Business
Staff 美狮贵宾会登录中心
Mr B Noel (Head of Department)
bno@justin-schumm.com
Mr S Devereux
sdevereux@justin-schumm.com
Aims of the Course
This is a popular course that is relevant to most pupils especially those who aspire to work in the commercial world e.g. accountancy, law, stockbroking, finance, advertising the media or wish to one day own their own business. GCSE Business aims to give pupils an excellent and practical understanding of how the real world of business works. It helps pupils develop critical thinking and analytical skills which will be useful throughout life.
The course is very varied and studies the many different factors that work together to make businesses successful. In particular:
Theme 1: Investigating small business
1.1 Enterprise and entrepreneurship
1.2 Spotting a business opportunity
1.3 Putting a business idea into practice
1.4 Making the business effective
1.5 Understanding external influences on business
Theme 2: Building a business
2.1 Growing the business
2.2 Making marketing decisions
2.3 Making operational decisions
2.4 Making financial decisions
2.5 Making human resource decisions
Assessment Procedures
The course is assessed through two components:
Theme 1 paper - 50% of the qualification
Theme 2 paper - 50% of the qualification
After KS4/Future Careers
Many pupils go on to study Business in the Sixth Form, and it always proves to be a popular course leading on to study to degree level at University. There are very few careers that will not benefit from some of the business concepts covered in this course.
Aims of the Course
A Level Business is a course that helps you to make sense of the real world of business. Business theory is explored and investigated using real examples and your own experience.
The teaching staff have many years of practical business experience which they use to help bring the subject to life. They will expect you to have an enquiring mind and an interest in what makes the world go round.
Lessons are varied and you will be asked to contribute your ideas and opinions on a regular basis as well as participate in different group activities.
This is a popular subject that achieves top results. The new specification is designed to make the subject even more practical giving students the skills that directly transfer to running a successful business. Every aspect of the course has relevance, making this a living, breathing subject.
Curriculum Overview
In Year 12 you will study:
Theme 1: Marketing and people
Theme 2: Managing business activities
In Year 13 you will study:
Theme 3: Business decisions and strategy
Theme 4: Global business
There is no coursework for this subject.
Assessment Procedures
The course is assessed through three papers:
Paper 1: Marketing, people and global businesses.
Questions will be drawn from Themes 1 and 4, and from local, national and global contexts – 35% of the total qualification.
Paper 2: Business activities, decisions and strategy.
Questions will be drawn from Themes 2 and 3, and from local, national and global contexts -35% of the total qualification.
Paper 3: Investigating business in a competitive environment.
Paper 3 will assess content across all four themes. Questions will be drawn from local, national and global contexts - 30% of the total qualification.
What’s the difference between the Business and Economics?
As both Business and Economics are Social Sciences the skills needed to succeed in both disciplines are similar.
Both subjects have overlapping content which is why it is advised that Business and Economics should not be studied together.
Business pupils will examine business behaviour and how businesses should be run in order to make a profit. It’s a more practical, problem based subject. Ultimately the Business Studies course focuses on business organisations by looking at two aspects in particular:
- The relationship between the business organisation and the economic, social, political and technological environment in which the firm operates.
- The process of decision-making within the organisation, for example, what products and services to produce, and how should they be marketed?
Economics includes some of these aspects, but only as one minor part, as Economics covers a much broader area than Business. For instance, Economics looks at the international economic scene, as well as the role that the government plays in the sections of the economy that are still run by the state, and those sections that have been privatized.
Economics is both a theoretical subject as well as being contemporary and real life discipline. Pupils will learn about how local, national and international economies operate and the how governments can influence and regulate industry behaviour.
