Business Studies

Business Studies Department

The Business Studies Department operates with the older students within school delivering examination courses within KS4 & KS5.  Students are able to choose from a range of options at each level covering traditional GCSE's and Applied Learning Courses.  They will also be involved in the delivery of the Business Units within the new Sport and Active Leisure Diploma at Level 2 and Level 3.

What is business studies?

Business studies offers young people the chance to develop knowledge, understanding and skills in relation to:

• the economic environment in which businesses operate
• the contribution that organisations make to the creation of wealth and the satisfaction of human needs and wants
• the nature and role of enterprising and managerial behaviour.

Business studies prepares young people to take active roles in business and organisational settings. It develops essential communication, planning and evaluation skills and gives young people the knowledge and understanding to use these skills appropriately in the private, public and voluntary sectors. The teaching of business makes young people more aware of their roles as consumers, workers, citizens and ultimately as business owners.

 

Business Studies Options at KS4

What is GCSE business studies?  GCSE business studies enables candidates to develop an understanding of:

• the relationship between business activity and the changing environment within which it takes place
• the structure, organisation and control of the main forms of business
• business management in a competitive environment.

The Department offers GCSE Business Studies, for more details please click on the picture below.  For further details please feel free to down load the specification here.

GCSE Business Studies	BTEC First Certificate

The Department also offers BTEC First Certificate in Business, for more details please click on the picture above.  A Student Guide for this course is available here.

Business Studies Options at KS5

What is AS/A level business studies?  AS and A level economics and business studies encourage students to:

• develop a critical understanding of organisations, the markets they serve and the process of adding value
• be aware that business behaviour can be studied from the perspective of a range of stakeholders including customer, manager, creditor, owner/shareholder and employee
• acquire a range of skills including decision making, problem solving and the interpretation and management of qualitative and quantitative data.

GCE Economics and Business	BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma in Business

Is GCE Economics and Business for me?

What do I need to know, or be able to do, before taking this course?

You may not have studied any business or economics-related subjects before, but that does not matter! What is much more important is that you want to know how to succeed in setting up and running a business and how running a business may be affected by the economy. However, the schools will expect you to have achieved at least a grade ‘B’ in GCSE Maths and English.

What will I learn?

Unit 1: Developing New Business Ideas covers the thinking and activities that entrepreneurs and existing businesses undertake when developing and researching new business ideas.

Unit 2b: Business Economics considers the market that a business may be operating in, how competition in the market and macroeconomic change is likely to affect it and how businesses can seek to minimise uncertainty through their actions.

Unit 3: International Business introduces you to what businesses need to consider if they were to trade internationally, such as which countries to sell their product in, and why some companies sell their products worldwide.

Unit 4b: The Wider Economic Environment and Business considers why certain markets fail, how government decision making affects the economy and markets that companies operate in, and the income and welfare of private individuals. It should enable you to assess why Government economic policy can succeed or fail.

Throughout the course you will develop a clear and to-the-point style of writing, the type used in economics and business, enabling you to communicate effectively in a business setting. You will also learn how to analyse and interpret economic indicators, to work out how they may affect a business and what action should be taken to benefit from these, or minimise the damage.

Is this the right subject for me?

This course is suitable if you:

• prefer examinations to coursework

• are prepared to take an interest in current economic issues, national and international business news

• want to learn how to analyse information effectively and be able to suggest solutions to real problems affecting businesses, the economy and individuals

• enjoy analysing and presenting the merits of alternative courses of action

• want to gain a background in economics and business to enable you to gain a future management position in any organisation.

For a more detailed explanation of the course download the course specification here.

BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma

This is a new course that will be delivered from September 2010.  

The 60-credit BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma extends the specialist work-related focus from the BTEC

Level 3 Certificate covers the key knowledge and practical skills required in the appropriate vocational sector. The BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma offers greater flexibility and a choice of emphasis through the optional units. It is broadly equivalent to one GCE A Level.

The BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma offers an engaging programme for those who are clear about the area of employment that they wish to enter. These learners may wish to extend their programme through the study of a general qualifications such as GCE AS Levels, additional specialist learning (for example through another BTEC qualification) or a complementary NVQ. These learning programmes can be developed to allow learners to study related and complementary qualifications without duplication of content.  For details information download the curriculum content specification here and parents can download a guide to BTEC qualifications here.

The Business Studies Department also recommends the following useful websites.

BBC Bitesize Business	BBC News	Business Studies Online	EBEA	News Night
The Times 100	BBC Working Lunch	Bized	Financial Times	FTSE 100