Business Studies and Economics

Our Approach to the Business Studies Curriculum

We aim to provide academic Business Studies education in a challenging, caring and supportive environment. Our aim is to broaden the knowledge and understanding of students of the business world and to develop within them an appreciation of the influences and constraints within which businesses work. By acquiring an understanding of these issues and considering them in a national and international context, students will be able to develop their own values and standards. This will better prepare them for the workplace and help them to make informed choices about their future careers.

The department aims to:

  • enable students to appreciate and be critical of the business world, its influences and implications
  • To generate interest, enthusiasm and confidence in the subject, to stimulate curiosity and enjoyment of Business Studies
  • To set high standards for students, to develop a variety of desirable and marketable personal qualities and prepare them for the next step in education or for employment.

Our Approach to Lessons

We foster a positive, supportive and challenging atmosphere in the classroom where we inform and engage students in an ever-changing subject. We provide an environment for all students to succeed; especially those who may need additional time and tutorial guidance to ensure that they reach their full potential.

Curriculum

GCSE Business - AQA

Students apply their knowledge and understanding to different business contexts ranging from small enterprises to large multinationals and businesses operating in local, national and global contexts. Students develop an understanding of how these contexts impact on business behaviour. Students will apply their knowledge and understanding to business decision making including: – the interdependent nature of business activity, influences on business, business operations, finance, marketing and human resources, and how these interdependencies underpin business decision making – how different business contexts affect business decisions – the use and limitation of quantitative and qualitative data in making business decisions.  

Our specification requires students to draw on the knowledge and understanding to: – use business terminology to identify and explain business activity – apply business concepts to familiar and unfamiliar contexts – develop problem solving and decision making skills relevant to business – investigate, analyse and evaluate business opportunities and issues – make justified decisions using both qualitative and quantitative data including its selection, interpretation, analysis and evaluation, and the application of appropriate quantitative skills.

GSCE Business Topics – AQA

Year 10 Year 11

Business in the real world 

Influences on business

Human Resources 

Operations

Marketing 

Finance 
A-Level Business - AQA

Students will focus on building on skills which will help them to become a good decision-maker. They will learn essential managerial skills, alongside techniques to help them become an analytical problem solver. These skills are all highly sought after and valued in a wide range of careers.

Year 12 

The first year of the A-level starts with a foundation topic ‘What is Business?’ and moves into decision making within the functional areas of business; marketing, operations, finance and human resources.

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

  • the importance of the context of business in relation to decision making
  • the interrelated nature of business activities and how they affect competitiveness
  • the competitive environment and the markets in which businesses operate
  • the influences on functional decisions and plans including ethical and environmental issues
  • the factors that might determine whether a decision is successful eg the quality of data and the degree of uncertainty
  • how technology is changing the way decisions are made and how businesses operate and compete
  • the impact on stakeholders of functional decisions and their response to such decisions
  • use of non-quantitative and quantitative data in decision making (including the interpretation of index numbers and calculations such as ratios and percentages).

Content

Topic 1 – What is business?

Topic 2 – Managers, leadership and decision making

Topic 3 – Decision making to improve marketing performance

Topic 4 – Decision making to improve operational performance

Topic 5 – Decision making to improve financial performance

Topic 6 – Decision making to improve human resource performance

Year 13 

The second year of the A level builds on the first year by considering strategy and the impact of, eg, technology, environmental and ethical influences on strategic decision making and functional areas. The study of strategic decision making should build on the study of decision making in the functional areas.

Students should consider:

  • the impact of technology on strategic decision making
  • the influences of Corporate Social Responsibility, ethical and environmental issues on strategic decisions
  • the difficulties in forecasting future trends
  • the importance of assessing feasibility and risk when making strategic decisions
  • the impact on stakeholders of strategic decisions and their response to such decisions.

The topics lend themselves to studying and engaging with the business world. The specification and assessment should encourage students to follow business developments and think critically about contemporary business issues. Most of the assessment material is based on real business situations. By examining and thinking critically about real business situations as they study the subject, students will gain an insight into different contexts which will help them to understand the key issues in any situation and compare and contrast this with other situations and apply their understanding.

Content

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