business is an exciting and fast-moving subject which looks at the way in which businesses start and operate to satisfy customers and make profit for investors. Students learn how business decisions are made and have the opportunity to practise their own business decision making in simulated business situations. How would you set the price for a new mobile phone? How would you raise the capital finance to start your own business? How can a new product idea be protected?
Many students consider Business Studies because they are already a customer, investor or have family links to business. The benefits of the course include: better business decision-making skills; understanding what’s going on with businesses in the economy; and confidence in assessing business opportunities, vital for possible future careers.
The syllabus includes two themes:
Theme 1: Investigating Small Business
- Enterprise and entrepreneurship
- Spotting a business opportunity
- Putting a business idea into practice
- Making the business effective
- Understanding external influences on business
Theme 2: Building a Business
- Growing the business
- Making marketing decisions
- Making operational decisions
- Making financial decisions
- Making human resource decisions
Lessons make use of business events reported in the news to illustrate the topic being taught, making them relevant to what is happening in the world today. Lessons are a mixture of instruction, discussion, video clips, business case studies and reviews of business events in the news. Assessment is by two written papers at the end of Year 11 (50% of final grade)
A Level
Why take Business Studies A-Level?
Business is a real-world A-Level for students considering Business-related courses at university. With a focus on helping students to become good decision-makers, students learn essential managerial and analytical techniques, both highly sought after and valued in a wide range of careers.
Having an interest in current affairs and world news is essential to be able to contribute to the subject in class. You will need a good standard of Mathematics and English to cope with the writing element of the course, along with analysing data and graphs.
Enrichment
Students enjoy many visits to local businesses, including entreprenuers, not for profits, the States owned Dairy, private banks and Specsavers.
A-Level course outline
All exam papers test the whole A-level course which covers:
Topic 1 – What is business?
Topic 2 – Managers, leadership and decision making
Topic 3 – Marketing Management
Topic 4 – Operation Managemenet
Topic 5 – Finance Management
Topic 6 – Human Resource Management
Topic 7 – Analysing the strategic position of a business
Topic 8 – Choosing the strategic direction
Topic 9 – Strategic methods: how to pursue strategies
Topic 10 – Managing strategic change
Paper 1 Business
Section A: 15 multiple choice questions
Section B: short answer questions
Section C & D: choice of 2 essay questions, of which you choose one.
Written exam: 2 hours
100 marks 33.33%
Paper 2 Business
Three mini case studies and you are asked roughly 3-4 questions on each case study, ranging from short-answer questions to extended-answer questions. Some of the questions will involve calculations and interpretations based on the data you have been given.
Written exam: 2 hours
100 marks 33.33%
Paper 3 Business
One extended case study with written information and data for calculations, requiring longer answers.
Written exam: 2 hours
100 marks 33.33%
